Kentaro Imai Architectural office
EGOTA-YU
Egota-yu is a “building-in” type Sento, located in the basement of a two-story residential building constructed in 1976 (Showa 51). At the time we were approached for the renovation, it had been about 20 years since the previous renovation. The pre-renovation facility had a predominantly white interior, with rather bright lighting, which strongly conveyed the design intent to avoid the “claustrophobic feeling” characteristic of underground spaces.
However, in this renovation plan, we explored a design approach that would instead leverage the condition of being an “underground Sento.” As a result, the design concept was set as “GEO Sento.” “GEO” refers to the earth, terrain, or ground. We likened the Sento to an “oasis emerging from the earth’s interior” or a “sacred spring in a cave.” The goal was to create a space where, from the entrance, you feel as if you are entering the earth itself or being embraced by the ground.
In the actual planning, we used plaster materials that evoke the feeling of “earth” and tiles with natural variations in color for the interior. This creates the experience of descending into the earth from the entrance staircase, immersing visitors in a world that feels connected to the earth. For the bathhouse’s lighting design, we accentuated the “ripple effect” caused by the water’s transmission and the reflection of downlights. The wavering reflections of water and light on the ceiling and walls symbolize the ever-changing natural essence, while also providing a visually soothing effect within the space. Through careful selection of materials and lighting, we devoted ourselves to creating a sense of “geo”—a space that evokes the earth and underground.
Thus, the renovation of Egota-yu aimed to transform the unique environmental condition of being underground—seemingly a negative factor—into a positive and intentional design. The image of a “sacred spring in a cave,” a seemingly peculiar concept for a Sento, is instead turned into an attractive element precisely because of its underground location. As a result, Egota-yu has achieved a unique and unparalleled worldview within the Sento space, something rarely seen in other Sentos.
