Order creates the identity for Vessel Floats, connecting buoyancy to the spa’s vertical interiors

The world’s first floatation tank was invented by John C. Lilly in 1954. The enclosed saline bath was designed for intensive study of human consciousness when deprived of as much external stimulus as possible. It was filled with 725 litres of water and users would have everything but the top of their head submerged. Vessel Floats, a float therapy spa in New York, offer a contemporary interpretation of Lilly’s creation and methods, allowing users to get reacquainted with their inner selves, safely and comfortably. Brooklyn-based design office Order was tasked with developing an identity system for the spa that is honest to the history and benefits of sensory deprivation, but through a modern lens. They made a connection between the buoyant nature of floating and the vertical aesthetic of Vessel Float’s interior architecture, resulting in a confident and minimalistic system of linework and uppercase typography. They also considered how the vibrations of a ‘float’ could be visualised. In 1787, German-Hungarian scientist Ernst Chladni discovered a way of showing the effects of vibrations by using salt, a compound also found in floatation tanks. Inspired by Chladni’s ‘plates’, Order introduced a set of illustrative patterns to further extend the brand language. Order