Tag Archives: sauna

This Little Wooden Sauna Is Elevated On Stilts On The Rocky Coast Of Norway

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Oslo Works designed and perched a little wooden sauna over the rocky shore of Nesodden peninsula, Norway. The sauna is elevated over the shore, and finished with wooden shingles, creating a rustic yet charming persona. It is designed for the local community and named the Hotspot. It is only a short ferry ride from Oslo and is intended to be an adaptable, easy-to-maintain, and eco-friendly structure. Lately, communal saunas have been increasing in the area, as local communities are joining forces to fund and build them, and the Hotspot is another new addition!

Designer: Oslo Works

“A sauna is best enjoyed together,” said the studio. “This may be the reason why sauna community culture has been rising in Scandinavia over the last few years. People are putting their forces together in order to finance, build, and share hothouse all along the shore.”
The Hotspot sauna has been segregated into two sections through a narrow open passage, which will lead visitors to the water and the bathing ladder. The main hot room is located on the left-hand side, while the storage and changing facilities are located on the right. The hot room is heated by a little woodburning stove, and visitors can take a dip in the ice-cold water, before meeting up in this room. The room has access to stunning views of Oslo’s skyline. Oslo Works picked a material palette that camouflages the home with its surroundings when viewed from the mainland.

The main room has a rounded back wall that is covered in burnt and oiled pine shingles, which allows the cabin to merge with “pine trees and grey granite shore rocks”, as said by the studio. The building is also built using wood, with massive timber modules forming the frame. This helps to reduce the embodied carbon of the site.

Since the Hotspot features a modular form, it was quite easy to transport and construct on the site, which is difficult to reach. On the site, the sauna is elevated on metal stilts. The sauna’s modularity also supports future flexibility and leaves scope for adaptations such as the inclusion of a roof terrace, and additional shower rooms.

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The Saltsaun NW Trailer Lets You Have A Sauna Anywhere And Everywhere You Go

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Meet the all-new Saltsaun NW trailer, a sauna that you can hitch up and tow anywhere with you. You can use the sauna in your backyard, or wherever you like. The NW trailer is influenced by the covered wagons that used to roam Oregon, and it is designed to be a versatile on-/off road trailer, allowing a Himalayan salt-lined cedar wood sauna to be attached behind any vehicle. There is an option of an electric or wood stove, for when you’re traveling on or off-grid.

Designer: Bend Teardrop

The Saltsaun NW trailer isn’t the first of its kind, but it does have a very appealing and unique design with impressive amenities and capabilities that truly set it apart. The trailer consists of a highway-speed-capable and off-road-ready square-tube chassis that measures 6×8 feet. The trailer measures 13 inches and rides on 15-inch wheels. The roof of the Saltsaun NW features the design and construction skills we saw in the teardrop trailer by Bend, which creates a rounded-roof body, quite similar to a solid-roofed covered wagon.

The trailer is made from cedar wood locally sourced in the Pacific Northwest. It features a large checker plate panel up front, with aluminum paneling below, and a corrugated metal roof scaffolding that provides protection to the wood from the hazards of road and weather. The roof also shelters a small porch with two integrated seats which are designed for cooling off.

The Saltsaun NW trailer can house four to five adults on its benches. The focal point of the design is the electric or wood stove that can set the temperature between 100 and 200 °F (38 to 93 °C).  The trailer’s electric model features a 3-kW steam-ready heater that can be plugged into a 110-V outlet with a recommended 20-A+ output., whereas the wooden stove model is intended to be an off-grid solution, and it is equipped with a rock basket for steaming, as well as a deep-cycle battery, and 100-W solar panel for the interior/exterior lighting.

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Floating architecture designs to light up Copenhagen, Maldives

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Water-based architecture is not about boats, yachts, or ships, or at least not just about them. We’re seeing some designers experiment with bringing all kinds of floating structures that residents and tourists can enjoy while basking in breathtaking views. A Copenhagen-based studio is teaming up with the local municipality to bring these unique concepts to life and show different possibilities for this kind of architecture.

Designer: MAST

The first of three projects is a floating sauna and harbor bath where up to fifteen people will be able to have a relaxing time while looking at an aquatic view. They can even plunge directly into the harbor bath after sweating it up in the sauna. It uses eco-friendly materials like cross-laminated timber and wood fiber insulation. This floating sauna is also “portable” in a sense that it can be moved to different locations through a towboat. There is also a small changing room as well as storage facilities and a wooden deck with access to the harbor bath.

The Harbour Cliff is the first free-floating open bouldering gym in the world where visitors can swim to it and then try the different climbing routes within the structure. There are three slightly inverted ledges to do the different challenges, including a 14.8 foot climb where you need to do a particularly hard jump to be able to reach the final spot. It looks like something straight out of an alien invasion movie and I keep expecting a monster to emerge from the structure.

Lastly, if you don’t want to sweat it out in the sauna or do bouldering, you can head over to the Maldives to visit a floating villa. These villas are anchored in protected lagoon areas and have two bedrooms, bathrooms, a loving room, and even a courtyard garden and a roof terrace. As part of their eco-friendly design, they use solar cells, battery packs, on-board sewage treatment and watermakers.

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Minimalist Barrel-Inspired Sauna Is Built Using Thinning Trees Collected From Japanese Forest

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I haven’t spent a lot of time in saunas, because for some reason, being stuck in a small room that is essentially a very hot bath, seems to trigger my anxiety and makes me feel really claustrophobic. But, I know this isn’t a universal feeling, and majority of the people LOVE saunas, and find them pretty relaxing and therapeutic. As they should. Stepping into a sauna is supposed to be detoxifying for you, and can help relieve any pains and aches you may suffer from. They produce a feeling of relaxation within you, as there is an increase in the blood flow to your skin, and your blood circulation also improves. And, the YOKI Sauna by Kairi Eguchi Studio seems like an excellent choice to relax and unwind in.

Designer: Kairi Eguchi Studio

Designed by Osaka-based Kairi Eguchi Studio and inspired by the classic structure of the barrel, the YOKI Sauna is located on the site of an abandoned elementary school in Hyogo, Japan. It is designed to be a rejuvenating and relaxing experience that is deeply rooted in nature and local heritage. The minimalist and warm wooden form of the sauna was built using thinning trees collected from the surrounding forest.

The structure is marked by a stepped ceiling, and accentuated by a long and narrow window. This interesting feature allows for an interplay of light and shade, in turn creating an ethereal and mesmerizing experience for visitors. The YOKI Sauna is nestled in Aogaki, Tamba City, and is designed to facilitate and foster a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding environment since the water used in the sauna’s baths is drawn from the headwaters of the Kakogawa River.

The architectural studio also paid immense attention to the branding of YOKI Sauna, which pays tribute to the backdrop of the nearby mountains. This extends the scope of the project and the theme and essence of the sauna beyond its architectural design. Since the project was shaped using thinning trees felled from the mountains, the sauna logo consists of four interconnected trees. The felling of the trees was initiated by the facility’s management company Ki-ei.

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Portable sauna lets you have a great view while relaxing inside

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If you’re a fan of saunas, it would probably be a nice thing to have a semi-portable one that you can take with you, disassemble and assemble easily, and put up in various terrains and places. It will of course be a pretty big undertaking and maybe it would be easier to just look for a sauna that’s near to where you’re vacationing or staying but that shouldn’t stop designers from coming up with something innovative when it comes to this kind of structure.

Designer: BIVAK Studio

The SAUNABIVAK is one such kind of structure that is pre-fabricated and easily transportable to various terrains and places so you can have a tranquil space with you on your retreat or vacation. It has a double-layer glass wall that lets you still have a view of the mountains or forests or beach where you have installed the sauna. It also uses cross-laminated timber panels that are layer-glued and stands on four legs so you still have a stable yet flexible structure and can easily be assembled and transported.

It is also weather resistant and protected against insects since it is treated with linseed oil by firing. Inside you are able to get natural ventilation which is important for a sauna. Obviously, you also get good heating through its simple firewood system. The legs are made from recycled construction industry waste so you don’t need to rely on slabs for the formwork and concreting. The size and weight of the SAUNABIVAK is in accordance with towing rules of Europe and you only need two people and probably an hour to install it when it reaches its destination.

Having a relaxing sauna with a view is a great way to spend your tranquil and serene vacation. This unique structure is an innovation that you can add to your arsenal if it’s something that you can afford and have access to. The fact that it’s simple enough to assemble and to use is a big bonus as well as you don’t need something that will stress you out. I for one will dream of one day spending time in a sauna like this.

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This wooden floating sauna is designed to drift around the Stockholm archipelago

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There’s something about a floating sauna that just sounds extremely right to me, and the Swedish studio Sandellsandberg designed exactly that! Called, the Big Branzino, this floating sauna is designed to drift around across the Stockholm archipelago. A steel catamaran hull supports a minimal timber structure with a mesmerizing bow-shaped roof, which shades a central sauna room.

Designer: Sandellsandberg

“The client, a creative person from the Stockholm tech scene, had a dream about creating a truly extraordinary floating sauna experience, something elegant and refined, yet unexpected,” said Johan Strandlund, an architect at Sandellsandberg.

The exteriors of the beautiful sauna are finished with pine planks, allowing the floating structure to harmoniously merge with the surrounding forests that it will be continually crossing. It features two major decks amped with fully glazed ends at both the bow and the stern. A shower and a bathroom are positioned on either side of the central sauna space, which includes a two-tiered seating section placed around a stove. There is a ladder at one end, which leads to the roof, wherein another intimate seating area provides stunning views of the landscape. The ladder can be easily folded and stowed away whenever needed.

“The exterior is a rugged pine to blend in with the surrounding nature, (while) the interiors and furniture are made of western red cedar due to its great characteristics for sauna and outdoor use. The design revolves around its distinct shape. The lowest point of the arch creates warmth and closeness to the glow of the fire, and as the arch rises to the sides it allows the stars of the night sky to be admired from the inside,” said Sandellsandberg.

A cedar box at the front of the sauna holds the wheel and the controls, which allows the sauna to drift around the archipelagos at a maximum speed of five miles per hour. “It can travel freely at its captain’s discretion, from a few hours of sauna with a view to adventurous, long trips,” said Johan Standlund. The beautiful sauna is a great option to unwind and relax amidst the exquisite views of the Stockholm archipelago, with a bespoke fireplace to keep you warm for overnight trips, and a rooftop to dance on when the night gets boring!

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Portable sauna lets you enjoy heat in the cold wilderness

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When you’re going camping, you probably don’t expect to have all the comforts of a hotel or resort vacation. The idea is to rough it out in the middle of nature, unless what you prefer is to go glamping (glamorous camping in case you didn’t know). So if you want to add the joy of having a sauna when you’re outdoors, you’ll have to bring the sauna to you. Especially if you prefer to go camping in the cold weather, having a sauna with you is perfect and apparently, there is a portable one that you can now bring with you.

Designer: Sunga

Hoyry is a portable sauna tent that you can bring with you on your next camping trip and set it up wherever you want to. It is a pop-up structure that includes a wood-burning stove set just like your typical sauna. It’s not exactly something that you can pop up like a portable chair since there are several parts that you need to assemble but it is portable enough that you can bring it with you in the middle of the wilderness. It is big enough to let 3-4 adults use it at the same time and it has a heat retention capacity that can survive extremely cold conditions like that in Siberia.

The tent has dimensions of 2150×2150×2000 cm and 14.5kg while the stove is 250×650×460 big and 21kg heavy. The tent is made from 300D oxford fabric and has a 5-layer structure that is able to give it the thermal insulation that a sauna needs. It also has a maximum-size window for ventilation and an opening at the top so that the stove can blow the steam outside. The stove itself is made from stainless steel material and can support sauna stones of up to 16 kg.

The tent and the stove are both light enough to carry around and if you’re used to camping and putting up tents, then you should probably find it easy to set this up. The tent comes in two color variations, black or beige and white. Design-wise, it looks just like a usual tent except that you have a chimney sticking out for the ventilation of the stove. The stove works like any sauna with the stones that need to be “watered” to get it working.

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This series of tiny prefabricated structures includes a home, remote office, and sauna

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My Cabin is a series of prefabricated structures like a tiny home, a detached office for remote working, and even a sauna.

Girts Draugs found all the rest and relaxation he was looking for in tiny, prefabricated homes. Surging in popularity due to stay-at-home orders, tiny homes have been around for a while but only recently took off. Our collective need to head back to nature has prompted many of us to find ways of staying there.

Designer: Girts Draugs for My Cabin

While building a new home from scratch or renovating an old, dilapidated one are certainly options to make that happen, Draugs found more promise and more convenience in designing prefabricated homes. My Cabin, Draugs’s collection of prefabricated structures, features three types of dwellings: a home, sauna, and remote office.

My Milla, the company’s most popular prefabricated structure, is a two-floor tiny cabin finished in spruce wood that’s perfect for short stays in nature to get away from the stress of city life. The internal space of My Milla leaves enough room for a spacious living room, kitchen, bathroom, and main bedroom. The cabin amounts to 265 square feet with a top floor that overlooks the living room and double-glazed plastic windows that run the height of the first floor.

The second structure is called My Kalmus, which covers around 187 square feet to be used as a detached office or den. Inside, the structure keeps an open-floor layout without any frills or surprises, except for integrated features like steam insulation. Finished in finely sawed spruce wood, My Kalmus also comes with lofty, double-glazed plastic windows to bring guests closer to the outdoors.

Finally, each prefab home needs at least one accessory building. Enter My Galia, the 110-square-foot sauna structure. Inside, planks of black alder wood finish the sauna to provide natural insulation while residents find rest in the heated room.

While each home serves a distinct purpose, convenient comforts like a cast-iron stove, electric heater, and terrace are integrated into My Milla and My Kalmus structures. Each cabin is also customizable, allowing buyers to choose their home’s finishes, window placements, doors, and furniture.

An external fire pit provides ample warmth inside and outside the cabin.

The sauna is paneled in black alder wood for natural insulation.

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A Japanese portable tent designed with a wood burning stove is your sauna for the great outdoors

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There is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to enjoy a detoxing and rejuvenating sauna in the wilderness when you’re out hiking or camping! For moments when you want a portable sauna, Iam Sauna by a Japanese start-up is the go-to option for two primary reasons: it’s highly portable and convenient to set up!

Iam Sauna is a lovely tent-style sauna provided with a wood-burning stove that allows people to enjoy the outdoors even in the cold weather to regain the lost energy after a long day. A Japanese-style sauna tent is extremely portable; you can carry it along whether you’re biking it up or driving for a picnic with your family. In addition to portable design, the sauna tent is effortless to set up. A single person can install the tent in under a minute. One will be required to stretch out the pull tabs on all four sides and instantly, a stable and usable tent is ready.

Heat up the wood-burning stove and in minutes you have your personal sauna ready. Whether you’re tired after a hike or simply want to experience a sauna by the lake, Iam Sauna can let you do that. The interesting factor here is that this stylish sauna is not just for a single person. Up to six people can accommodate within the 200cm by 200cm tent. The sauna is made from triple layer 420 denier oxford woven tent fabric, which is insulated with heat-insulating cotton material. The stove is purposely designed to be compact and efficient so that the interiors of the tent can be nicely heated for a comforting sauna.

The metal stove with folding legs weighs 18kg – makes portability of the sauna tad difficult – and features heat resistant glass window and a guard plate on top that is removable and can be used to stack up the sauna stones. The chimney of the stove pierces out through the ceiling of the tent, which is made specially from flame-resistant fabric to reduce the risk of damage by sparks from the chimney.

Once you’re inside the Iam Sauna, you are not secluded from the world outside, as is the case with traditional saunas. Since you are in the great wilderness, you should be able to enjoy it to the fullest irrespective of the activity you’re involved in. For this, the sauna tent is provided with two entrances and five windows to enjoy the panorama outside even when the heat is relaxing your body and mind!

Designer: Iam Sauna

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This tiny pod merges a sauna with an infrared design to become the world’s first climate cabin!

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Recognized by German Design Awards, Klimakabine is the world’s first climate-controlled micro-cabin built from OSB and stone pine with a loam and moss filter for cozy vibes and fresh air.

It’s hard to imagine being somewhere more calming than a log cabin in the woods–the snow falling outside while you’re warm and cozied up against the window. There’s something about the warmth of wood that brings peace. Similar to log cabins, the wooden build of saunas not only enhances their function but relaxes the mind too. Combining the coziness of a log cabin with the soothing nature of saunas, Italian carpentry company Declara designed Klimakabine, the world’s first climate-controlled micro-cabin.

Paneled in OSB, Klimakabine features a single wooden bench and is constructed from stone pine, a type of antibacterial wood. The build of Klimakabine resembles a sitting pod from the outside and keeps a sloping structure that encourages users to sit back and recline. Sloping in tandem with the glazed door opening, a loam and moss filter helps clean the air inside Klimakabine and regulates the climate to ensure a comfortable sitting period. Enhancing the soothing nature of Klimakabine, Declara glazed the front door to give it a translucent look that provides some privacy for the one sitting inside too.

Coming back to nature has always brought some peace and calm. Declara built Klimakabine so we’d always have space and time to welcome nature back into our lives. In designing Klimakabine, Declara artfully merged the coziness of a log cabin with the relaxation of a sauna to create a meditative space where users can unwind and disconnect from the busyness of the outside world.

Designer: Declara