Ondsauna Sauna by Taro Shimokawa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Bronzas balva A' Design Award in Arhitektūras, ēku un būvju dizains Competition Category.

BronzasArhitektūra· 2025

Ondsauna Sauna

by Taro Shimokawa

Client: Ondpark

Bronzas balva A' Design Award Winner in Arhitektūra Category

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The Design

About Ondsauna Sauna

Ondsauna ir pirts ēka, kas novietota mežā. Vertikālas ārsienas ir grupētas ap pirts telpu, atspoguļojot koku augšupvērsto augšanu. Spirālveida celiņš ved uz relaksācijas zonu uz jumta. Ieeja atrodas 250 milimetrus virs zemes līmeņa, aukstā baseina platforma – 1000 milimetru augstumā, bet jumts – 3250 milimetru augstumā, tāpēc kustība no pirts uz aukstā ūdens baseinu un tālāk uz āru ir vertikāla. Neregulārs daudzstūra plāns un neasleņķa soli virza skatu līnijas un ļauj apmeklētājiem izvēlēties savu mijiedarbības pakāpi.

The Recognition

About the Bronzas balva A' Design Award

Ondsauna Sauna ir Bronzas balvas A' Design Award ieguvējs, ļoti prestiža atzinība, ko piešķir izciliem dizainiem, kas izceļas ar radošumu, atjautību un viedumu. Bronzas ieguvēji ir pietiekami prasmīgi un pārsteidzoši radoši darbi, kas apliecina to dizaineru plašo pieredzi, iztēli un izdarību. Sagaidāms, ka Ondsauna Sauna būs augsti vērtēts, apbrīnots un cienīts priekšmets, ievērojami profesionāls un inovatīvs. Šis ar Bronzas balvu apbalvotais dizains iekļauj labāko praksi mākslā, zinātnē, dizainā un tehnoloģijās un izceļas ar uzmanību detaļām. Ondsauna Sauna lieliski apmierina vajadzības, skar vēlmes, valdzina jūtas un piesaista zinātkāri.

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