a place to bathe: design research

Phase 1 in our project of designing "a place to bathe" is design research. The culture that I chose to research in their bathing techniques is that of Sebastian Kneipp: German. Germany has a long history of spas and wellness. The Romans appreciated the hot mineral springs at Baden-Baden, and beginning in the 18th and 19th centuries, Europe’s royalty and other aristocrats would meet at the great German spa resort towns. Today, there are over 900 "Spa Resorts" found in Germany, and most for a fraction of the cost found in the United States. Sebastian Kneipp's was a founding father of Naturopathic Medicine, and his "Kneipp Cure" lives on today. This "Cure" is a form of hydrotherapy, a system of healing involving the application of water through various methods, temperatures and pressures. Along with the Naturopathic movement, Kneipp believed that healing must be achieved in five steps: Hydrotherapy, Herbalism, Exercise, Nutrition, and Spirtuality. To some extent, I agree that all five are important for a more sound body and mind achievement, which is what I think spa/water treatments should be able to provide to clients. Today in Germany, the "Spa Scene" is far more relaxed than other destinations in the world concerning nudity/privacy which are both aspects of the culture that I may not incorporate in my design of a place to bathe.