From Finnish saunas to Japanese onsens, spas exist in different forms across the world. While the rituals involved varies drastically, many of them seem to share a realisation that comfort comes from exposing the human body to a broad range of atmospheric conditions. Canada’s diverse climate means that people frequently move between different atmospheric conditions. Yet there are only two zones – inside and outside – separated by the monotony of a single wall. With that in mind, com-fort is a spa that investigates and expands upon the relationship between interiority and exteriority through delaminating typical building envelopes and deconstructing off-the-shelf architectural components that define atmospheric conditions.

The project was developed within the context of Harvard University GSD.