On a remote mountain farm in West Virginia, a series of rudimentary saunas had been constructed since the late 1970s. Each iteration advanced the relative permanence of the structure. Unfortunately, the last iteration burned down a quarter-century after the first. For another 15 years, the site - at the edge of a spring-fed pond - lay dormant, setting the stage for another generation to reimagine the sauna.
This time around, the project emerged as a research-driven design/build. Blending students, professionals, and craftsmen throughout the process, this sauna became an experimental undertaking where participants learned by doing.
Location
Upper Tract, West Virginia
Area
65 sqft
Amenities
Benches at the perfect leaning angle
Beautiful view of the pond
Awards
2021 AIA Baltimore Honorable Mention
2020 AIA Maryland Jury Citation
2020 Washingtonian Residential Design Award
2020 Annapolis Home and Design Merit
2020 AIA West Virginia Honor Award
2019 AIA Chesapeake Bay Honor Award
typologies in ritual sweating
As part of the design process, the team researched sauna traditions throughout the world. This research directly impacted the design of the sauna which abstractly references those traditions while simultaneously reflecting vernacular farm outbuildings from the region. These references are evident in the structure’s form, craft, and materiality.
Design/Build
Without access to heavy machinery and equipment all aspects of the work were completed manually or with small transportable power tools.
