Water, landscape, and architecture : a public bathhouse on the ocean side

Abstract

Leisure. n. : Freedom from time-consuming duties, responsibilities, or activities. Regeneration. n. : 1. The act or process of regenerating or the state of being regenerated. 2. Spiritual or moral revival or rebirth. This thesis is concerned with public spaces and the notion of leisure and regeneration in American cities. In search of regeneration, Americans spend much of their time at public recreational places. The premise o f this thesis is that a regenerative type of recreational facility is needed in American communities. Regeneration is explored in places of leisure. The intent is that such a regenerative space would foster the coming together of strangers and friends, to celebrate with each other or in solitude, to escape from daily work, to share daily pleasures, and to enjoy the natural and cultural landscape in the most elemental sense. A place that would suggest a sense of belonging to the larger domain, the neighborhood, the city, the universe, and concurrently respect the American notion of individualism. Leisure complements work providing individuals with a feeling of personal well-being. The idea of this thesis is that a deeper sense of self develops when one is regularly connected to a larger body of people, be it a family, a church group, or a basketball team. Regeneration is about making that satisfying connection between self and the world. Regeneration is explored at various levels: the site, the building type, the community, and at the personal level. An abandoned public space is chosen for the site to study forms of reuse. A new type of bathing complex is the vehicle for my exploration. Ideas are drawn from cultural associations of water in landscape and architecture, public bathing as a social institution, historical background of the site, and personal experiences at the site and at public baths. These issues guide the process of the design investigation.