INFLUENCE OF TURKISH BATH CULTURE ON THE DESIGN OF SPA & WELLNESS VENUES

Throughout the history, water has been one of the main determinants of the human lifestyle in every culture. Turkish baths, which are among the most important extant water structures, are the products of a building type that appeared with the merger of Turkish bathing culture with the Anatolian bathing culture. At present, Turkish baths are defined in a different way as the venues for socializing in addition to bathing. In continuous change, modern man desires to reach global health services in the globalizing world in order to both protect his wellness and obtain the most effective treatment. In addition to its physical implications, the concept of wellness also refers to emotional and socio-cultural well-being. This changing paradigm of wellness has created the concept of Spa & wellness. Spa & wellness center is the name given to water therapies that have been applied since the Romans. The main reason of this development and change is the prominence of sauna-vapor-water systems as supporting and complementary elements to medicine and the demands of the users in this regard. The man of the present time desires to reach the scientific and technological developments in modern science not only for health and treatment services, but also for beauty and to “stay young”. This desire has turned health tourism into an important tourism trend in the world. Therefore, spatial formations must be dwelled on for Spa & wellness centers to function properly. This study outlines the influences of traditional Turkish baths on the design of the present time Spa & wellness venues. In order to identify these influences, initially the Turkish bath culture and the interior characteristics of Turkish bath are examined. Then, Spa & wellness concept and design criteria are searched. Finally, in accordance with these examinations, the spatial interactions of the traditional Turkish baths with Spa & wellness centers are evaluated.