A Floating Sauna With Northern Lights Views

Scandinavians keep coming up with ever more amazing leisure opportunities we can look forward to visiting once lockdown ends. First there was the incredible Ice Hotel in northern Sweden, then the giant year-round dry ski slope on a renewable-energy power station in Copenhagen, now a floating sauna offering views of the northern lights has been quite literally ‘launched’ in the middle of Tromsø Harbour in Norway.

Elegantly adorning the stunning coastline of Tromsø, the architects and designers of the impressive project selected Kebony wood, a global leader in the production of sustainable wood, for the exterior façade, and both the roof and ocean terrace decking, contributing to the striking appearance of the sauna.

Handcrafted furniture company Ekte, sauna specialists Pust and Skapa Architects worked through various challenges over the past year to create the floating masterpiece which is seen by locals and visitors as a space to breathe, disconnect from the world whilst connecting with each other.

“Seeing people enjoying the Northern Lights whilst relaxing in the sauna, or daring themselves to a dip in the arctic sea is such a rewarding feeling. To imagine that we built something that gives people a joyful escape, a little oasis in the middle of the town, is amazing!” said Kim Daniel Arthur from Ekte.

An intense and collaborative project was run in building the sauna, where the lines between customer and provider were almost non-existent, with customers themselves making and installing over 1,000 shingles from Kebony Character in order to achieve the desired final appearance. Due to extensive planning and support from Kebony, and the other partners involved, the challenges of building a weather-resistant outdoor floating sauna were minimised and all project goals and timelines were met, the team building the sauna say. Kebony was chosen for the unique project as it complements both the structural design and the natural arctic surroundings of North Norway, whilst requiring little maintenance.

“The public has really embraced the sauna and made it a part of their daily lives. People come at all hours of the day: either for a morning swim, a lunch time bath or a night-time session as late as 10pm,” said Erik Stange Ankre at Pust.

The Kebony wood will develop a silver-grey patina as it ages, helping the sauna achieve its goal of displaying a weathered aesthetic over time, without losing any dimensional strength.

Images: David Jensen