KNOT SPRINGS

Knot Springs is a spa and social club within YARD, a residential building in Portland, Oregon. Initially engaged to design wayfinding for YARD, Physical Space was later commissioned to create Knot Springs’ brand identity and environmental graphics. The design draws from the spa ritual—caldarium, tepidarium, cold plunge, steam, and sauna—layered with Oregon’s natural beauty and the sense of discovering a hidden hot spring.

Inspired by trail signage, Oregon history, charcoal, and the water symbol (triangle), Physical Space integrated the motif into brass wayfinding, hand-painted icons, a neon sign, and an icosahedron backdrop for a custom muscle diagram. Photographer Ryan Leitz’s images of Oregon landscapes serve as graphic backdrops.

Physical Space later expanded Knot Springs by 4,000 square feet, adding a reception lobby, group treatment space, foot massage parlor, and remodeled locker rooms. Custom Adirondack chairs, cedar showers, treatment tents, a feature sink, and distinctive seating contribute to a spa experience rooted in place and adventure.