Architecture, Space

Wool Sauna at Ziedlejas Wellness Resort

View all 13 Photos

Architects

Open AD

Location

Sigulda, Latvia

Year

2021

Photographer

Alvis Rozenbergs

A black timber sauna built among trees.

Ziedlejas Wellness Resort has recently unveiled its latest addition to the retreat, the Wool Sauna building, which stands alone on a hilltop and offers guests a unique and self-sufficient sauna experience. Accessible through a winding wooden walkway, the path not only serves as a means of transportation but also promotes relaxation and introspection for the guests.

The sauna room itself is concealed within the black timber facade and is a yurt-like canvas structure that was purchased ready-made. The architects and designers’ goal was to customize and incorporate it into the Ziedlejas concept and atmosphere while also elevating the guest experience.

As guests traverse the walkway and enter the wooden structure, they arrive at the changing room, which features bespoke furniture to provide guests with ample space to prepare for their sauna session and store their personal belongings without creating clutter. The design team, Open AD, has considered the well-being of guests and sauna masters at every step of the process, incorporating features such as a giant outdoor hammock where guests can relax and connect with nature during breaks from the heat. In addition, the team installed a plunge pool meters away from the sauna room since there is no natural body of water nearby.

The sauna room’s interior walls are covered in wool, a tradition from other cultures not commonly found in Latvia. When heated, the wool releases lanolin, which is believed to have healing properties, making the room circular and centered around the wood stove. The custom furniture inside the room caters to the guests’ and sauna masters’ needs during the cleansing ritual. Photography © Alvis Rozenbergs.

More for you

Lordship Park House


Architecture

A dilapidated Victorian building that has been brought back to life with thoughtful i…

The Broseta Apartment


Architecture

A minimalist renovation and restoration of an apartment situated in a former nuns’ co…

Casa do Castanheiro


Architecture

The rehabilitation and vibrant transformation of a countryside house in Alto Minho, P…

Mon58


Architecture

A concrete annex transformed and extended into cozy home that opens to views of the S…

Clinique Monkland


Interior Design

A modern dentist office design that draws inspiration from the warmth and coziness of…

A 1930s Winery Converted into ...


Architecture

The transformation of a modest, family-owned winery into a home that preserves and ce…

Around the world

Mala Vila


Around the World

Designed with mirror walls, these four cabins perfectly reflect the surrounding woodl…

Kimpton Las Mercedes Hotel


Around the World

A Historic Landmark Reimagined: Kimpton Las Mercedes Brings New Life to Santo Domingo…

Treehouse Villas, A Nature-Cen...


Around the World

Seven tree house villas in Bali nestled among lush vegetation on a sloping site that …

Staff Picks

Bridging the Gap: The Greenhouse that Became a Home

The Luminous Presence of the Artful Vestige Lamp

Introducing the CLAE Appleskin™ Sneaker Capsule

The Ripped Wood Collection

Stay Updated

FacebookPinterestRedditLinkedInEmailWhatsAppX