Comma Byron is a bathhouse where wellness and creativity converge in a space that anticipates every need and sparks the senses.
September 2nd, 2024
The juggernaut of wellbeing has manifested itself in the way we lead our lives, build our futures and design. It has shifted our perspective on life and has been advantageous for commercial venues and experiences that emphasise wellness. Through the tumultuousness of recent years, wellness has persevered and stood its ground, and for us to perceive the movement as an ephemeral trend would be naïve. So, it’s worth mentioning that the wellness landscape of Byron Bay, a location renowned for its positive energy and a magnet for wellness hubs, continues to grow.
“A great deal of the Comma experience is about anticipating the needs of the users. I think that is a big mantra for Comma as a brand. So, the design had to do the same,” says Dominique Brammah, Director of We Are Duet.
Comma Byron is the latest design-centric wellness centre that has taken the scene by storm. An ethereal bathhouse that is the collaborative result of the design coalition between We Are Duet and Eloise Fotheringham Architect and Interiors. Set upon a reasonably tight floorplan that lacks natural light infiltration, the designers were challenged to draw light inward and make the spaces radiate warmth.
A stairwell carves out the entry and leads up to the first level landing, where visitors and employees alike will find the reception space. The space is anchored by a monumental angular counter etched with a zig-zagged storage wall of joinery and complemented by a custom banquette of salvaged timber artfully patchworked together with a jute and leather upholstered seat, and set against a glowing neon commissioned artwork by Ryan Hoffmann. “The space then narrows to a more intimate lounge opposite a timber ladder display and a custom hanging rail for product. Hand-painted mirrored wall panelling wraps the corner creating a beguiling illusion, the striped lines playing with reflections and solidity,” says Shannon Shlom, Director of We Are Duet.
Related: Inside W Hotel Sydney
Regarding materials, nearly everything is tinted; the lacquer helps foster a moodiness within the space while allowing sunlight to reflect off the surfaces and generate warmth. The colour palette is striking on a backdrop of a high-gloss biscuit colour that covers the walls and ceiling. Meanwhile, the base palette boasts warm neutrals with varieties of rusty reds, buttercup yellow, deep cool-toned mustard and piercing neon orange. While the reception is warm and glowing, the bathrooms are cooled by a mid-toned dirty blue wall and ceiling colour and raw chocolate brown handmade ceramic tiles. “The mixed media of materials allows for a submersion of the senses,” explains Brammah.
“A few materials are unconventionally used but equally perfectly placed in this welcoming space to achieve harmony. The silhouette of all designed joinery pieces is a classic frame, and durable materials allow for a life cycle of heavy use and beyond. The selected items which round out the design are all classic design pieces.”
INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In this candid interview, the culinary mastermind behind Singapore’s Nouri and Appetite talks about food as an act of human connection that transcends borders and accolades, the crucial role of technology in preserving its unifying power, and finding a kindred spirit in Gaggenau’s reverence for tradition and relentless pursuit of innovation.
XTRA celebrates the distinctive and unexpected work of Magis in their Singapore showroom.
Helen Oakey is CEO of Renew and, with Sustainable House Day 2025 upon us, she talks to us about the climate crisis and what people can do at the scale of the home.
fjcstudio leads by design and the practice’s Melbourne studio is making quite the impact on the built landscape of Victoria.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Surry Hills welcomes Bowermans’ latest commercial furniture studio.
Woods Bagot has completed a lobby refurbishment inspired by the historic architecture of the Palace Hotel.
This office design by Carr reflects the brand’s identity, with a strong focus on functionality and refinement.
In design, the concept of absence is particularly powerful – it’s the abundant potential of deliberate non-presence that amplifies the impact of what is. And it is this realm of sophisticated subtraction that Gaggenau’s Dishwasher 400 Series so generously – and quietly – occupies.