Marcle Duchamp inspired Urban Retreat Center

Urinal art Namaste meditation center in New York city

I’ve been sketching and collecting ideas on how to create an urban sanctuary in New York City. The setting? A historic brick stone loft. The mission? To design a retreat center that not only captures the city's artistic energy but also defies the tired conventions of spirituality.

We all know the typical meditation halls and yoga chalets: dimly lit rooms filled with Indian esoterica, Ganesh statues looming over every corner, promising enlightenment but often delivering nothing more than a superficial escape.

During a session with MidJourney, a flash of inspiration struck me. What if we placed urinals and toilets right in the meditation rooms? Imagine it: a bold, unapologetic statement that challenges the very notion of what is sacred. This idea was inspired by Marcel Duchamp’s 1917 urinal, which turned the art world on its head. Duchamp's radical declaration that a urinal could be art redefined creativity. Why should our spiritual spaces be any different?

In this envisioned retreat center, we embrace the gritty reality of the city. The meditation rooms become spaces where the sacred and the mundane coexist, inviting participants to confront their own dualities. This isn't about shock value for its own sake; it's about creating an authentic space that reflects the complexities of human experience.

But the visual impact doesn't end there. Picture all participants dressed in sleek, black outfits, reminiscent of a secret society. It's ironic, of course. These fashion-forward, Japanese-inspired, Yamamoto-esque designs add an enigmatic charm. There’s also a reminiscence to the work of Pier Paolo Pasolini, the Italian filmmaker known for his provocative and boundary-pushing films. It’s a playful yet serious statement on spirituality and luxury.

To the spa designers, directors, and luxury spa professionals reading this, I propose a daring vision for the future of spa and wellness design. Embrace the unconventional. Let's push boundaries and create spaces that are as thought-provoking as they are transformative. This idea might seem ironic, but I'm completely serious. Implementing such a retreat center design in New York City would not only revolutionize the concept of wellness but also make waves in the design world.

Are you ready to step out of the matrix of normalcy and explore the extraordinary? Join me on this journey, and let's create spaces that truly challenge and transform.