Architects:GriD Architects

Area:67ft²

Year:2020

Photographs:Brycen Fischer Photography

Manufacturers:Alt Welding,Bill's Portable Welding,Elemental Metalworks,MF Fire,MillerMetal Fabrication

Select Furniture Design And Construction Consultant:Ed Leedy

Construction Directors:Adam Read

City:Upper Tract

Country:United States

Text description provided by the architects. On a remote mountain farm, a series of rudimentary saunas had been constructed since the late 1970s, each iteration advancing in relative permanence. Unfortunately, the last utilitarian iteration burned to ashes a quarter-century after the first. For 15 years the site lay dormant, setting the stage for another generation to resurrect the spiritual sanctuary. This time the project was reimagined as research is driven design/build; blending students, professionals, and craftsmen, exploring time-tested construction techniques as well as new methodologies.

The team also researched sauna traditions throughout human history, the results of which directly influenced the design, abstractly referencing historic traditions while embracing regional farm vernacular. While an asset conceptually, the saunas remoteness was also a primary challenge surrounding the teams' 10-day sojourn to construct it. Logistical complexities included getting materials and supplies to the property as well as physically working at the site which sits at the edge of a small pond.