There’s an immediate sense of tranquility once you step into Nowhere, Singapore’s newest bathhouse carved within the Dempsey enclave. As hues of terracotta and nude awash curved walls to conceal the rest of the facilities, the reception is left entirely bare and open, with a friendly staff member walking you through with two towels in hand. “No phones” and “speaking in quiet tones” are listed as a few of the house rules at Nowhere; which drives home the message: this is a safe sanctuary free from incessant city perils. At last.
Founded by the same folks behind wellness space Palm Ave Float Club, Nowhere was created with the ancient history of baths in mind—where baths were had for enjoyment, human connection and to even improve one’s health. “Back when the Romans conquered new cities, the bathhouse was the first structure to be built. Reading books about bathing, such as Leonard Koren’s Undesigning the Baths, or Mikkel Aaland’s Sweat, showed us that bathing not only connects us all as humans, but it can also be elevated into a more mindful, pleasurable and sensory experience,” says co-founders Sarah Chan and Derrick Foo.
This notion spurred the duo to experience baths locally and abroad—with three main bathing expeditions in Taiwan, Melbourne and Finland. They add: “Initially, experiencing these rich bathing cultures overseas felt like a disadvantage for us in Singapore, since we do not have much of a bathing history here. However, it also excited us because it meant that we could set our own rules and adopt the best practices that would suit modern Singapore.”
And that they surely did. By clever design of local architecture firm Type 0, Nowhere is divided up in three segments. First, “Separation” in the changing room where one “drops the armour” to get ready for the baths. Here’s also where you store your phones away in the locker and rinse off before heading inside. Contrary to most shared changing rooms, you hardly see an overcrowded scene at Nowhere given that bookings are restricted to a maximum of two and staggered according to allocated timeslots.
Next, the baths. In “Transition”, you’re veering into a hidden cavern—with pockets and nooks of different bathing experiences. Alongside a holistic consultant from Portugal who helped create a design framework on sacred geometry, the curves in the space naturally formed its distinctive harmony. “It followed a golden ratio so that they would be in symphony with one another, which we believe would have a healing quality for bathers,” explain Chan and Foo.
Taking inspiration from Leonard Koren’s writings, the founders played with temperature, humidity and interactions with steam and water. The weight of water can come through the cold bucket shower or the slow descent into the cold plunge pool. As far as the hot baths go, the Epsom Salt Bath and Cloud Bath (of nanobubbles to cleanse and calm) are roomy and strategically placed for you to overlook the fauna through the windows.
Lastly, you conclude the session at “Integration”—a beautiful lounge to recalibrate and sip on tea before you head back into the real world.
In two hours, Nowhere felt like a cocoon. Of restoration and recovery, with the freedom to bathe, soak or even work on contrast therapy with the various pockets of facilities. You leave the space feeling a little lighter, sated and even induced for a nap. Surely, baths will never be the same again.
