This Solar Egg sauna in Kiruna, Sweden – the northernmost town in the country – provides residents with a nesting place to warm up in the cold climate. Designed by Swedish artist duo Bigert & Bergström for real estate company Riksbyggen, “Solar Egg” is more than just about being a sauna. It also doubles as a meeting place for residents to discuss the changes that are affecting their town. As a press release states, “The egg shape seeks to symbolize rebirth and new opportunities at the start of Kiruna’s urban transformation, a project that involves the relocation of entire city districts in response to ground subsidence caused by decades of iron ore mining.” The sauna’s facade is covered in faceted gold mirrors, which reflect and fragment its surroundings and represent the many complexities surrounding issues of climate change. On the inside, walls are clad in honeycomb wood panels, and a large wood-heated and heart-shaped sauna stove takes center stage, heating the sauna up to temperatures between 75° and 85° C (167° F to 185° F).

PARTISANS have designed Grotto, a sauna located on San Souci Island, in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario, Canada. Grottos, historically, have been known as natural or artifi cial caves that are embedded deep behind the curvature of streams, and thus discovered by those who would take the time to explore. As a free-standing sauna, the Grotto uses two high performance ovens that ensure efficiency and control. There are vents and fans in-place that allow the building to breathe seasonally and prevent rot or mold in the structure. The rest of the systems were based on controlled air flow. “We used insulation on the building to not only protect its components from heating up or cooling down too quickly, but also to make the Grotto more energy efficient. The specific type of wood, Cedar, was then selected based on a number of factors; such as resistance to rot, aroma, colour, local sources, and quality. Furthermore, the internal structure of the Grotto was tightly sealed and a layer of energy efficient aluminum foil was adhered to all internal surfaces creating a convective air plenum between the internal wood panels and the space in which they were mounted. This allows for the wood to expand and contract evenly with even heat movement all around. The space behind the wood panels created convection currents that allow the skin to breathe through the ventilation pores that were carved into seats and seams of the cedar panels. The result is a sculpted space, a sensual experience, and a sophisticated exercise in building science.” Photography by Jonathan Friedman and PARTISANS.

Saunalautta is a floating sauna houseboat that is now available for rent in Finland. Built out of recycled wood, the raft features a bedroom with four bunks, and a hot steamy sauna on the lower level, on the top level you’ll find a rooftop observation deck, a barbecue, and hammocks, making it the perfect place to unwind on the water with friends. A small outboard motor is used to power the vessel.

The Surf Sauna was created with cold water surfers in mind. The elegant solution is a warm retreat for surfers who brave cold waters. Every Surf Sauna is built to your specifications in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and is fully customizable, you can choose the size(between 2 and 8 people), even outfit it for offroad conditions. Surf Saunas are also  available to rent by the day.