Archinect
M-Rad Inc.

M-Rad Inc.

Los Angeles, CA

anchor

Hotspot Sauna

Across the Nova Scotian landscape in Canada are vast fields of marsh lands and preserved landscapes. Since there are so many of these covering the province the local people have had to build elevated wooden trails that connect people from one side to the other while allowing people to experience these landscapes. These wooden trails which have become a defining aesthetic in themselves across the Nova Scotian landscape was the inspiration for the for this design. We took a straight wooden plank trail and folded it, creating usable space both on and within the folded trail. It now fits perfectly into the landscape and is connected both visually and physically to the common wooden trails of the area. The folded construction is a stable structural method following the principles of folded plate principles. In addition to the natural wood that allows the sauna to sit seamlessly into its environement, we introduced permeations into the vertial planks that extend the users gaze towards the expansive ocean horizon. We also removed slats from the walkway and the roof allowing the sauna trail and nature to completely integrate and for the sun to seap in through to the open air cold tub. The folding also allowed us to introduce various angles that may allow us to introduce extra solar heating and a sun roof deck offering a fully functional platform within, around, and on top.

 
Read more

Status: Built
Location: Halifax, NS, CA
Firm Role: Designer & Builder
Additional Credits: Jay Meyer, Shane Andrews, Nick Fudge, Blain Lepp, Alexandra Gudreau, Devon McConnell-Gordon, Anke Wollbrink (Principal Architect)

 
Approach
Approach
Oceanside
Oceanside
The team
The team
Cold dunk pool
Cold dunk pool
View from main residence
View from main residence
Terracing to ocean
Terracing to ocean