Subterranean Spa

The pool, which is divided into two sections, has a warm soaking area on the left and a chilly plunge pool on the right. The steam room is behind the glass partition on the far left. Star-shaped cut-outs in the dome ceiling, illuminated by a hidden fiber-optic system, add to the other-worldly ambiance.

A fountain that spills into the pool brings movement and vitality to the space.

An exterior door repurposed from the home’s original porch opens into the new solarium; the spiral staircase ascends up to an office (indicated by glass treads) and down to the hammam (denoted by stone treads).

As in a traditional steam room, benches of varying heights are designed to elevate the experience: move to the high bench for more heat, retreat to the lower bench for relief.

A fountain that is part of a walled garden designed by Matthew Cunningham continues the colorful—yet calming—theme outdoors.

The hammam’s powder room echoes the overall aesthetic of the bath; “I think the blues and greens are especially beautiful in Moroccan tiles, and appropriate for a space that’s defined by water,” says the homeowner, who chose all the tile.

It was a holiday in Paris with a couple of girlfriends that really got the homeowner thinking. Their hotel had a spectacular hammam in the basement—it was the ultimate in relaxation and luxury. A year earlier on a trip to Morocco, she had fallen hard for the beautiful jewel tones and geometric shapes characteristic of
Moroccan tiles.

As the wheels began turning, the homeowner reached out to builder and friend Joseph DiLazzaro; the two have collaborated on multiple projects over the past fifteen years. DiLazzaro remembers the conversation with a chuckle, “She said, do you think we could build one underground in the backyard? I said of course, but first I need to figure out what a hammam is.”

It turns out that building a hammam—a Turkish bath—below ground in a Cambridge backyard is no small feat. Just keeping the team of pros straight required a spreadsheet: First came DiLazzaro, landscape architect Matthew Cunningham, and architect Don Knerr, then came eleven engineers (specializing in everything from mechanical and structural to geotechnical, thermal analysis, and waterproofing); countless suppliers for things like custom glass fixtures, scene lighting, sound, and tile; and more than a dozen artisans and finishers who handled tasks such as specialty plastering, iron and stone work, and constructing water features. Planning was paramount because the emphasis was on custom and handmade. Case and point, all the Moroccan tile had to be ordered before the team even broke ground.

While the planning, engineering, and construction required mind-bending maneuvering, the owner’s vision was clear, both in terms of aesthetic and functionality. The hammam, which is only about 200 square feet, comprises a warm soaking pool that she usually sets at 100 degrees, a steam room that hovers around 125 degrees, and a shower. The homeowner’s son, a personal trainer, convinced her to add a tiny plunge pool that’s currently programmed to a bracing 60 degrees.

Along with the hammam itself, Knerr designed a small two-story addition above, integrating it with the storybook facade of the main house. The nine-by-ten-foot first floor of the addition houses a solarium, and a spiral staircase leads to the husband’s office above and the bath below.

The owner’s verdict on the underground soaking space? Though a smaller version than the one in Paris that inspired the project, the Moroccan tiles elevate the experience—a treat for the mind, body—and eyes.

Architecture: Don Knerr, Charles R. Myer & Partners
Builder: Joseph DiLazzaro, Opus Master Builders
Landscape design: Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design