Käyrä Sauna

 

McEwen School of Architecture

2016

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The design of my group’s sauna began from the parti of a circle within a square. That simple form informed the rest of our design; the strongest intent being the opposition between exterior and interior environment. Outside of the sauna, it appears harsh and cold, standing as a foreign object in the environment it sits in. Within the sauna, the user is transported into a realm of warmth: physically through the heat generated by the wood-fired stove, and visually through the choice of materials, finishes, and dramatic continous curved bench. Glimpses of this warmth can be seen from the exterior by the moments of entry/exit. The door, rear window and vents are framed with the same cedar as the bench.