Within the canonical architecture, Vitruvius' treatises are the first treatises known. In addition to discussing the intellectual and cultural formation, interests, and sensitivity of the architect, or the "sacred" triad of architecture - venustas, firmitas, and utilitas (beauty, solidity, and functionality) - the treatise describes a design method, a kind of manual for Roman construction at the time. Complex and sophisticated, Roman architecture presented a variety of buildings with several functions. Among them were thermal baths, which did not escape Vitruvian prescriptions.
Although dedicating much of the treatise to construction and materials, book VIII is about water: how to capture and store water and the architectural constructions that serve this purpose. Water was captured through natural sources and aqueducts ensuring the necessary supply for the complex thermal baths, examples of Roman ingenuity that still impress contemporary people. In general, thermal baths had indoor pools and used steam to heat the environment.
Roman thermal baths were public bath complexes, although there were other activities related to them. Although this program existed from Greek antiquity (around 2000 BC), the Romans "standardized" construction during their time (around 30 BC), and their ruins record the period's history.
The Vitruvian treatise suggests that the orientation of the building to the sun contributes to the temperature of each room, as well as the proximity of these to the boilers that feed each one. The baths were separated by gender, and one of the Vitruvian premises for efficiency of distribution is a relatively symmetrical plan so that the boilers serve the male and female rooms without having to overcome long distances, which would also dissipate the heat.
Therefore, strategically positioned close to the bathing areas, three boilers, which contained hot, tepid, and cold water, were positioned so that, if necessary, they would supply each other, from the cold to the hot. They provided heat through air circulation systems. In this way, it was possible to control the rooms' temperature, providing a pleasant experience for bathers.
The program had three main bath rooms and other activities around them: a tepidarium, a caldarium, and a frigidarium. Warm, hot, and cold rooms, respectively. The tepidarium was a semi-heated hall, which could be considered a transition environment or ambiance so that bathers did not suffer abrupt thermal shocks from one environment to another. In general, they were located between the apodyterium - a locker room where bathers undressed and stored their clothes - and the caldarium. The room's heating was done through a raised floor, beneath which circulated the heat generated by the warm water boiler.
The caldarium was the room with the highest temperature and functioned as a humid sauna. The heating followed the same principle as the tepidarium. At the end of the room, a basin with cold water to relieve excessive heat and a small pool for immersion were arranged. Some caldariums were also adjacent to a dry sauna, known as Laconic. They were circular rooms shaped like a cone trunk, from whose upper opening hung a bronze shield with embers, and which could have its height adjusted to change the temperature as desired. The frigidarium contained a cold water pool and was the final stage of the sauna process.
Roman thermal baths were not limited to bathing but to sets of activities, reinforcing their social aspect. Besides bathing and saunas, thermal baths offered environments for physical exercise and leisure spaces, such as gardens, libraries and lecture halls. These complexes were surrounded by commerce, and everything reinforces social interaction and coexistence at the time.
The aesthetics of Roman thermal baths were also a highlight. The buildings were adorned with decorative elements such as mosaics, frescoes, and statues. Since the set also fulfilled the function of a study place, artistic enjoyment was part of this program's needs. That is, thermal baths were a kind of community center, spread throughout cities in different sizes and programmatic configurations, fulfilling the role of a meeting point between people, in the manner of a modern square, museum, or club.
Roman thermal baths were also highlighted for their aesthetic appeal. The buildings were adorned with decorative elements such as mosaics, frescoes, and statues. Aside from serving as a study area, they were also used for artistic enjoyment. Thermal baths were community centers spread throughout cities in different sizes and programmatic configurations. They fulfilled the role of a meeting point between people, like a modern square, museum, or club.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Water in Architecture, proudly presented by Hansgrohe.
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