The Swedish Solar Egg Sauna

Sculptural sauna chambers are rarely hot on anyone's list of daily places-to-visit, things-to-do, but this Solar Egg design by Bigert & Bergstram is certainly quite something. In the form of an egg-shape, this sauna pod can be found at Luossabacken (Sweden). With the area undergoing a vast transformation which is incurring a huge population shift to allow mining company LKAB to enter and extract more of the iron seam that cuts diagonally beneath the town, such an intervention is anything but typical.

As conditioned, 'no mine, no town', and by the local's devastation in potentially losing their home, wide debates and topical conversations can now be had over hot steam whilst bathing, of course. A social sculpture where local people and visitors to the town can meet and potentially discuss these challenges, the sauna occupies a key position. As a metaphorical incubator that nurtures conversation and the exchanges of ideas, climate and art are wonderfully combined.

Made of stainless golden mirror sheeting, the Solar Egg's multifaceted form breaks up the surroundings to reflect a multiplicity of different mirror images. With all of landscape, mine, town, sky, sun and snow combined into a fragmented image, the holistic form evokes associations with the complexity of the local town's situation. With an interior formed of wall panels and floor decking made out of pine and benches of aspen, the centre of the egg is wood-heated with it's heart-shaped stove made out of iron and stone. The temperature inside the egg varies between 75° and 85° Celsius. Now that is what we're dreaming of! Meticulously crafted to boast breathtaking aesthetics and landscapes, both the interior and exterior are something to shout about. When are you going, SATORI & SCOUT asks?

Discover more about the designer and intervention at: BigertBergstrom.com

Photography credit : Bigert & Bergstrom