According to research data from online booking portals, among the filters most selected by travelers when choosing a hotel, there is the request for the SPA . Today this space has become an essential element of the living room, even when it is not actually used. In many cases we are no longer talking about hotels with SPA but about true wellness destinations in which the hotel becomes a service of the SPA.
From small wellness areas with a sauna in one corner and a hydromassage tub in the other, we have moved on to large spaces, to which hotels dedicate significant investments. Once artisanal companies have grown, transforming themselves into structured entities capable of carrying out complex projects. But who governs and coordinates these complex interventions? Over the last twenty years, a well-defined professional figure has emerged, the SPA designer , or the designer of wellness centres.
I have been working in this area for over twenty years and I have seen many SPAs: sometimes improvised, sometimes even harmful to the hotel, instead of generating value. In recent years, however, skills have been refined and some professionals have become true specialists, dedicating themselves almost exclusively to this fascinating and complex, sometimes magical sector.
Below I present the Italian architects we consider among the best in spa design. Someone might observe that some large studios are missing but, in my opinion, being chosen to design a SPA (perhaps just for one’s fame) does not automatically mean being a SPA designer. Designing a SPA is not just designing a sinuous plan or choosing particular materials, but knowing in depth the wellness paths, the flows of guests, staff and maintenance workers, the income and cost areas, the necessary technical spaces, the correct sizing of each environment, etc., etc.
Our selection of the best Italian SPA designers
In light of these considerations, here are the Italian designers, in purely alphabetical order, who stand out for their experience, quality of projects and real knowledge of the SPA world. The list is certainly not exhaustive and, surely, many of you will have other names to add.
Alberto Apostoli – Studio Apostoli
Having a surname starting with A can sometimes help, but Apostoli certainly doesn’t need it to appear among the best SPA designers, and not just in Italy, given that he is renowned throughout the world. From his studio in the province of Verona, his contribution to the world of SPAs is not limited to extraordinary projects such as the SPAs of Lefay Resort , the SPA of Four Seasons in Moscow, the SPA of Casa Cipriani in Milan, or the Faas Medical SPA in Shanghai, nor just to products and furnishings for SPA and bathroom, such as the Sasha cabin for Jacuzzi, which encloses an entire SPA in just 8 m². Apostoli influences the setalso on a cultural level, through the publication of technical and philosophical books, masterclasses at universities and sector events, courses and seminars.
Alessandra Barilaro – M+N Architettura
Calabrian by birth and Florentine by training, today she works permanently in Abu Dhabi, where in 2021 she was included among the 30 most influential creatives in the Emirates. As head of the Interior Design section of Studio M+N Architettura, he has created numerous projects mainly in the Middle Eastern area for large international chains such as Marriott , Taj and Hilton . Its style combines contemporary elegance and strong functionality, with SPAs designed as places of regeneration and refined sociality. We had the pleasure of listening to her during the latest edition of the Wellness Hospitality Conference in Milan, the reference Italian event for the sector.
Sergio Bizzarro – Studio Bizzarro
With over thirty years of experience, Sergio Bizzarro is among the Italian pioneers of spa design. From his studio in Ravenna he has created structures characterized by great balance and refinement, such as Kimben SPA in Borgo Lanciano, Almablu in Jesolo and the SPA of the Riviera Golf Resort . His projects stand out for measured atmospheres, clear paths and particular attention to the relationship between architecture and sensorial perception. In Provence, his SPA project for La Coquillade Relais Chateaux has now become an icon of the sector for its refined design, the fluidity of the spaces and the ability to blend naturalness and luxury in an authentic and unostentatious wellness experience.
Hugo Demetz – Demetzarch
Hugo Demetz is certainly among the least “flashy” spa designers. I have never had the pleasure of meeting him in person or even at any events. He certainly doesn’t like to show off. His site is also very sober. However, just take a look at its projects page to understand the caliber: 20 top-level wellness resorts designed in the best locations from the Alps to Sicily: Adler , Lefay , Andreus , just to name a few. Growing up in the land of wellness par excellence undoubtedly favored him, making him become a true guru in the sector.
Federico Dottorini and Hande Yildiz – Dottorini Edoc Architects
Federico and Hande, a professional and real couple, are the owners of a relatively young studio created in 2017 in Foligno, characterized by a style that brings together the different design influences of the two founders. Their projects stand out for their obsessive attention to detail, which is expressed both in the smallest private spaces and in large SPAs, such as the Ambassade Biologique Recherche in Rome, the panoramic SPA Le Sanglier des Ardennes in Belgium and the clinic of Lucia Magnani in Castrocaro. The studio is known for its ability to combine functionality, elegance and comfort, creating environments that not only meet technical needs but become true sensorial experiences for those who live there.
Silvia Giannini Architect
Silvia Giannini is certainly the queen of Italian spa designers. In an environment that is strangely still very masculine, Silvia has been able to establish herself with a design approach that combines profound technical skills with a light and refined style, capable of transforming every space into a unique emotional experience. Its story probably began with the project for the SPA of Borgo Brufa , a small work of art that opened the doors for numerous projects throughout Italy and Eastern Europe. We recently saw her moving to Dubai for a prestigious project of which we are awaiting news ;). It is not uncommon to be able to hear her at the most important events related to the world of wellness.
Manuela Mannino Hickson – THDP Study
Co founder of THDP, with offices in London and Milan, specializes in the hospitality and wellness sector for large international brands, including NH , Hyatt , Double Tree and Hilton . With over twenty-five years of experience, he develops projects in which the guest experience is the center of the concept, with strategic and sustainable solutions oriented to the international hotel market. The style of its SPAs combines a strong identity, functionality and attention to the brand, creating immersive environments consistent with the philosophy of the reference accommodation facilities. De Montel – Terme , for which Manuela Mannino took care of the interior design, is already an icon of Milanese well-being.
Simone Micheli – Architectural Hero
Writing about the architect Micheli a few days after his passing is very delicate but it is unthinkable not to include the “Hero of Architecture” in this list of spa designers. Micheli has designed so many, all characterized by his immediately recognizable and strongly identifying style, essential but scenographic, where the fluid shapes and clean volumes interact with a strong emotional component. Aquatio Cave SPA in Matera, the SPA of the Swiss Hotel in Sarajevo, the legendary Atomic SPA at the Exedra Hotel in Milan: its spaces are conceived as experiences, not just as functional environments, with a marked attention to sensorial perception, light and the relationship between body and architecture. Personally I have always found this style in contrast with the sobriety necessary for a wellness environment but it is undeniable that all Micheli’s SPAs have an overwhelming character and a very high rate of Instagrammability.
Noa Architecture
Noa is a large firm, with headquarters in Bolzano, founded by 5 partners. I don’t know who among the Fab5 is the SPA designer. The studio has certainly produced some of the most significant SPA projects in recent years. It is easy to mention the “upside down” SPA designed for the Hotel Hubertus and published by any architecture magazine, but we can also include other exceptional projects such as the SPAs for the Falkensteiner resort and for the Hotel Silena in Val Pusteria, or the elevated sauna at Olympic SPA Hotel in Val di Fassa and many others. The style of Noa architects arises from the encounter between architecture, landscape and experiential dimension. Their projects seek a direct dialogue with the natural or urban context, working on light volumes, transparencies, studied views and a continuous relationship between inside and outside. They don’t focus on the isolated iconic effect, but on an architecture that changes with the point of view, with the light and with the seasons.
Marco Piva – Studio Piva
Being defined as a SPA designer in some cases can be reductive for those who operate on much larger scales. For Marco Piva it means recognizing his specific expertise, without however limiting the scope of his design skills in other areas. The SPA of the Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan made it a reference in the world of high-end wellness, followed by important projects such as Palazzo Tirso in Cagliari and the Excelsior Palace in Portofino. His style is elegant, international, oriented towards the quality of spaces and materials, with SPA conceived as a natural extension of the hotel’s identity. Research into atmospheres and the perception of environments translates into refined solutions, designed to last over time and to enhance the guest experience. Its design always looks at the dialogue between architecture, interior design and operational management, with recognizable results consistent with the positioning of the structures.
Elsa Sanfilippo – Studio ES
Elsa Sanfilippo proposes an “engineering” approach to Wellbeing. His stylistic signature blends technical rigor and spatial poetry, transforming water and light into structural elements. While operating on an international scale with projects in Dubai, he maintains a deep connection with his Sicilian roots, from which he draws inspiration for the use of water as an architectural and sensorial fulcrum. This is demonstrated by excellent interventions such as the Limen Wellness Hotel , the Mangia’s Torre del Barone and the prestigious Palazzo Santamarina Luxury Suite & Spa , where management efficiency meets cutting-edge emotional paths.
Claudia Taiani Architect
The architect Taiani is mainly linked to the design of Aquardens , one of the largest thermal parks in Europe. Often in the shadow of the design figure of the late Marzorati, Claudia has developed a profound knowledge of the dynamics of a SPA, in such a complicated and diversified context as Aquardens. This year he completely followed the development of “The Sauna of the Desert”, recently completed and which has become the largest sauna in the world, capable of accommodating 300 people and in which world Aufguss Master shows and tournaments are held.
Andrea Viganò and Marco Vismara – Studio D73
I met Vismara Viganò as a SPA designer when they completed the Golden Mile , an exclusive wellness and fitness center located in one of the most prestigious districts of Moscow. After that project they pigeonholed a long series of new projects, leading them to be among the protagonists of SPA design. With two main offices in Brescia and Cyprus, they boast numerous references especially in Eastern Europe. The D73 studio builds SPAs as small sets of well-being, in which lights, shadows and matter guide the rhythm of the journey. Their style mixes discreet elegance and surprising details, creating environments that gradually reveal atmospheres, inviting those who enter to slow down and feel like protagonists of the experience.
Bonus SPA Designer: Roberto Cemin – Spa & Wellness Solutions
Roberto Cemin is not an architect, but he certainly deserves a place on this list. For over forty years he has supported design studios all over the world, and many of those mentioned previously, as hydrothermal consultant . He has contributed to the development and engineering of numerous SPAs for top-level international chains, bringing Italian excellence into global contexts. Among the references it includes, in Italy alone, we find the two Four Seasons in Rome and the one in Florence, the Capella hotel also in Florence and the Raffles on Lake Como. Countless interventions abroad, especially in the Middle East. However, his work, often behind the scenes, is fundamental to transform a project into a functional, efficient and sustainable system, capable of guaranteeing quality experiences and concrete results for both customers and operators. His experience and technical precision make him an essential point of reference for those who want to combine design, technology and well-being.
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