“The client was interested in a ready-made sauna, but after meeting with them for the first time on site we realised that a tailor-made solution was needed – one that would blend in with the surroundings and offer gorgeous views straight from the sauna bench,” explains Peter Jančár from Woodmaster SK. Designed in cooperation with architects from the Woven studio, the minimalistic sauna is a perfect match for its park-like setting.
WOVEN
2022
THERMORY BENCHMARK THERMO-PINE & ALDER INTERIOR CLADDING
SLOVAKIA
WOODMASTER
The sauna is akin to a nature observation post, with users enjoying uninterrupted views over the lake and garden from the expansive glass window serving as one whole wall of the steam room. There is plenty to see in the sultry Slovakian summer and the depths of winter alike. The external walls of the sauna are clad with thermo-pine boards in four different widths and thicknesses. Thermory makes it possible to combine different profiles so as to provide any structure with a truly unique appearance. The thicker boards protrude from the thinner ones, giving the facade a three-dimensional feel.
To preserve the colouring of the pine wood, the boards were treated with an oil providing UV protection. The timber will need to be regularly treated in this way to ensure that it continues to look as good as new. Without such treatment, thermally modified wood takes on a natural greyish tone, although it does retain its weather-proof qualities. This tone is held in high regard in Northern Europe, where a degree of fading becomes the aim in itself rather than maintaining the original colour of the wood.
The walls and ceiling of the steam room and the anteroom in front of it feature elegant, light-coloured alder. The fastening points of the panels with STP mouldings are concealed. Alder is a good choice for steam rooms not only for its pleasant texture, but also because it is durable, water-repellent and never gets too hot. Inspired by Auroom Natura saunas and in the interests of comfort and convenience, both wood-fired and electric stoves were installed in the steam room.
“Thermally modified alder is my undisputed favourite material for sauna wall panels and bench boards, because the fragrance it emits as the space heats up is amazing,” says Jančár. “I use it a lot in my projects, and I recommend it to my clients as well.”
Carefully selected materials and installation carried out to the manufacturer’s precise instructions guarantee the sauna a long life. The structure itself is on the smaller side, but the contribution of the architect combined with the high-quality materials used make it worthy of much greater recognition.
