The flagship location will open in Austin, Texas, in Q3 2027
It will measure 20,000sq ft and have 12 distinct immersive artistic thermal spaces
The local community is being invited to join the location's founding membership waitlist
Submersive, an immersive art bathhouse concept by Corvas Brinkerhoff, co-founder of experiential art company Meow Wolf, will open in the Bouldin Creek neighbourhood in Austin, Texas, US.
The bathhouse, which will open in Q3 of 2027, will combine ancient hydrotherapy traditions with art installations, with the help of international artists. The space will use the latest technology and neuroscience-informed sensory design to create transformative experiences.
The flagship 20,000sq ft indoor-outdoor property’s steam, mist, saunas, hot baths and cold plunges will merge with the artistic environments. There will be 12 distinct spaces for guests to move through, where the surrounding art is said to have been created to provide therapeutic benefits.
Brinkerhoffq told Spa Business: "We're deepening the well-established therapeutic benefits of thermal bathing with the unique power of immersive art to draw us into states of awe and wonder, which is known to deactivate the Default Mode Network and enhance human openness – getting us outside of our referential thinking and into expansive states of consciousness.
"Over time, we'll be integrating biometric feedback and other methodologies to study and refine the beneficial impact of our experiences to create the world's deepest understanding of the therapeutic potential of multi-sensory environments," he added.
Spa and wellness industry advisors involved in the project's mission include spa consultant Garrett Riffle, a former partner of Bathhouse. Don Genders, founder and CEO of hydrothermal environment specialist company Design for Leisure, is also on Submersive's advisory board.
Read an interview in Spa Business with Brinkerhoff about the plan to roll the concept out globally here.
Brinkerhoff said, “We’re not building a spa. We’re building a portal. The bathhouse has always been a place where people go to reset and reconnect. We’re taking that ancient impulse and giving it the full power of immersive art and modern neuroscience.
“Every traditional bathing modality, be it dry sauna, steam room, hot baths or cold plunge has been reimagined in how it can be profoundly enhanced with the power of immersive design,” he added. “We are creating not just an entertainment experience or a spa experience, but also access to an environment that takes people to an elevated state change.”
On the decision to base Submersive’s flagship location in Austin, Brinkerhoff said: “Austin appreciates that creative, powerful experiences sit at the intersection of art, community and wellness. It is a hub for forward-thinking individuals who embrace new and world-changing ideas. Submersive was made for this city and this location, steps from Barton Springs, feels almost destined. We’re bringing something the world has never seen before to the heart of Austin.”
Brinkerhoff is inviting the local community to join Submersive’s founding membership waitlist. These early members will have priority reservation benefits and pricing perks.
