Badweather transforms canal boat into mobile off-grid bathhouse in London
A restored widebeam boat features wood-fired sauna, plunge pools and canal views.
1The Concept
Architecture collective Badweather converted a 56-foot derelict canal boat into Soak, London's first mobile off-grid bathhouse. The floating sauna moves to new locations along London's waterways every two weeks, offering changing views through circular portholes. Designed by co-founder Leo Sixsmith and chef Riccardo Codacci-Pisanelli, it combines communal bathing with urban mobility. The project repurposes neglected infrastructure for sustainable recreation.
2Sustainable Systems
Soak operates completely off-grid, drawing canal water through a six-stage filtration and UV treatment system. Solar panels power the boat, storing energy in onboard batteries, while a wood-fired stove heats the sauna. This eliminates need for mains water, electricity or sewage connections. The team prioritized closed-loop systems to minimize environmental impact while delivering luxury bathing experiences along London's canals.
3Structural Transformation
The 20-year-old boat required extensive restoration, with 40 workers replacing rotten floors and repairing water damage. The steel hull dictated interior layouts, with original 11-inch openings enlarged to 32 inches for better views. Cream exterior paint with black-red accents contrasts with the industrial canal environment. Circular portholes puncture the sides while a large bow window opens the narrow space to water views.
4Material Contrasts
Interiors play with sensory contrasts - marine plywood lines the dark changing area while pale green tiles and stainless steel dominate the wet room for easy maintenance. The sauna features thermally treated Aspen and Alder wood with suspended aluminum benches. Sixsmith explains this creates 'heightened sensory contrast' between the clinical wet areas and warm wooden sauna.
5Spatial Innovation
Designers maximized the boat's cramped 17-meter length through clever spatial solutions. Benches suspend from aluminum beams rather than using floor supports. The bow's large picture window replaces a steel door, visually expanding the narrow interior. Central skylights flood the plunge room with natural light. Every centimeter was optimized to accommodate sauna, two plunge pools, showers and a small bar.
6Operational Details
Soak accommodates up to 12 guests per session, with wood-fired sauna, two cold plunge pools and changing facilities. The mobile concept allows Londoners to experience bathing in different canal environments. Water is directly sourced and treated from the canals, while solar energy powers lighting and systems. The two-week location rotations create changing views through signature circular windows.
7Design Collective
Badweather, founded in 2019, specializes in experimental architecture and temporary structures. Their portfolio includes floating communal hearths for festivals and nightclub installations. The collective approaches projects through material innovation and spatial storytelling. Soak represents their first major aquatic adaptation, blending scenography with functional design in constrained dimensions.
8Urban Bathing Trend
Soak joins global innovative bathhouses like Montreal's hydrotherapy center and Tokyo's Komaeyu baths. It pioneers mobile, sustainable urban bathing - a growing trend as cities repurpose infrastructure for wellness. The project demonstrates how derelict urban elements can become community assets through thoughtful design, offering new models for sustainable recreation in dense cities.