ARCHIVED - New Alhama spa project to provide mineral-medicinal hot springs for public use

Alhama de Murcia present plans for health spa with hot mineral springs and health treatment facilities

The council of Alhama de Murcia has presented a building project for spa facilities in the new La Cubana park, complete with various swimming pools and treatment areas distributed throughout its 2,500 m2 as well as a 340 m2 restaurant.

The presentation of the project on March 20 represents a re-opening of mineral-medicinal hot springs for residents and visitors, a feature which is deeply rooted in the history of the town. The Romans built the first baths here, the name of the town is derived from the Moorish word for "bath" and there was still a popular spa resort at the site of Los Baños in the early 20th century.

The new project has been prepared by the architects of Grupo Aranea and Emac studios, responsible  and it was first unveiled on January 30 of 2023.

The building has a floor area of ​​2,445.84 m2 and will be integrated into La Cubana park as an underground extension. This option makes it possible, on the one hand, to maintain the public space of the park itself above and, on the other, presents the user with a spacious, timeless and highly sensitive environment.

Access to the Spa will be from the centre of Parque de La Cubana, "where the façade of the facility disappears in favour of some skylights as a prelude to the experience it offers", the architects explain. It descends gently around an outdoor raft to the entrance hall, where the reception area leads to changing rooms, a locker area, showers and toilets.

On one side of the changing rooms is the 'dry feet' and sports area, with cardiovascular room, fitness and soft activities and administration (management office). On the other side, the 'wet feet' area begins in an impluvium (rainwater basin) illuminated with overhead light. From this space, the different activities begin:

- An individual thermal zone around a patio, with pressure rooms, humidity stoves, balnea, MBD, mud, massages, inhalations, circular shower, rest, etc.

- A Hamman area (Arab bath) consisting of three different and interconnected spaces.

A collective thermal area, in turn made up of a heater area (with rest area, essence and peeling shower, contrast shower/cube, saunas, cold pool and ice cabin), and pool area.

This last area is presented as a series of flooded spaces that follow one another among other vaulted ones, with light coming in from above in each of them, and that finally lead to an outdoor pool surrounded by a patio that frames the views towards the hill and the Castle of Alhama, which makes this place a unique experience.

The spa is completed by other spaces such as a medical office and treatment rooms, adapted toilets, a room for clean and dirty clothes, and other facilities.

Finally, next to the spa and under the eucalyptus trees of La Cubana, there is a 339-square-metre restaurant which enjoys views of the park and the Castle.

Location

The site on which the building object of this project is located is part of Parque La Cubana in the centre of Alhama de Murcia, and this is a project that does not require the acquisition of land or other assets as these are carried out in the public domain, having been acquired in the 1960s by the municipal council.

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