Schemata Architects has renovated a traditional sento, or public bathhouse, in Tokyo adding modern touches including a bar serving beer.
Named Koganeyu after the after the famous Koganeyu Onsen baths in Sapporo, the project involved refurbishing a public bathhouse that was originally built in 1985.

Tokyo based Schemata Architects kept traditional elements, such as the half wall separating the men and women's bathing areas, but introduced contemporary colour schemes and attractions for younger bathers.
"Traditionally, sento was a necessary public function for an area because people didn't have bathrooms in their houses," project architect Kotaro Shimada told Dezeen.
"However today 95 per cent of them have it, so gradually sento has been disappearing from the city," Shimada added. "We think this culture is really important and want to keep also for the next generation, so we thought that a new sento has to have other functions that make people today want to go often."

Schemata Architects designed a bar area that serves beer at the front of the sento that's visible from the street.
The bar is an adaption of the traditional sento layout, which originally had a reception desk called a bandai facing in towards the bath for staff to keep an eye on the bathers.

More modern bathhouses put this booth out front, but Schemata Architects decided to take it one step further and have it as an island that can double as a DJ booth for events.
Industrial-styl...