Floating Timber Sauna in Norway: A Student Architectural Marvel on a Lake

A Floating Sauna in Rural Norway

Student architectural practice Rabagast Studio has completed Watercave, a floating timber sauna atop a small pontoon in a Norwegian lake. This innovative project, led by students from the Trondheim-based Norwegian University of Science and Technology, was constructed in just two weeks for Opaker Gård, an eco-farm in Innlandet aiming to create a space for the local community.

Design and Construction

Built on an existing timber pontoon, Rabagast Studio designed the sauna to feel both intimate and ceremonial. The interior features a dark, charred timber finish, described as "almost like a carved-out cave," creating a warm and atmospheric space. The studio explained, "Since the sauna was to be built on a floating pontoon and set freely within the lake, the site offered an unusual degree of design freedom."

The timber structure is left exposed externally, with horizontal planks on three sides and small timber shingles made from leftover panels on the other. A large window next to the sauna's wood burner chimney provides stunning views across the lake, while a covered area on the opposite side offers storage for firewood and a built-in bench.

Interior Details

Inside, the charred timber panels are coated in linseed oil, enhancing the dark ambiance and releasing a natural scent that will linger for years. Contrasting benches in pale aspen wood are oriented towards the window, emphasizing the connection to the surrounding landscape. Rabagast Studio stated, "Our primary references became the surrounding hills and forests, prompting us to explore a form that turns inward."

Structural Considerations

To balance weight distribution, the sauna sits at a slight angle on the pontoon, reflected in the angled eaves of its corrugated white polycarbonate roof. This roof is designed to handle heavy snowfall, with a steep pitch to prevent over-loading and a white color that blends with the landscape. The studio noted, "Throughout the process, we had to consider the equilibrium of the floating raft, positioning the sauna so that the entire structure remained stable. In many ways, we found ourselves thinking more like boatbuilders than architects."

Similar Projects

This project joins other innovative saunas in Norway, such as the Trosten floating sauna in Oslo by Estudio Herreros, designed as a place of retreat and contemplation. The photography for Watercave is by Peter Elias Hoddevik and Bianca Daumas, capturing the essence of this unique architectural feat.