This sauna built into a prehistoric rock boasts epic sunset views
While the exterior of the Grotto Sauna might resemble a straight-forward design, a peek inside exposes the complexities of this architecture created by the team at PARTISANS. Presented with a location that offered majestic scenery from the shorelines of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, the clients hired the architects at PARTISANS to create a one-of-a-kind sauna that would conform to a prehistoric rock.
While the site was unique and stunning, it posed unprecedented challenges. The design process began with extensive calculations on heat conductivity, space, curvature, airflow and components of the rock. This led to a curvaceous, cave-like interior, in which the architects integrated fresh air flow and natural materials, namely cedar, that nod to the serene landscape.
“Challenging the standards of current practices in the construction industry, we worked directly with a millwork and steel fabrication partner, MCM Inc., on every detail,” the studio said. “Together, we developed a new process of fabrication; utilizing state-of-the-art 3D technology to scan, model and build the Grotto. The process led to a newfound understanding for the properties of materials.”
The Grotto is intended to not only be a work of architectural interest but a working sauna, so the project includes two high-performance ovens, vents and fans that help elude damaging moisture that would otherwise lead to issues of rot and mold in the natural building materials.
Tight insulation provides temperature control and strengthens the energy efficiency of the sauna. Triple-glazed, high-efficiency annealed glass was used in the openings to further enhance the tightly sealed interior. “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,” PARTISANS said. “This allows for the wood to expand and contract evenly with even heat movement all around.”
With this attention to insulation and a tight envelope, the design team created a sauna that is certainly a spot that will keep its visitors warm, even during the brutally cold Canadian winters. As if that wasn’t enough, National Georgraphic also ranked the location as one of the best sites for sunset views in the world.
