Set to become Western Australia’s largest spa facility and the first of its kind in the state, Tawarri Hot Springs has received Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) approval to deliver an immersive bathing and wellness centre in Dalkeith.
Designed by Plus Architecture for long-term Dalkeith residents Kathryn Gunn and Barry Jones, the development will bring to life a vision for world-class geothermally powered hot springs facilities accessible for community members and visitors of all ages and abilities. The facility will be built to a 6 Star Green Star rating and support hundreds of new local jobs from construction through to operation, while investing more than $25 million into the WA economy.
Tawarri Hot Springs is located approximately 10 minutes from Perth’s CBD. The 5,539 sqm site, which formerly housed the historic Dalkeith Hot Pool and old Tawarri Reception Centre, will be transformed into a wellness complex offering more than 25 different thermal bathing experiences, as well as saunas, hammams, and a Vichy shower, and will feature a restaurant, rooftop bar, café, and day spa. It will cater for up to 220 guests at a time and up to 500 daily.
Nestled against the Swan River, Tawarri Hot Springs’ architecture emphasises the site’s natural beauty through an interplay of natural materials and surface textures, seamlessly integrating landscape with a series of orthogonal pavilions that celebrate and complement the surrounds.
The European-inspired facilities feature both bright open bathing spaces and atmospheric cave-like meditation areas as part of the rejuvenation journey. Visual screens and strategically-designed spaces offer privacy when desired, while public bathing pools and relaxation spaces are communally accessible in open areas where guests can meet and interact.
Applying its award-winning expertise in immersive design to this project, Plus Architecture’s design thoughtfully plays between internal and external spaces, as part of a holistic wellness journey that considers all aspects of the end user’s experience with inclusivity as a core underlying concept.
Plus Architecture Perth Director and project lead Patric Przeradzki said the immersive, oasis-like design of Tawarri Hot Springs encourages an idea of discovery, emphasising narrative over aesthetics.
“With the recent global rise in wellness culture, designing ‘just a pool’ is no longer enough – considering the entire experience of the user is central to creating memorable spa experiences,” Przeradzki said.
“We have focussed on a series of design contrasts in this project such as hot and cold, dark and light, indoor and outdoor. These encourage a sense of curiosity as guests explore the different pavilions and routes they can take across the site.”
Przeradzki and the Plus Architecture team undertook a rigorous, research-led design approach – including observing new wellness technologies across spas in France and Italy – in seeking to bring the ingenuity of a European spa experience to Australia.
“Our research enabled us to understand how these wellness destinations serve both the individual and the community. People use these places to relax in the spa, but they also want to explore the space, take photos, and socialise. It was therefore also important to give equal attention to the moments that exist between the ‘spa’ experiences such as dining and leisure time,” says Przeradzki.
An attractive tourism prospect that is set to revitalise Dalkeith and the surrounding region, Tawarri Hot Springs has already generated widespread enthusiasm across the Perth community.
Owner Kathryn Gunn said Tawarri Hot Springs had been designated a ‘Strategic Tourism Attraction’ by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and would boost Perth’s global reputation as a mustvisit destination.
“While we expect to attract visitors from interstate and overseas, the Tawarri Hot Springs has been designed for and by the people of Western Australia and Dalkeith – using local materials and stories to deliver a peaceful and sustainable wellness destination for the suburb we’re proud to call home,” she said.
“There’s nothing like it in WA which is why we are so excited to be working with our community to deliver the project.”
Tawarri Hot Springs also further establishes Plus Architecture as an industry leader in wellness, hospitality and tourism design across Australia and Asia-Pacific, adding to the practice’s growing project portfolio which includes upgraded recreation facilities on Rottnest Island and the Vita Wellness Centre in Melbourne.
Construction on Tawarri Hot Springs is slated to commence in the latter half of 2023.