Barr + Wray has long been known for excellence in water leisure engineering. Design director
Graeme Banks explains how spa design also became a natural fit in the company’s portfolio
Barr + Wray’s spa design for the Grand Hyatt Colombo in Sri Lanka
You’ve been a leader in the water and aqua-leisure engineering business for almost 60 years. When did you add spa design to your wide range of services? We decided to add spa interior design to our services around three years ago, primarily due to clients requesting a one-stop shop when it comes to spa design. We’ve always offered the technical design aspects of the spa, so it seemed a logical step forward to offer our clients a full design package.
What’s your philosophy when it comes to spa design? To never stand still and always try to innovate. We constantly get asked to create something new and unique.
What in your opinion makes the perfect spa environment? Making sure that the spa has the perfect journey in relation to the surroundings, theme, culture and architecture. The spa also needs to have the major fundamentals including wet area, relaxation and treatment rooms.
What do you see as the biggest challenges of spa design, especially when you’re working in different cultures? Some of the biggest challenges we have are mainly due to where the spa is located in relation to its surroundings and architecture. This can have a big impact on the journey, views, access and movement, etc. Different cultures do pose their own unique challenges, but this can always be resolved by good design.
What can they expect from your spa design process? Our design process is unique in the fact that we offer both technical design and interior design thus enabling a more integrated package. With every client, we always engage, evaluate, design and deliver.
What projects are you currently working on? We’ve recently finished design projects in Hong Kong, the UK, Dubai, Sri Lanka and Qatar. 2018 is already looking busy for us with more projects within Europe, Middle East and Asia, so watch this space.
What excites you about the wellness market today, and do you have any predictions for the future of spa design? I think everyone is now more socially aware of their own wellbeing and because of this there’s so much variety and choice in the spa industry which can only be a good thing for us all.
For the future of spa design, I think we’ll see two things happening. Firstly, technology will play a bigger part to give our guests a truly immersive experience; and secondly, spas will become more family oriented and not just the domain of singles and couples. So expect also to see mini kids spas appearing in the future!
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Barr + Wray has long been known for excellence in water leisure engineering. Design director
Graeme Banks explains how spa design also became a natural fit in the company’s portfolio
Barr + Wray’s spa design for the Grand Hyatt Colombo in Sri Lanka
You’ve been a leader in the water and aqua-leisure engineering business for almost 60 years. When did you add spa design to your wide range of services? We decided to add spa interior design to our services around three years ago, primarily due to clients requesting a one-stop shop when it comes to spa design. We’ve always offered the technical design aspects of the spa, so it seemed a logical step forward to offer our clients a full design package.
What’s your philosophy when it comes to spa design? To never stand still and always try to innovate. We constantly get asked to create something new and unique.
What in your opinion makes the perfect spa environment? Making sure that the spa has the perfect journey in relation to the surroundings, theme, culture and architecture. The spa also needs to have the major fundamentals including wet area, relaxation and treatment rooms.
What do you see as the biggest challenges of spa design, especially when you’re working in different cultures? Some of the biggest challenges we have are mainly due to where the spa is located in relation to its surroundings and architecture. This can have a big impact on the journey, views, access and movement, etc. Different cultures do pose their own unique challenges, but this can always be resolved by good design.
What can they expect from your spa design process? Our design process is unique in the fact that we offer both technical design and interior design thus enabling a more integrated package. With every client, we always engage, evaluate, design and deliver.
What projects are you currently working on? We’ve recently finished design projects in Hong Kong, the UK, Dubai, Sri Lanka and Qatar. 2018 is already looking busy for us with more projects within Europe, Middle East and Asia, so watch this space.
What excites you about the wellness market today, and do you have any predictions for the future of spa design? I think everyone is now more socially aware of their own wellbeing and because of this there’s so much variety and choice in the spa industry which can only be a good thing for us all.
For the future of spa design, I think we’ll see two things happening. Firstly, technology will play a bigger part to give our guests a truly immersive experience; and secondly, spas will become more family oriented and not just the domain of singles and couples. So expect also to see mini kids spas appearing in the future!
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Anne Semonin
Katherine Connolly, newly appointed global
director of retail and spa operations at Anne
Semonin, discusses her plans for the brand
Promotional feature: Thalion
Thalion is the first company to develop highly
specialised mineral therapies for clients, says
training manager Sophie Alemany
Research: Finishing touch
A new study shows that massage can
help muscle re-growth after an injury –
even when applied to the opposite limb
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
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