Therme's water-based wellness resorts - sustainable wellness retreats coming to your city
Therme Bucharest
This is our conversation with James Mark, COO of Therme Group UK, the brand behind a number of large scale fully sustainable and nature focused wellness resorts around Germany and Bucharest with a new 28 acre site on the way in Manchester, England scheduled for late 2023 as well as many more in the pipeline it seems.
Setting a new standard for the world's best wellness retreats
Their first property opened in 2010. They launched the flagship product in Bucharest in 2016. It's a LEED Platinum certified fully sustainable thermal resort that receives over 1.3 million visitors per year.
In this conversation with James, we cover everything from Therme's views on immersive experiences that function as social infrastructure for city dwellers starved of access to nature, the role of biophilic architecture and health-oriented landscaping, their not so fantastical dreams of on site hydroponic farm-to-table fare, the true meaning of wellness in a post-COVID world, and the role art can play in crafting a memorable guest experience.
Therme clearly have their sights set on doing big things not just in the UK, but around Europe, North America and soon Asia too, they do things on a serious scale with lofty ambitions that come backed up with the firepower of scientific research, expert advisory panels, and more.
Rethinking wellness
This is a brand with ideas around body and soul that integrate with municipal or city level wellness goals , they go well beyond a mere hot tub, yoga class, and cold plunge bath offering, and have set their sites on moving into healthy eating, an extended body treatment menu, state of the art biophilic architecture for self care, and something close to an aquatic digital detox in an urban context.
In a world where 'wellness' seems to be ever present, yet remarkably illusive, the efforts by businesses like Therme to change the script, offering a complete reboot without having to travel to a Japanese onsen, in other words making such experiences part of if not every day life at least a regular weekly visit, it truly innovative.
Taking wellness to the masses in the post-Covid era
Yes, we all have a yoga studio nearby, maybe an organic market, or a rock climbing wall, or a cryotherapy chamber but unless you happen to live by the Mediterranean Sea, connecting with the wellness benefits of large expanses of water can be genuinely challenging.
I interviewed James at a time when the world was emerging from the COVID pandemic and there was a palpable sense of shock at what had just happened, at no other time in our recent history has health and wellness been so centre stage in the public imagination.
In this context, the type of large-format health infrastructure that Therme Group are proposing, takes on even greater significance in my humble opinion... but decide for yourself by reading the full conversation below or listening to the podcast audio here.
Therme Manchester digital render
Wellness resorts with holistic therapies
I'm James Mark, the Chief Operating Officer of Theme Group UK, we are an organization that is designing, building and operating world leading wellbeing resorts.
We are in a process of building our platform for the resorts globally now outside of our central European base.
My background is from the events industry, 25 years previous experience, working in international venues and major global events leading the management teams and operational, commercial aspects of the business.
Matt Morley
And it's an interesting connection, isn't it? I mean, if one looks at just what they're doing, and one might have thought, well, perhaps someone from the real estate world directly or someone coming in from hospitality, but there's an interesting connection between these large scale event venues and what you're doing within the UK, starting off in Manchester?
James Mark
Yeah, I think, you know, it's a broad range of skill set that have come together to develop a business concept like this in the UK. Of course we have people on our executive team with in-depth development experience.
A wellness retreat turned public infrastructure
I'm very familiar with the landscape of designing and building large scale public venues. Ultimately, Therme Group is about building facilities that are for the public and large pieces of what we see as wellness oriented social infrastructure projects, to sit in the hearts of our cities.
The role of water, landscaping and nature-based wellness retreats
Matt Morley
You mentioned the idea of wellness resorts that exist in the heart of a city, so you're looking to bring that wellness resort concept into a more urban environment? How does the interplay between water and landscaping fit into that?
James Mark
It's extremely important, absolutely crucial to the overall wellness proposition. So fundamentally, you know, our belief is that wellness should be accessible to all, and not just the people that can afford it.
Luxury wellness resorts provide incredible curated experiences, but for a very small percentage of people who can afford to benefit from that, possibly the people that needed the least.
An egalitarian twist to the wellness resort concept
Our concept flips that on its head to an extent to say, how can you bring the same kinds of experience and offer in terms of high quality experiences that benefit people's health and wellness, while making it affordable and accessible.
Therme Manchester interiors - digital render
Nature connection in the city
What we're not building are large scale tourist destinations, what we're saying is, in cities people have increasingly become disconnected with nature. And that is a very important part of the makeup of us humans.
There's been this huge migration into cities, where it's very easy to become disconnected from nature. And that is fundamentally what we are bringing - a facility on a large scale, set in a city, that's for the people of that community, helping them to reconnect with nature, and all the benefits that we know that brings.
They don't have to travel far for or pay that much for it. It's something they can do regularly.
Biophilic design and biophilic architecture at monumental scale
Matt Morley
I see smaller biophilic design projects in gyms, offices, coworking spaces, residences but it's the sheer scale of what you are doing that impresses me most. What was the initial spark of the idea behind the business?
James Mark
Well, the concept dates back to around 20 years ago in Germany. As part of the group, now we have four operating facilities, three in Germany, and our most recent facility in Bucharest.
Now we talk a lot about biophilic architecture and creating those spaces to reconnect with nature. But that goes back to 20 years for us with a concept of large format for maximum impact a low price point.
Most cultures around the world have some health and wellness component or water-based activity in terms of healing, thermal waters for the UK, it was the Romans who brought baths to the UK all those years ago, then later we had the Victorian baths and outdoor swimming, lidos and 'taking the waters'.
Our aim is to bring lots of opportunities for people to take more personal control over their health and wellness in a preventative way.
Matt Morley
Therme Group has proprietary biophilic architectural style, what are its key components?
Biophilic architecture in wellness retreats
James Mark
Yeah, so absolutely, so it is about biophilic architecture, I think the particular element for us is about not trying to recreate nature but to create true natural environments.
We are all part of one ecosystem ultimately, and how and what's our impact on on plants and the way in our own environments.
So we're kind of looking at all different aspects of this relationship between the plants, animals, humans, and how we all interact together.
The science of wellness
We call it a 'bio true style', it is very much about designing spaces that generate wellbeing. Maybe another example I can give for this is also the research we do around the science of wellbeing, and how that might impact architecture and the idea of creating BioTrue buildings.
So we have a partnership with the University of Glasgow, the epistemology department and culture to understand what is wellness, at a philosophical level at the outset but also how to translate it into buildings, architecture and the way people feel.
So we started this program with them called the 'dimensions of wellbeing' to look back at the fundamentals about what makes humans feel good, and how architecture then can influence the way that people feel about being in a building. That all comes together into this concept of BioTrue architecture.
Aquatic forest bathing in Therme wellness retreats
Matt Morley
What about your project in Manchester, what will that be like?
James Mark
What our resorts bring is an exciting balance between having fun, and passive activity, which all kind of leads to having a positive health and wellbeing outcome.
It's made up of three or maybe four different concept areas, within a facilities. We have a family fun area, which we call the galaxy. And that's great fun for the kids with some water slides and wave pools, but also the relaxation elements for the parents. So you can still benefit as a family from different experiences.
Then we have palm, which is more an adult relaxation area, with mineral pools, and a hydrotherapy pool with retractable roof, to be able to make the most of creating the best possible air and natural ventilation.
We have an illicium, which is where we have all different types of saunas and steam rooms, we have an incredible it's not a theatrical element to the saunas, which is called Alpha course, which is a German word for infusion, they are using essential oils, different sounds, meditative experiences, to kind of create this incredible five minutes or so of sauna experience.
Then finally, the Genesis area, which is all about looking back to the origins of wellbeing, about trying to bring all the different cultures from around the world into one space, and then using technology, which is a really important part of our business.
Another kind of core element is creating these incredible biodiverse environments, or indoor tropical environments.
In Bucharest, for example, we use geothermal water there, because it's available. Manchester, maybe not that, but there'll be other renewable energy sources, working with the community, and that's at a kind of local government level, to really think about how to make the most of the opportunity of a Therme.
So in Manchester, working with the mayor's team, and really looking at their health and social care strategy and thinking, how can we contribute to that?
Artworks and spa treatments - an unlikely combo!
Matt Morley
So then there is that bridge into a more aesthetic component to the offer. How have you integrated art?
James Mark
So it's part of spiritual wellness, you know, aspects that, again, by being in environments that are influenced with art. That's always been present, even primitive man was expressing it through cave paintings.
So whether it's using water, or sculpture or painting, you know, all of it can help to enhance the environment, it's very much around the relationship with art and nature and using art and technology to create really exciting new art pieces via our art team and art program.
We have a series called the world wellbeing cultural forum, they're looking at lots of different aspects of civilization, and city design going forward.
At a micro level, in our facilities you might have an artist help design a particular sauna, you might not realize that you're actually inside a piece of art.
Art in a wellness program
Matt Morley
Because increasingly, we're seeing the both the LEED / US Green Building Council, and WELL Healthy Building certifications, recognizing or looking for ways to recognize projects and developments that are doing exactly that.
What is your view on that type of certification system from a business perspective for Therme Group UK?
Green building and healthy building standards
James Mark
In helping to place it in people's minds as a sort of reference point. I mean, for us, it's not about creating buildings to kind of tick a box. We are proud that our Bucharest facility was the first building of its category to achieve LEED Platinum.
As a group, you can say, Therme UK is as yet fairly unknown so those standards like LEED and WELL help build the level of gravitas and confidence that this is a serious proposition.
Global strategy for the Therme wellness program with biophilic architecture
Matt Morley
When combined with the work you're doing around the wellness of mind body and research, plus the artistic and creative angle, it's a powerful combination! So what is next for Therme?
James Mark
Yeah, so I mean, we have a global strategy. And UK is part of that global strategy. Here we think we have an opportunity to develop a number of sites, probably five sites around the UK, that could reach maybe 90% of the UK population within easy reach of a Therme resort over the next year 10 to 15 years.
We have advanced talks underway in Scotland, also in Wales for the Southwest Region. Obviously in Manchester our planning permission has been granted and we're progressing through to starting on site next year.
And then the southeast, in London, the intention being that we identify sites, work with local partners, local authorities, and then we move through in a phased way to roll out the Therme concept.
New features for the Therme wellness retreat concept
Matt Morley
So in thinking about possible new wellness retreat features that you're looking to add, or that you're integrating in future iterations, is it all about spa treatments or nutrition, fitness classes, daily spa treatments, holistic treatments, yoga classes or perhaps personal training sessions?
James Mark
Yes, it's a great question. And, to be honest, it's one that personally very excited about because we are looking at developing a new concept around food and beverage, which will be really entirely innovative as one of the best wellness retreats.
I mean, we consider the importance of food and nutrition, on health and wellness but to think about how you take that forward, what we're really focused on is how you curate a food experience that it could be very personal to that individual.
What readings would we need to personalize the food for each individual? What about food provenance also? We are thinking about genuinely creating a system based on vertical farming on site, in cities, where one of the challenges is food production and resilience.
So how do we work with local suppliers, or grow our own, to create new systems, to develop menus that come straight from the source of local ingredients and the food production? Then also, at an organizational level, what is right for us at the scale we're operating on, to be able to deliver a sustainable food and beverage proposition.
The thought I really want to leave you with is that we've recently published a paper, entitled "Human Cities - increasing urban wellbeing' and I encourage everyone to have a look at the website, check that out as it's really focused on trying to raise awareness of some of those challenges we've been talking about today.
Thanks to James Mark, Therme Group for this discussion on our podcast series.