In Biophilic Design we speak about the importance of how the environment we are in affects our senses. This sensorial approach is a key feature of a human centric mode of design. Why we would consider designing spaces which harm our minds, physical health and negatively affect our ability to focus or be creative is beyond me. Thankfully, this disconnect between understanding how to create spaces harmonious to our senses is losing ground, with the advent of the Biophilic Design movement.
Luigi Bazzani, the frigidarium (cold room) of the Casa del Centenario in Pompeii, looking south towards the steps to the cold pool (1882); decoration with trees and birds painted in green on the red frame to the left of the picture.
This was one of the main reasons I was excited to interview Dr Giacomo Savani, who specialises in ancient Roman balneology. What is that you might ask? Balneology, as he explains in this podcast, is the study of baths and bathing, how water, springs and spas also can heal. Readers of our Journal and listeners to the podcast, will probably have some understanding of the concept of the “Blue Mind”, how water has such a positive affect on us. Dr Savani has taken this a few steps further and looked at the physical and sensorial aspects of ancient Roman bathing, and we discuss in this podcast, how we might learn from their experiences and design practices and bring aspects into our designs today.
Luigi Bazzani, the tepidarium (warm room) of the Forum Baths in Pompeii (1902)
Dr Savani gives us a description of what a Roman bath would look like, how it was designed, what elements of bathing it included (the experience of moving from the gym area, to hot, to warm, to cold temperature differences for instance) but makes an important point that they were EVERYWHERE from small towns and villas to military outposts and cities. It was a real social centre, and the experience in these baths were shared by people of different social and cultural backgrounds as well.
He also describes a bathing house in Pompeii where in the baths themselves in the area closer to the pool, they created a more natural environment, a nature simulation. They painted trees, bushes, and natural elements with the experience of bathing. It would have given the bather the impression of being in a natural pool.
Luigi Bazzani, the apodyterium (dressing room) of the Stabian Baths in Pompeii (1889)
In the Renaissance, there was literally a rebirth in interest in the ancient world, physicians were reading ancient medical treatises. Then, the remains of the ancient baths in the city of Bath were discovered in the mid 18th century which further inspired the interest. If you listen on, you will find out where you can visit and experience an ancient Roman bath.
What if there were places we could all go to in every city and town, even now, to hang out, unwind, meet with friends and business colleagues, but the focus and purpose is water? We go on to discuss how we can bring this ancient practice into modern day environments and how we might benefit from it.
To contact Dr Giacomo Savani giacomo.savani@gmail.com University of St Andrews: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/classics/people/gs245/
The Sustainable Past podcast https://iiclondra.esteri.it/iic_londra/en/gli_eventi/calendario/the-sustainable-past.html
“Archaeology and Classics in the Community” is open access and Life in the Roman World: Roman Leicester https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20518196.2022.2052482
To view his art: https://www.giacomosavani.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GiacomoSavani Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giacomo.savani/
Link to the digital edition of the book Life in the Roman World: Roman Leicester: https://romanleicester.com/roman-leicester/life-in-the-roman-world-roman-leicester/
Link to buy a physical copy of the book (all money goes to support outreach activities in Leicestershire): https://shop.le.ac.uk/product-catalogue/books-and-gifts/leicester-leicestershire/roman-leicester
Credits: with thanks to George Harvey Audio Production for the calming biophilic soundscape that backs all our podcasts.
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