Melbourne’s favourite bathhouse has opened the doors to its first Sydney location in Surry Hills. Building on the success of the Collingwood bathhouse, Sense Of Self (SOS), Surry Hills offers Sydney bathers a 1200-square metre sanctuary for reconnection, relaxation and serenity in the city.

After a two-year search to find the right site, the new bathhouse has found a home within the former Sydney Antiques Centre. The interiors have been transformed by Melbourne architecture studio Ritz & Ghougassian. The earthy material palette combines over 90,000 hand-laid bricks, which complement the original brickwork, windows and concrete pillars in the space. The combination of old and new creates a space that feels grounded and enduring.

The architecture unfolds in layers, which speak to the building’s successive alterations, ramps, new floors and modified façade openings that have accumulated throughout the building’s life. Rather than fight against the unconventional layout and various nooks and crannies in the space, Ritz & Ghougassian made them a feature. The design draws on a palette of chrome, brick, shadow and rock, prioritising gentle state‑shifting over intensity.

Bathers are treated to a swathe of therapeutic experiences, including hot mineral pools, Finnish saunas, a unique walk-through cold plunge, steam room, scrub station and spaces for rest. The bathhouse also includes cosy and quiet treatment rooms upstairs, away from the communal areas, where guests can book in for a range of soothing massage and facial treatments.

“SOS Sydney has been four years in the making,” says SOS co-founder and director Freya Berwick. “Every detail has been considered so SOS Surry Hills Bathhouse can be a restful space for our guests for decades to come. Working with the gifted team at Ritz & Ghougassian has allowed us to shape a design that feels timeless and grounded.”

Hot mineral pools are the centrepiece of the bathhouse, with the central large pool built around the original columns to anchor the bathing ritual. A second pool near the saunas, as well as two dark pools allow ample soaking, spaciousness and rest, inviting guests to journey through each element.

“Surry Hills is designed for the senses, an intricate maze of pools, treatments and moments that support our bodies in rest,” says Berwick. “We wanted our Sydney bathhouse to be an extension of what we started in Melbourne, a living, breathing embodiment of the phrase we always like to say, to ‘come as you are and take what you need’.”

Sense of Self Surry Hills is now open, with bookings available online.

Images: Martina Gemmola.