Floating Sauna, Norway : Architecture Information

Floating Sauna, Hardangerfjord, Norway 2002 Casagrande & Rintala Workshop together with Västlands Kunstakademie, Bergen. Combining Finnish and Norwegian culture. Teachers: Sami Rintala, Christel Sverre, Marco Casagrande Architecture drawings & photos: Sami Rintala Students: Kristin Lian Berg, Mona Brekke, Simen Dyrhaug, Jenny Therese Eriksson, Mahlet Ogbé Habte, Marja Ristiina Nickel, Ragnhild Ohma, Anne Marte Ruud, Mona Aspen Simonsen, Thomas Aspeland Sivertsen, Elin Solvang, Sverre Strandberg, Karolin Tampere, Sveinung Unneland, Elisabeth Wahlströmfunction: Constructed in Hardangerfjord, in Rosendal village during 2 - 13 Sep 2002. A Finnish sauna room: around 90 C heat is enjoyed, especially in wintertime (-20 C outside) by sitting on wooden benches and throwing water on hot stones on the stove. Sweat and silence, mental purification and physical maintainance. A swim in cold water in between. Anchored in the middle of the fjord, a level of privacy is maintained for bathers. Little winter daylight comes through transparent walls. At night sauna shines as a floating lantern. Access with rowing boat only. Descending swimming straight through the floor of water. Using any kind of soap is prohibited due to ecological reasons. Materials: Norwegian Jötul-oven, plastic walls, pinewood structure, stones, storm oil lantern, old oil barrels Method: Built on shore and floated on site, anchored. Floating Sauna - Background: This project is possible to construct due to the warm Gulf-stream meeting the west coast of Norway, keeping the sea ice-free the whole year. In Finland sea is mostly ice-covered from December to April, and this sauna should be lifted ashore in wintertime. Client: Rosendal Village, Hardangerfjord, Norway Area: interior 9 m2, total with floating dock 25 m2