We usually consider spas as spaces with facilities and equipment that provide the user with a series of relaxing stimuli and pleasurable sensations. However, within them an element can be found whose aims are the opposite, that is to say, the suppression of any sensory stimulus. These are the flotation tanks, also known as sensory isolation tanks.
The spaces that offer this experience within a spa must be specifically considered in architecture, design and construction. In order to be able to offer effective sensory isolation, they must be independent and thematically treated in a particular way. Lighting and acoustic insulation are two parameters that must be taken care of in order to function properly. But they also require specialised equipment: flotation tanks. These are closed bathtubs or pools, with a capacity of approximately 600 litres of water, at a temperature of 36°C, with about 300 kg of salts in solution. The very high density that the salts give to the water facilitates effortless floating, so that the user feels as if they are melting into the liquid and the limits of their body fade away.
Treatment in one of these isolation tanks reduces stress levels, stimulates the secretion of endorphins, slows down brain waves and so on. It is estimated that half an hour of suspension in one of these tanks is equivalent to four hours of restful sleep. Their popularity has been increasing in recent years, being common in many spas and aesthetic treatment centres.
By Manolo Barberá, hydraulic modeller in Amusement Logic’s Architecture Dept.
