IN THIS LATEST DESIGN FROM SPACE POPULAR, THE STUDIO TRIES TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE CONVENTIONAL IMAGE OF SPAS
TEXT: PRATCHAYAPOL LERTWICHA
PHOTO: W WORKSPACE
(For Thai, press here)
After witnessing the massive success with Infinity Spa, a spa in Bangkok’s Silom neighborhood that has been welcoming an endless sea of loyal customers, the Infinity brand has decided to open its latest spa facility in Sukhumvit called Infinity Wellbeing. Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg from Space Popular, who worked together on the previous branch, teamed up again for the creation of the brand’s new addition.
Surrounded by lush greenery, Infinity Wellbeing is an urban oasis that takes one away from the chaos of Sukhumvit Road. The freshness and shade offered by the growing trees inside the establishment’s outdoor area find their way into the interior space, decorated with materials and furniture that come in cool colors. The design accentuates the space’s spaciousness with the use of white, its access to the natural scenery outside while adding an element of glamour with materials such as marble and terrazzo. What sets Infinity Wellbeing apart from other establishments of similar nature is the color palette of its interior design that shies away from the dark, warm tones of the wood and brown-beige shades.
Besides the aesthetics that breaks away from the conventional image of spas, the design hides a number of details that bring an element of surprise to how users experience the space. The corridor’s walls leading to the treatment rooms reveal distinct colors while walking past in different directions. Another surprise awaits clients inside the treatment rooms, with the pink colored decoration and the high ceiling designed into a step-pyramid void. The skylight brings in what feels like natural light which is created from a standard artificial light source. Who would have thought that above the room would be nothing but a slope of a parking lot?
From their 5 years of experiences living in Thailand, Lesmes and Hellberg express their personal admiration for Thai people’s ability to adapt everyday objects into furniture and decorating items. Incorporated into the design are mundane objects such as white foam, which is used as the ceiling material of the treatment rooms. The foam softens the light inside the room and works wonders in absorbing echoes inside the rooms. The traces of Thai people’s fun spirit appears in the furniture the duo designed for the project using very local materials, reminding us of the furniture that is seen everywhere in Thailand. Hopefully, we will get to see more fabulous projects from Space Popular in Thailand in the future.
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