A SAUNA LIKE NO OTHER - THE CANADIAN GROTTO SAUNA By Partisans

Designing and building a grotto, (any type of natural or artificial cave), is not unusual, but designing and building a grotto that's also a sauna, being close to water and dealing with a prehistoric large-scale rock formation, well, that takes a bit more research, planning... and skill.

Using state of the art 3-D technology to scan, model and build this sculpted grotto, a local design studio, Partisans, was able to create this free-standing structure that not only blends with its elements, but would respect and mature with it as well.

Now, perched on a private island north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a beautifully sculpted space now exists to create a sensual experience for its owners.

All images courtesy of Partisans.

The space is imagined as a grotto – a cave-like volume often found near water

A skylight positioned in the roof plane brings daylight inside the 75 square meter plan

The majority of the prefabricated design was constructed before being transported to site by boat and secured atop the island’s prehistoric rock formation. Every detail was closely collaborated with millwork and steel fabrication partners, ensuring a high degree of integrated craftsmanship.

The sauna’s interior boasts bold sinuous forms that reference dynamic air movements, as well as providing comfortable and welcoming areas of seating. Large windows offer views across the bay, while a skylight positioned in the roof plane brings natural lighting inside the 75 square meter plan.

Smooth internal forms are contrasted on the structure’s external façades, where simple timber-clad elevations blend against the region’s rugged terrain.

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Source(s): designboom | partisanprojects