Heosimcheong Spa Dongnae, Busan South Korea

허심청동래구

부산

대한민국

목욕탕

More traditional Korean pulblic

bath houses are known as

MogYokTang.

Fully gender segregated, these

public baths were vital fixtures

of community based urban

fabric.

Not only did they provide hot

water and bathing facilities to

the community in times prior

to private indoor plumbing,

Mogyoktang were a socially

stablizing and class equalizing

force in Korean civilization.

Nudity in Mogyoktang, and

the gender segregated areas

of contemporary Jimjilbang is required.

A tangible expression of the

Korean approach to health and

wellbeing, saturated clothing is

believed to have the potential

to leach toxins into the

water and body.

Heavyweight cotton shorts

and tunics are provided

by the spa to wear in the

mixed-gender spaces found

in modern Jimjilbang.

Heosimcheong Spa is a type of spa known as Jimjilbang.

Translatable as “heated floor room,” Jimjilbang are a

contemporary twist on traditional Korean bathhouses and

saunas. Bringing together two dominant cultural emphases on

Health and Community, Jimjilbang are places where one can sweat,

bathe, eat, sleep and be entertained, all while

spending quality time with friends and family.

Popularized during the economic boom that South Korea

experienced in the late 1990s, Jimjilbang are popular

destinations for family outings, afternoons with friends,

and even weekend dates.

Many Jimijlbang are open 24/7 and serve a sizable

demographic of business travelers, highschool slumber

parties, and after-hours party goers. The cost of admittance

is typically less than $10 USD, and are thus cheaper than

a taxi ride home at 2am.

Heosimcheong Spa claims to be the largest spa in Korea, and is

only open from 5:30am - 10:30pm, and due to its proximity to an

international hotel and many restaurants, has limited food and en-

tertainment options within the spa itself.

The source of water for Heosimcheong Spa is

Dongnae Hotspring.

Famous throughout Korea and Japan for its healing hot waters for

over 1,000 years, rulers of the Silia Kindom (57BCE-935CE) were

recorded to have visited the site and soaked in the waters at Dongnae.

The waters of Dongnae hotspring are alkaline, low-salt, with the highest concentration of magnesium in Korea. The wa-ters emerge from the ground at 45°~61°C (115°-140°F).

Today, the waters of Dongnae Hotspring are used in Heosimcheong Spa,

a 5-story, 43,000 square foot urban complex, connected to a hotel, that

was built in 1991.

Many of the tubs contain warm or hot water infused with a variety of medicines & minerals. Wormwood, green tea, and salt are three of the most common additions.

Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, provides an in-

tensely urban backdrop for Heo-

simcheong Spa.

The Spa is connected to an

international hotel, located

roughly 10 miles from downtown

Busan. The Spa and Hotel are ac-

cessible by light-rail or taxi.

Dora Pollak, Arch 506, Feb 12, 2013

찜

질

방

Section Perspective

View upon entering building

View from across the street

Approaching Heosimcheong Spa

Navigating streets of Busan from train station

Enter Spa, Receive Key

Remove Shoes

Undress, secure

belongings in locker

Shower, & Scrub

Soak: Warm Tub

Soak: Hot Tub

Cold Plunge

Soak:Herbal Bath

Shower

Soak:Warm Tub

Steam RoomPut on provided cotton clothing

Sweat in Charcoal Sauna

Cool down in ice-room

Relax with friends on heated floor in Jimjilbang.Eat Korean snacks, drink tea.

Sweat in Bulgama Sauna

Shower, Dress

Put on Shoes

Pay at Front Desk

Exit Spa

Potential Jimjilbang Experience

Receive Massage or Exfoliation treatment

Shower

Dora Pollak, Arch 506, Feb 12, 2013

5F Spa Layout: Warm/Hot tub

Warm/Hot tub with infusions

Steam room or Sauna

Cold Plunge

ShowerCool down in ice-room

Enjoy one last soak in favorite pool

Repeat

Nap in giant lounge chair

Koreans have used a system of in-floor heat-

ing known as Ondol since 1,000 BCE. Orig-inally warmed with wood smoke, modern On-

dol use gas or oil to heat rooms. Today, over

80% of homes in South Korea have rooms

with heated floors.

Most sauna rooms in Jimjilbang are

heated through the floor - some floors

are too hot to touch with bareskin for more

than a minute. Mats and towels are provided

to lay on.

Bulgama Sauna (95°C/210°F)

The Bulgama room is the hottest sau-

na in Jimjilbang. Closely

resembling a traditional

Korean pottery kiln, this sauna is heat-

ed by building a large fire with pine

wood directly in the sauna.

After burning for several hours, the

hot embers are removed from the

sauana, leaving the large clay bricks to

radiate the intense heat. At over 200°F

and very dry, Bulgama causes people

to sweat profusely.

When heating the Bulgama sauna,

eggs are placed inside to bake for sev-

eral hours. The extreme heat and long

cooking time causes the unhealthy

cholesterol in the eggs to be drawn to

the surface & deposited on the shell.

The resulting hardboiled eggs are sold

in the Jimjilbang cafe, touted as ex-

tremely healthy.

Elimination of toxins through the skin

is of paramount importance

in Korean health and bathing.

Materials and Medicinals

Yellow Ochre (Loess Clay) - stimulates lym-phatic system, assists in heavy metal detoxifica-

tion, draws toxins out of skin.

Charcoal - Restricts bacterial grown, treats eczema and other skin conditions. Blocks and

absorbs electromagnetic radiation.

Salt - Detoxifying, ionizing, pore-opening

Amethyst, Jade, Riverstones, Basalt Rock, etc.

are also commonly used in spas and saunas.

Wormwood - Anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue.

Primarily used in women’s baths.

Green Tea - Anti-bacterial & anti-inflamma-tion. Soothes sore muscles.

Lavender - Calming, assists with sleep

Men

Women

Shoe Lockers

JimjilbangLounge chairs, heated �oor, tatami mats, TVs,

magazines, etc.

Showers

Restaurant or snack bar

Movie Room with lounge

Sleeping cubbies or

room

MensLocker Room

Ice room

Yellow Ochre Sauna

Charcoal Sauna

AmethystSauna

Gold Pyramid

Sauna

BulgamaRoom

WomensLocker Room

Hot Tubs110ºF

SteamRooms

Cold Tub 55ºF

Exfoliation Services

100ºF

95ºF

Exfoliation Services

Showers

Steam Rooms

Cold Tub 55ºF

Front Desk

Hot Tubs110ºF

100ºF

95ºF

Men Women

5F

5F

5F - Spa. Duplicate layout4F - Front Desk. Lockers & Showers.3F - Jimjilbang, Cafe2F - Banquet Hall1F - Nightclub, Shops, Restaurant1B - Parking2B - Parking

4F

4F

4F3F

3F Jimjilbang Layout: Dry Saunas of diverse material Bulgama sauna

Ice room

Resting rooms (men & women)

Chairs/Lounge spaces

4F Front Desk & Lockers

Panorama of mens side of top floor

Womens’ lockers and showers

Front desk and shoe lockers

Diagramatic East Section, showing gender segregated areas and Jimjilbang

Yellow Ochre Sauna

Bulgama Sauna

Hotel

Nongshim