The task – to design a new sauna that considers the old smoke sauna, and to do it either as a stand-alone or as an extension of the old. The result – a building that is playful and full of surprises, that uses the archaism of the old smoke sauna as a catalyst, and that seems to embrace the historical building.
Based on the task, three very bold and playful variants were prepared. The first to be left out was a new standalone building with a futuristic form – this would have left the old building in an abandoned state. Then, as a tough competitor, the option to solve the sauna complex as a tower remained – but that would not be the most functional …
A solution was chosen that fuses both the respect for tradition and the impulsive modernity and playfulness. The idea of packing the old and the new in the same shell arose from the search for balance. Several different layers were born – the space between the two volumes, a “non-sauna” so to speak, views of the landscape and the farm complex, a slightly tense rhythm and play of forms, materiality, light.
The choice of materials was made with the heart of the complex in mind – the historic house with its mansard roof and a glass veranda. The use of rolled sheet metal is certainly exceptional – the metal has not been used in sauna houses for obvious reasons, but here it works flawlessly with the form of the building. An exciting artistic intrigue was born.
Polarity and materiality continue indoors. The interior is minimalistic and ascetic. A cavernous steam room with a dark, smoke sauna make-up is associated with the undemandingness of the primitive, sauna-going procedure. This is contrasted with an explosively spacious fireplace room that absorbs the surroundings and has a light cheerful aftertaste. In addition to chrome details, metal and glass, concrete is used as the main material for the interior.
