Ondsauna Sawna by Taro Shimokawa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award in Pensaernïaeth Competition Category.

EfyddPensaernïaeth· 2025

Ondsauna Sawna

by Taro Shimokawa

Client: Ondpark

Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award Winner in Pensaernïaeth Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Ondsauna Sawna

Adeilad sawna yw Ondsauna wedi'i osod o fewn coedwig. Mae waliau allanol fertigol wedi'u clystyru o amgylch ystafell y sawna, gan adleisio twf coed tuag i fyny. Mae llwybr troellog yn arwain at ofod ymlacio ar y to. Mae'r fynedfa 250 milimetr uwchben lefel y ddaear, y dec plymio oer ar 1000 milimetr a'r to ar 3250 milimetr, fel bod y symudiad o'r sawna i'r plymio oer i'r awyr agored yn fertigol. Mae cynllun polygonol afreolaidd a meinciau ongl aflem yn arwain llinellau golwg ac yn caniatáu i ymwelwyr ddewis eu lefel o ryngweithio.

The Recognition

About the Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award

Mae Ondsauna Sawna yn enillydd Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award, cydnabyddiaeth hynod fawreddog a roddir i ddyluniadau rhagorol sydd yn nodedig am greadigrwydd, dyfeisgarwch a chraffter. Mae enillwyr Efydd yn arteffactau medrus iawn a thrawiadol o greadigol sydd yn dilysu profiad helaeth, dychymyg a dyfeisgarwch eu dylunwyr. Disgwylir i Ondsauna Sawna fod yn wrthrych uchel ei fri, a edmygir ac a anwylir, sydd yn nodedig o broffesiynol ac arloesol. Mae'r dyluniad buddugol hwn o Wobr Efydd A' Design Award yn ymgorffori arferion gorau mewn celf, gwyddoniaeth, dylunio a thechnoleg, ac yn rhagorol am ei sylw i fanylion. Mae Ondsauna Sawna yn bodloni anghenion yn odidog, yn cyffwrdd â dyheadau, yn swyno teimladau ac yn apelio at chwilfrydedd.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Trees grow endlessly upward, a concept reflected in the vertical exterior walls clustered around the sauna room. A spiraling path leads upward to a rooftop relaxation space, mirroring the building's form. The sauna entrance is at GL+250, the cold plunge deck at GL+1000, and the rooftop at GL+3250, so the transition from sauna to cold plunge to open air follows a vertical flow. Viewing the forest at treetop height allows one to share in its growth rhythm.
Dimensions & Packaging: The irregular plan was chosen to allow the passage and expansion of the line of sight and to adjust the degree of intimacy, which was rationally solved by the 150mm CLT floor slab. The elimination of beams has eliminated non-perpendicular joints in the structure, contributing to labor savings in site work. The rational walls of the scale module are discretely assembled and the CLT slab connects them. This structural form itself can be described as a sociopetal structure.
Production Technology: An irregular polygonal floor plan guides sightlines, creating varied scenic views. Research shows conversations are twice as frequent at 90 degrees versus side-by-side. Here, strangers sit together, so we chose obtuse-angled benches to balance interaction and privacy, encouraging conversation without intrusion. Varied seating allows for different levels of interaction, while the overall arrangement around a fire fosters a shared experience.
Inspiration: In a sauna, strangers sit nearly naked in close proximity, creating potential intimacy. Yet in Japan, public saunas haven’t fostered this sense of community. By aligning with Japan’s unique sense of closeness, we aim to create a sociopetal space, encouraging shared understanding without forced intimacy. “Non-intrusive” walls balance connection and separation; their verticality resonates with the forest, while their spacing draws nature in and modulates closeness among neighbors.

Read the Press Release