847426 PJ Entwerfen 2

The sauna has always been more than a space of heat. It is a place of stillness and ritual, where the body slows down, breathing deepens, and the mind begins to open. Architecture has the potential to intensify this experience: to frame silence, to choreograph transitions between warmth and fresh air, and to transform a simple act of sweating into an immersive moment of presence and reflection.

In Iceland, this ritual is often expanded through light, growth, and landscape. At Lake Mývatn, a volcanic terrain shaped by steam vents, moss, water, and silence, the forces of fire and fragility coexist in a constant dialogue. In this context, a greenhouse becomes more than a space for cultivation; it is a chamber of recovery, illumination, and life. Moving from heat into greenery, from stone into glass, extends the ritual of the sauna into another sensory register. The interplay between fire and light, mineral and plant, forms the conceptual foundation of the Iceland Slow Sauna.

This design studio explores the architectural potential of combining a sauna and a greenhouse into a single, modest retreat. The project may be developed as a competition entry or situated at another location of comparable extremity. Students are invited to design a small-scale structure that is both intimate and expansive, focusing not on size or spectacle, but on sensitivity, atmosphere, and experience.

The central challenge lies in shaping transitions: between hot and cool, enclosed and open, dark and bright. These thresholds are understood as spatial journeys that define the project’s narrative. Rather than conceiving architecture as an isolated object, the studio encourages students to think in terms of rituals, sequences, and embodied experiences—designing spaces that support slowness, recovery, and a heightened awareness of place.

 

KEY DATES

weekly meetings Thursdays morning ~ 1o:oo

08 April 2026 Closing for competition registration for those who want to participate.

11 May 2026 23:59 (London Time) Project Submission

28 May 2026 Project Finals (incl. physical model)