indulging in the elements of spa design Asia on the Gulf of Mexico A walk-through shower, a centered soaking tub, and a recessed window set the stage for this second-story, spartan spa bath in Longboat Key, FL, which was designed for the man in the house. Architect Jonathan Parks, whose eponymous firm is based in Sarasota, FL, used light and glass to give a floating quality to this tranquil, Asian-inspired space in a second-story contemporary home. The recessed window, which Parks likens to an oculus or a tunnel, is a key feature. "Because of the way the window is built--it is two-feet wide and set in an opening that is two-feet deep--and the way it is positioned, you can't see in from the outside, but when you are in the shower, you can see outside," he says. "No window covering is needed." The real beauty of the 10-foot-long shower, which is equipped with a body spray and hand sprayer, is that its screen of glass makes it a transparent yet integral part of the d??cor. "Because this is a bath solely for one person, we didn't have to make separate rooms for the toilet and vanity, so it could be one big open space," Parks says. "It's like a day spa." [Above] Sarasota architect Jonathan Parks created a light-filled spa room in a Longboat Key, FL, home by opening up the space with a glass shower and a recessed window. The crisp, clean Asian aesthetic also is conveyed in the centered soaking tub and the built-in, floor-to-ceiling medicine cabinets. Photography courtesy of Jonathan Parks Architect of Sarasota, FL. Window Fashions Design and Education Magazine 37