ThermAtlas
App Case Study
Sauna + Cold Plunge = Thermaculture
And It’s Here To Stay
The sauna and cold plunge trend is part of the longterm, overall wellness trend sweeping the United States.
Thermaculture is a practice in which people arrive at a facility that offers a sauna and one or more cold plunge tubs.
Practitioners alternate between sweating in the sauna and freezing in the cold plunge tubs that benefits both body and mind.
In the last couple of years, scores of businesses have popped up all over the country that offer this ritual for paying customers.
Each facility varies in their offerings, with differences in amenities, heating elements for sauna, and the quality of the cold plunge tubs they have in their facilities.
Additionally, thermaculture facilities each have their own vibe and culture, ultimately making each one feel unique to the practitioner.
My hypothesis was that current methods for evaluating and discovering these facilities lack in addressing the specific pain points and desires of sauna and cold plunge enthusiasts.
Finding the sauna and cold plunge facility that meets your specifications is not so straight forward.
Thermaculture enthusiasts have particular criteria they look for when it comes to evaluating a particular sauna and cold plunge facility.
Current research and discovery methods often fall short of providing the kind of information that thermaculture practitioners are looking to use to make their decisions about where to sweat and chill.
Understanding How Sauna & Cold Plungers Make Decisions
I interviewed eight sauna and cold plunge practitioners who regularly use these type of facilities to get an insider perspective on how they go about searching for a sauna and cold plunge facility.
In my research I emphasized exploring what factors of a sauna and cold plunge facility are the most important to them.
I wanted to see how these factors align in their decision making process when they actually commit to paying and booking a sauna and cold plunge session.
Insights From Research
One major theme that showed up in my research was the various factors that play into their thermaculture behavior.
Cleanliness and the quality of the heat in the sauna were the two most important aspects that wieghed into their choice.
The second major theme was their discovery methods.
Word of mouth was the most important factor but practitioners also consult the internet, using search engines, Class Pass, and a mix of apps including social media.
Defining the Core Functionality
Based on my research, I mapped out how a thermaculture practitioner would move through the app to achieve their goals.
Some of the main functions in this user flow include:
Creating an account with preferences
Searching for facilities
Filtering facilties
Reading reviews
Viewing a map with directions
Booking a session
Building Wireframes Based On User Research
Applying what I learned by creating the user journeys, I used wireframes to get a feel for the visual flow that was required for a user to be able to easily move through the app and find the info they want.
I worked to balance cognitive load with progressive disclosure and ensure that I highlighted the specific criteria that was most valuable for sauna and cold plunge practitioners.
I grounded ThermAtlas in five core values—authenticity, expertise, community, precision, and wellness—chosen to resonate with health-conscious users seeking reliable thermal therapy guidance.
Through mood boarding and visual exploration, I translated these values into a cohesive brand identity that reflects both the product's purpose and its audience.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.