Sento Spa & Shop
A dialogue between Japan and Greece in the heart of Athens.
Tucked beneath the streets of central Athens, the Sentō Spa by The Baths Experience transforms the basement of a listed building into a tranquil world inspired by Japanese bathhouse culture.
The project takes its name — and its spirit — from the traditional Sentō Spa, reinterpreting it through a dialogue between Japanese design sensibilities and Greek materiality. The original spa, once styled as a Turkish hammam, had become dense and labyrinthine. At the heart of the project lies a spatial philosophy the architects describe as “Gradients of Privacy.” The idea is simple yet profound: to move gradually from the most private areas to the most communal ones, echoing the quiet rituals of Japanese bathing culture. This is achieved through breeze blocks, lightweight fabric screens, and the careful placement of functions. The changing rooms offer intimacy, the central Sentō showers and baths invite quiet social exchange, and the nail treatment zone at the edge of the plan becomes a space for conversation and light.
The new design strips away the unnecessary, opening the space to light, movement, and calm. From the main staircase, visitors turn right to the Sentō bathing area and left to the treatment rooms — a gesture of clarity that immediately sets the tone for the experience to come.
Materiality plays a meditative role. In the bathing area, wood and stone create a tactile dialogue, while the plastered walls and curved geometries soften the sense of enclosure. Traditional Japanese pottery rests on pedestals along one wall — simple objects that extend the idea of ritual into the visual field.
Connected to the spa, the beauty treatment rooms continue this atmosphere of serene restraint. Shades of brown and grey dominate, accented by the gentle glow of a backlit wall. The pedicure area is raised on a low platform, an understated intervention that enhances both comfort and ceremony.
Upstairs, the Sentō Shop carries the same philosophy into a retail context. The space is crafted in wood and stone, materials that radiate quietness and depth. At its center, a large wooden table acts as a social anchor — a contemporary reimagining of the Sentō as a place of gathering. Here, visitors are offered tea and an introduction to the curated products on display, blurring the line between shopping and experience.
Upstairs, the Sentō Shop carries the same philosophy into a retail context. The space is crafted in wood and stone, materials that radiate quietness and depth. At its center, a large wooden table acts as a social anchor — a contemporary reimagining of the Sentō as a place of gathering. Here, visitors are offered tea and an introduction to the curated products on display, blurring the line between shopping and experience.