Marlene Metzler

This project rethinks the individualization of bathing in architecture.

The first answer to densification may be reducing the space used per person. Clinging to private bathing spaces results in minimalistic designs that no longer meet the diverse needs of this intimate environment. However, when bathing spaces are collectively used, other scenarios are possible.

This approach draws upon the long history of communal bathing and the relatively recent development of private bathrooms. The shift to privatized bathing emerged during the construction of the three villas - the project’s location. Even then, counter-movements like the life reform movement proposed alternative living concepts, emphasizing harmony with nature, community, and physical well-being.

Inspired by these ideas, this project explores how existing buildings can transform into cooperative living environments. By adding extensions to stairwells, new communal spaces are introduced and reinterpreted as places for shared water consumption. Domestic acts of bathing and washing are celebrated through outward visibility, underscoring their central role in daily life and fostering social interaction.

The externalization of water use in these wash towers facilitates alternative water cycles, such as rainwater harvesting, made tangible through exposed pipes and accessible to the broader community in the public ground floor.

By linking communal bathing spaces with research-driven solutions, the aim is to redefine intimacy and resource use, emphasizing the need to rethink comfort in the face of population growth, while generating a financial model for cooperative living.