With 60 years of experience, Barr and Wray has long been
known for excellence in technical design for wellness. Design director
Graeme Banks explains the company also offers interior design services
"Barr and Wray offers the full package in spa design,” stated Banks, “we provide both interior and technical design and have been creating spa designs for 60 years, so we’ve got knowledge and experience in abundance and fully understand the process of designing a spa.”
The company provides a complete service, starting from concept design to construction documentation and post-contract supervision. Its service encompasses the entire spa, including wet areas, receptions, relaxation areas, changing rooms, treatment rooms and more.
“As a company, our most important design goal is that the flow of the spa must work,” he continued, “the final product should be a seamless journey transitioning the guests through the different zones and experiences of the spa.”
As Barr and Wray see it, it’s crucial the engineering and operational aspects are consistently integrated and thoroughly thought through during the design planning process.
“We appreciate a spa project is a complex and specialist endeavour which requires a specialist consultant. It’s no good having a great looking spa if all the engineering and operations don’t work,” said Banks. “We make sure all aspects are designed and integrated to create a cohesive final product.”
The company’s most recent design project was unveiled at the recently opened Jumeirah Talise Spa in Abu Dhabi, a 2,200sq m standalone spa with 15 treatment rooms situated in a modern building within the grounds of the Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Resort.
Barr and Wray produced a spa with separate-sex changing facilities, individual male and female wet lounges, a vitality pool, plunge pool, sauna, salt room and steamroom, as well as a rasul, ice fountain and experience showers and hammam with private scrub rooms.
Looking ahead, Banks believes spas and wellness facilities will be crucial in continuing the support of and emphasis on health and wellbeing in a post-pandemic world.
“I think this virus has brought into perspective the need to stay healthy in both body and mind, and in my opinion, a spa can only help you to achieve this.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2020 issue 2
Editor’s letter: Our greatest challenge
Spa and wellness businesses will reopen while COVID-19 is still circulating in the community, meaning we have to find models which work in this new reality, says Katie Barnes. So how will this change the industry?
On the menu: Pivot to digital
Which forward-thinking spas are taking their offerings online during the coronavirus pandemic?
Interview: Mary Celeste Beall
The celebrated Blackberry Farm has opened a sister property in the mountains of Tennessee. The owner tells Spa Business why wellness through nature underpins the new destination
Everyone’s talking about: COVID-19
Spa operators, wellness companies and organisations from around the world talk to Spa Business about the impact of coronavirus and what to expect down the line
Promotion: Simone Gibertoni: Clinique La Prairie
World-renowned medical spa, Clinique La Prairie, is creating a global network of
locations to support clients with their wellbeing, every day of the year, says its CEO
Research: First responders
ISPA’s COVID-19 survey offers insights into how the industry has responded to the global pandemic. Spa Business magazine examines the findings
Hotel spa: Country life: The Newt
Karen Roos, owner of the world-renowned hotel The Newt, on design, gardens and a spa housed in an old cow barn
Insights: Calls to action
Industry leaders around the world come together in a crisis to share ideas and innovations in a series of GWS Collaboration calls. Spa Business magazine reports on the highlights
Insights: Webinar wisdom
Spa Business shares its industry-relevant takeaways from the masses of webinars that are being streamed worldwide
Research: Measure for measure
Intelligent Spas reveals its latest global spa benchmarks and explores what they mean in today’s ever-changing climate
Focus on: Extreme wellness
Spa Business tries out two boundary-pushing, cold immersion retreats led by ‘The Iceman’ Wim Hof and Dr Marc Cohen
Promotion: Barr and Wray: Creating
a seamless journey
With 60 years of experience, Barr and Wray has long been known for excellence in technical design for wellness. Design director Graeme Banks explains the company also offers interior design services
Interview: Juliu Horvath
The founder of Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis tells Spa Business why he’ll never stop adapting his famous movement modality
Promotion: ISPA publishes Reopening Toolkit
A much-needed guide by ISPA gives essential advice on business planning, standard operating procedures, marketing and communications to support spas through the coronavirus crisis
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
With 60 years of experience, Barr and Wray has long been
known for excellence in technical design for wellness. Design director
Graeme Banks explains the company also offers interior design services
"Barr and Wray offers the full package in spa design,” stated Banks, “we provide both interior and technical design and have been creating spa designs for 60 years, so we’ve got knowledge and experience in abundance and fully understand the process of designing a spa.”
The company provides a complete service, starting from concept design to construction documentation and post-contract supervision. Its service encompasses the entire spa, including wet areas, receptions, relaxation areas, changing rooms, treatment rooms and more.
“As a company, our most important design goal is that the flow of the spa must work,” he continued, “the final product should be a seamless journey transitioning the guests through the different zones and experiences of the spa.”
As Barr and Wray see it, it’s crucial the engineering and operational aspects are consistently integrated and thoroughly thought through during the design planning process.
“We appreciate a spa project is a complex and specialist endeavour which requires a specialist consultant. It’s no good having a great looking spa if all the engineering and operations don’t work,” said Banks. “We make sure all aspects are designed and integrated to create a cohesive final product.”
The company’s most recent design project was unveiled at the recently opened Jumeirah Talise Spa in Abu Dhabi, a 2,200sq m standalone spa with 15 treatment rooms situated in a modern building within the grounds of the Jumeirah Saadiyat Island Resort.
Barr and Wray produced a spa with separate-sex changing facilities, individual male and female wet lounges, a vitality pool, plunge pool, sauna, salt room and steamroom, as well as a rasul, ice fountain and experience showers and hammam with private scrub rooms.
Looking ahead, Banks believes spas and wellness facilities will be crucial in continuing the support of and emphasis on health and wellbeing in a post-pandemic world.
“I think this virus has brought into perspective the need to stay healthy in both body and mind, and in my opinion, a spa can only help you to achieve this.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2020 issue 2
Editor’s letter: Our greatest challenge
Spa and wellness businesses will reopen while COVID-19 is still circulating in the community, meaning we have to find models which work in this new reality, says Katie Barnes. So how will this change the industry?
On the menu: Pivot to digital
Which forward-thinking spas are taking their offerings online during the coronavirus pandemic?
Interview: Mary Celeste Beall
The celebrated Blackberry Farm has opened a sister property in the mountains of Tennessee. The owner tells Spa Business why wellness through nature underpins the new destination
Everyone’s talking about: COVID-19
Spa operators, wellness companies and organisations from around the world talk to Spa Business about the impact of coronavirus and what to expect down the line
Promotion: Simone Gibertoni: Clinique La Prairie
World-renowned medical spa, Clinique La Prairie, is creating a global network of
locations to support clients with their wellbeing, every day of the year, says its CEO
Research: First responders
ISPA’s COVID-19 survey offers insights into how the industry has responded to the global pandemic. Spa Business magazine examines the findings
Hotel spa: Country life: The Newt
Karen Roos, owner of the world-renowned hotel The Newt, on design, gardens and a spa housed in an old cow barn
Insights: Calls to action
Industry leaders around the world come together in a crisis to share ideas and innovations in a series of GWS Collaboration calls. Spa Business magazine reports on the highlights
Insights: Webinar wisdom
Spa Business shares its industry-relevant takeaways from the masses of webinars that are being streamed worldwide
Research: Measure for measure
Intelligent Spas reveals its latest global spa benchmarks and explores what they mean in today’s ever-changing climate
Focus on: Extreme wellness
Spa Business tries out two boundary-pushing, cold immersion retreats led by ‘The Iceman’ Wim Hof and Dr Marc Cohen
Promotion: Barr and Wray: Creating
a seamless journey
With 60 years of experience, Barr and Wray has long been known for excellence in technical design for wellness. Design director Graeme Banks explains the company also offers interior design services
Interview: Juliu Horvath
The founder of Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis tells Spa Business why he’ll never stop adapting his famous movement modality
Promotion: ISPA publishes Reopening Toolkit
A much-needed guide by ISPA gives essential advice on business planning, standard operating procedures, marketing and communications to support spas through the coronavirus crisis
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-
Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional
revenue opportunities.
The UK government has announced a temporary reduction in VAT on visitor attractions and
children’s meals as part of a summer cost-of-living support package designed to stimulate the
visitor economy and encourage family days out.
As designer Yinka Ilori prepares for his first solo gallery show in London, he speaks exclusively
to CLADmag about his mission to spread joy, the power of play, and his bold approach to using
colour (including the colours you won’t see in his work).
The government of Thailand is exploring plans for a THB300bn (£6.3bn, US$8.3bn)
entertainment complex in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with officials
proposing a large-scale theme park and sports destination as part of a broader tourism and
economic development strategy.
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
