We have designed four new public saunas in different parts of Helsinki. The project was commissioned by Löylykontti Oy, whose sauna concept is based on accessible, low-threshold saunas located alongside winter swimming sites. Sauna sessions are booked online, and visitors access the sauna with a personal code.
The saunas are located on sites selected through competitions organised by the City of Helsinki: in Merisatamanranta in Eira, on the Saukonpaasi breakwater in Jätkäsaari, at Tapaninvainio Beach, and on the shore of Palettilampi in Kuninkaantammi.
Together with Löylykontti, we have developed new mobile spatial modules for both changing rooms and sauna rooms. The interiors of the modules have been carefully designed to be both functional and atmospheric. At each site, the modules are positioned and arranged according to the specific characteristics of the location, allowing the overall composition to respond to its surroundings and views.
Each of the four saunas has its own architecture inspired by the character of its surroundings. A consistent entrance design creates a recognisable identity across the four locations while making the saunas easy and intuitive to use.
Eira
Located in the prominent waterfront setting of Merisatamanranta, the sauna’s architecture draws inspiration from the playfulness of Café Carusel and the nearby small-boat harbour. The façade is light in colour and clad in pleated sailcloth. In the evening, the building glows like a lantern, guiding visitors towards the sauna. A covered terrace supported by striped columns surrounds the building, offering visitors views across the surrounding seascape.
Jätkäsaari
The atmosphere of the Saukonpaasi breakwater is rugged and raw. The architecture of the saunas in Jätkäsaari draws on this character through stone-filled gabion façades and corten steel details. The gabions are intended to incorporate reclaimed sauna stones. The sauna rooms open towards the sea and evening sun, while the green roofs take into account the views from the neighbouring apartment buildings.
Kuninkaantammi
The sauna at Palettilampi, located in Ellen Thesleff Park, sits at the edge of a tranquil sandy beach, next to the recreational areas of Central Park. Views from the terrace and sauna rooms open across the lake. With its pyramid-shaped roofs, the building forms a small landmark at the far end of the lake. The weathering timber façades draw on the natural character of the surrounding Central Park and blend with the sandy beach.
Tapaninvainio
Tapaninvainio Beach is located along the Vantaa River, alongside popular recreational routes and next to a residential area. From the sandy beach, views extend westwards across the river towards the manor landscape of Tuomarinkylä. The manor setting and surrounding fields have inspired the arrangement and roof forms of the new sauna buildings. The accessible sauna spaces are oriented towards the river, while the covered outdoor cooling area is sheltered from the prevailing winds.
