Midjourney Spa in San Francisco: AI Wellness Center Designed by Basalt Architects and Rapt Studio

By Paionia7 News

July 27, 2026 – San Francisco

Midjourney, the artificial intelligence research lab behind the widely used text-to-image generator, has unveiled its first physical architecture project: a 24,000-square-foot spa in the heart of San Francisco’s Union Square. The Midjourney Spa, designed by a team that includes Iceland’s Basalt Architects and San Francisco firm Rapt Studio, will occupy three floors and a basement at 300 Grant Avenue, a mixed-use building designed by MBH Architects. The spa is scheduled to open in late 2027 and will operate 24/7.

AI Lab Meets Architecture

The announcement marks a significant expansion for Midjourney beyond digital tools into built space. The company signed a 10-year lease for the space, which accounts for about a third of the building’s total 69,600 square feet. While Midjourney is best known for its generative AI image service, the spa represents its first hardware venture: a custom ultrasound body‑scanning system that the company describes as “the heart of the experience.”

“The Midjourney Spa will feature hot tubs, saunas, cold plunges and cozy rooms filled with pools of golden light that softly scan your body,” said David Holz, founder and CEO of Midjourney. “It’s designed as a place you genuinely want to go, alone or with friends.”

Design Team and Spatial Program

The spa experience was developed with TLEE Spas + Wellness, a consultancy specializing in wellness environments. Basalt Architects, known for the Blue Lagoon’s Retreat Spa in Iceland, provided renderings that show interiors bathed in warm light with mirrored ceilings. Webs of reflected water from pools and fountains wrap around the walls, creating an immersive, almost infinite spatial effect.

The program includes traditional spa amenities: hot tubs, saunas, cold plunge pools, and cozy lounging areas. In addition, the plans include a multipurpose live music room and a communal tea space. The mezzanine level is organized around a cluster of nine of Midjourney’s ultrasound scanners, which will be the primary diagnostic attraction.

The Ultrasound Body Scanner

Midjourney’s ultrasound technology, which the company calls its first hardware project, consists of 40 individual scanners that resemble electric shavers. The user descends into a water‑filled tube, and the scanners emit high‑frequency sound waves that travel through the water, bounce off the body, and are processed by Midjourney’s AI to produce a tomographical image. The company claims the scan takes 60 seconds and involves no radiation.

The system was previewed earlier this summer when Midjourney launched a medical division. The user interface, shown in a video shared on X, bears a strong visual resemblance to the heads‑up displays in the Blade Runner films. However, the scanners have not yet received FDA approval. Bryan Johnson, the entrepreneur and “longevity guru,” noted that the scanner has limitations in analyzing lung and skeletal tissue, a caveat the company has not publicly addressed.

Timeline and Expansion Plans

After the San Francisco location opens, Midjourney plans to scale up. In 2028 it aims to bring the spa concept to additional cities. By 2031, the company envisions a global network of more than 50,000 scanners, capable of performing an estimated one billion scans per month. These ambitions align with a broader trend of biohacking and AI‑integrated wellness design. Earlier this year, Submersive announced a similar AI‑guided spa experience.

Industry Context and Caveats

The Midjourney Spa sits at the intersection of architecture, AI, and wellness, a space that is drawing increasing interest from both tech firms and design studios. For architects and designers, the project raises questions about how hardware and software can shape the spatial experience of health and relaxation. The FDA‑approval status of the ultrasound system remains a key uncertainty, and the company’s claims about the scanner’s capabilities have not been independently verified. The spa’s design, however, offers a concrete example of how AI companies are beginning to engage with physical architecture.

Source: The Architect’s Newspaper – “Midjourney, taps TLEE Spas + Wellness, Basalt Architects, and Rapt Studio for new spa experience” – https://www.archpaper.com/2026/07/midjourney-tlee-basalt-rapt-spa/