The hot springs are places where man seeks to find elements that will lead him to the revelation of new realities, different from the everyday life he experiences. The architecture of the places of well-being is of a minimal kind. What matters most is the experience of the bather in the actual place. The elements that specify the hot springs create an atmosphere which activates the bathers’ senses and create shared or personal experiences.

The history of the use of the hot springs from the ancient times until today has passed through various stages. However, it is certain that these places have always been something more than simple cleansing places. The baths are places where the prerequisite is the satisfaction of the bather’s senses so as to be in a state of tranquility and physical and spiritual well being. The baths were meeting places and places where one could associate with other people, places of freedom and pleasure. Furthermore, water - the element that is characteristic of the baths – helps the bather to feel purified and physically and spiritually clean. That’s why the hot springs became places for rituals, necessary for many religions and civilizations.

Modern man is in need of more places with bathing facilities easily accessible that will offer the peace and tranquility he seeks. Unfortunately, more and more baths are closing in our country, as it seems that the state hasn’t realized the value and wealth the hot springs offer to our country. The same goes for Lesvos island and its hot springs. During the centuries, geological changes have endowed Lesvos island with many hot springs which influenced the life on the island. However, most of them are closed and some are neglected by the municipal authorities.

The specific assignment focuses on the study of the bathing facilities of the hot springs situated in Polychnitos, a village of Lesvos island. To enable the visitor to have the ultimate bathing experience, the creation of a labyrinth is proposed. A complex of passages which aims at the visitor’s wandering in the place will finally lead him to a physical and spiritual purification. Going through the passages not only will the people be able to choose a variety of facilities to use ( cisterns of hot or cold  water, vapour baths, sauna, mud baths ) but also to enjoy the natural landscape and the imposing presence of the stream that is a natural boundary of the place. Moreover, after wandering in the natural landscape and their physical cleansing, it is possible for the visitors to stay in the rooms of the guest houses if they wish to continue their bathing therapy for some time. The interventions aim to stress the beauty of the landscape as well as the importance of the hot springs which nowadays have been neglected.