Opened in Stockholm in November 2025, Hagastrand, Autograph Collection is situated in Haga royal park and boasts one of Sweden's largest spas. The 2,500sq m facility – with 60-person event sauna, 20m pool and thermal bathing circuit – has been designed around the concept of social wellness and creativity, with sound and music an integral part of the offer.
SONIC CENTREPIECE
Stepping into the lounge, a beautiful steel gong at the end of the pool immediately captures my attention. Framed by a wooden screen, the 1.5m instrument features concentric circles of blue, red, bronze and gold, acting as a focal point, as well as a gathering place for the start of a three-hour hydrothermal journey.
The gong was handcrafted in a 3,000-year-old Etruscan cave in northern Italy by musicians and artisans Madhava Carrara and Margherita Cioffi, founders of Grotta Sonora. The pair – together with art technologist Simon Morris – are also responsible for the art installation and sound healing experience that marks the end of the spa journey at Hagastrand.
Called Gongmatic, this 15-minute session takes place in a dimly-lit 70sq m room, where a second gong has been hand-tuned to resonate on its own, offering deep nervous system recalibration and relaxation without the need for a human player.
The power of sound is a key theme at Hagastrand, according to Nobis’ wellness expert Alla Sokolova. “When we discovered Gongmatic, it was clear it matched our ambition to offer innovative, restorative therapies that are both artistic and meaningful, combining ancient wisdom with modern science and creative application of technology,” she explains.
Gongmatic is automated, continuous and experiential, combining art and ancient craft with new technologies
DEEPLY RESONATING
As the spa journey begins, our saunamaster gently hits the gong and its deep, resonant notes call guests to the entrance to the 100sq m event sauna. All of Hagastrand’s saunamasters are also local artists, musicians or performers and the unique creative disciplines they bring to the aufguss rituals are a particular highlight. Afterwards, we're free to explore the thermal wellness area at our own pace – this includes a hammam, Nordic sauna and herbal sauna by Klafs, a snowroom by TechnoAlpin, a frequency room combined with red light therapy and several relaxation areas.
Towards the end of my three-hour spa journey, I make my way to the Gongmatic room to try the 15-minute experience. There’s a five-minute window to enter the room between sessions before the door automatically locks to prevent interruptions.
Unfortunately, I just miss the window and have to wait for 20 minutes before getting to lie on one of the seven ceramic heated loungers by Sommerhuber.
The room is dark and womb-like and I feel the sounds of the gong resonating deep inside my body, as I drift away and allow myself to fully relax.
VISION AND ROLLOUT
Afterwards, I get in touch with Grotta Sonora to learn about their vision for Gongmatic.
“The aim is to restore balance and presence in modern life using sound and vibration, one of humanity’s oldest languages,” says Cioffi. “Unlike performances or sound baths, Gongmatic is automated, continuous and experiential, combining art and ancient craft with new technologies.
“The vision is to make resonance a quiet, everyday resource for nervous system regulation around the world. Gongmatic aims to establish sound-based installations as common infrastructure for wellbeing, much like lighting or architecture.”
We envision a global network of Gongmatic spaces for recalibration in daily life
The team is currently raising money via Kickstarter to establish a permanent Gongmatic installation in New York. “Site discussions are underway and a working prototype is complete,” says Cioffi. “We’re seeking a quiet, architecturally intentional space – such as a spa, cultural venue, or wellness-focused building – where sound can be treated as a spatial medium.”
She sees it as ideal for other major cities such as Los Angeles, London and Berlin where opportunities for rest are increasingly rare. “Long-term, we envision a global network of Gongmatic spaces offering accessible moments of recalibration in daily life,” she explains.
More on Hagastrand: www.spabusiness/oct_25hagastrand
About Alla Sokolova: www.spabusiness.com/24_2 sokolova
