SPA: Beauty, Health and Design. (Daniela Santos

Spas are no longer a luxury item. Today they attract an ever-wider public including architects and interior designers, many of whom view these spaces as the new temples of the modern era. Far from being simply for hedonistic purposes, spas are often viewed as holistic health centres, where physical and mental health combine as the whole organism is encouraged to relax and cleanse. With the successful presentation of these concepts as a valued parenthesis in the stressful daily routine, the number of people that attend spas steadily increases year after year and, catering for them, the places where such services are installed such as hotels, resorts, gymnasiums, beauty clinics and health centres. Split into three sections - country spas, mountain and seaside spas and urban spas - this book shows 39 of the most amazing and attractive therapy and relaxation centres around. Not only is there a vast range in appearance - calm country house hotels, Pompeian/Roman mosaic themes, clean modern sports facilities, 21st century pagan temples - but there is a wide variety of emphasis in the activities on offer too. Including designs by the likes of Mario Botta, Jestico & Whiles and Grimshaw Architects, these pillars of the emerging culture of wellbeing are illustrated by plenty of vivid photographs and English/Spanish text.