Wellness in contact with nature, Studio Reaktor

Christmas is approaching and many of us are feeling overwhelmed between work and getting ready for the Holidays. Who wouldn't want to take a nice break and enjoy a few moments of relaxation? Even if we are in the middle of the hustle and bustle leading up to the Holidays, here is a project that has something very relaxing about it: Infinit Sen, a wellness area in the quiet town of Senohraby near Prague, designed by architects from the Studio Reaktor firm.
Here, just a stone's throw from the meandering of the Sázava River, surrounded by forest, we find a garden with a brand new structure designed to provide guests of the hotel to which it belongs a deep sense of well-being. The garden encloses five small architectural structures that host immersive experiences created to ensure the users' relaxation, mysterious heating rooms which, in fact, are saunas offering different themes, from classic Finnish to herbal or honey, including a tepidarium and a rest room. In other words, we could define Infinite Sen as a small village inside a park characterised by a magical atmosphere.
The path to reach the wellness area in the hotel's park starts off as a cathartic journey that immediately helps put guests in the right mood. As the studio's founding architects, Jakub Heidler and Jan Kačer explain: "The garden is entered through the dark basement corridors of a neighbouring hotel. These corridors provide space for the utility rooms of the wellness, and as the guests walk through them, they also prepare for the experience that awaits on the other end."
Because when they finally make their way to the garden, an unexpected space opens up to guests, very different from what they might expect. A space that stands out for its dreamlike atmosphere, typical of a place designed to relax and unwind. These characteristics are the direct result of the careful choices made by the designers.
The garden's small natural lake plays a central role in the project. The lake represents the real fulcrum of the intervention, surrounded by the different types of saunas, rest areas and an orangerie, where lush ferns hang from the light wells and climbing plants decorate the façade, with deck chairs and seating in the bar area. The outdoor relaxation area, on the other hand, invites guests to enjoy the garden from a comfortable deck chair. The design also includes a bar, where fresh and healthy snacks are prepared daily.
The individual elements that contain the various saunas are covered with wood strips, which we also see in the interiors of the various structures. While the material selected by the architects is predominantly wood, used to build the saunas, the users' experience has been diversified with different scents, temperatures and music. Clearly, the ceremonial sauna, the largest, offers the most important decor elements.
Studio Reaktor's architects conceived Senohraby's world of saunas as a dreamlike labyrinth inside a garden, a journey towards relaxation. In harmony with this idea, the garden's landscape is crisscrossed with little paths and hideouts. Lights hidden in the tall grass and mountain pines mark the important spots, while the decor elements in the shape of metal runes help orient guests, pulsing gently and inviting them to peek into the saunas. Wooden slats of various widths increase the level of intimacy and privacy where needed, allowing guests to carve out their very own world of tranquility at Infinit Sen. In short, the ideal location for an escape from the pre-holiday hustle and bustle, or even a nice destination for a much needed rest afterwards.

Christiane Bürklein

Project: Studio Reaktor
Location: Senohraby, Czech Republic
Year: 2021
Images: BoysPlayNice, www.boysplaynice.com

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