The client is a Finn himself, settled on Waiheke with his partner and a lovely section looking out over the bay. Being a countryman he knew exactly what he wanted from a sauna, and that made the brief an easy one to work with.
They'd already picked up a Harvia Finland 100 anniversary heater from us before the build even started, so the whole room was designed around a proper wood-fired setup from day one. The sauna sits as its own separate building on the property, custom made from the ground up like all our jobs.
Inside it's all thermally modified alder, panelling and benching, which came up beautifully with its warm, even colour. The walls and ceiling above the heater area are protected with tiles, a detail we mocked up digitally beforehand so the client could see exactly how it would look before we built it.
The heater wasn't in place yet when these photos were taken, but the room was built and finished ready for it.
A proper Finnish sauna for a fellow countryman, built for someone who understands what that means.
Custom made, top to bottom.
The sauna
- Thermally modified alder panelling and benching, with a warm, even colour that came up beautifully
- Harvia Finland 100 anniversary wood-fired heater, sourced by the client ahead of the build
- Tiled wall and ceiling protection, mocked up digitally first so the look was agreed before we built it
- Standalone building, custom made from the ground up
- Overlooking the bay, sited to make the most of the Waiheke views
The build, photographed.
Same seven stages as every build.
Design and planning
Material selection
Frame and insulation
Wall and ceiling lining
Benching and detailing
Heater and tiling
Final fit-out and handover
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