Ondsauna Sawna by Taro Shimokawa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Premju A' Design Award tal-Bronż in Disinn tal-Arkitettura, Bini u Strutturi Competition Category.

BronżArkitettura· 2025

Ondsauna Sawna

by Taro Shimokawa

Client: Ondpark

Premju A' Design Award tal-Bronż Winner in Arkitettura Category

14,328

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #165443

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Ondsauna Sawna

Ondsauna hija bini ta' sawna mqiegħed ġo foresta. Ħitan esterni vertikali huma miġbura madwar il-kamra tas-sawna, li jixbhu t-tkabbir 'il fuq tas-siġar. Mogħdija bi spirali twassal għal spazju ta' rilassament fuq il-bejt. L-entratura tinsab 250 millimetru 'il fuq mil-livell tal-art, il-gverta tal-immersjoni kiesħa f'1000 millimetru u l-bejt f'3250 millimetru, biex b'hekk il-moviment mis-sawna għall-immersjoni kiesħa u sal-arja miftuħa jkun vertikali. Pjanta poligonali irregolari u bankijiet b'angoli ottużi jiggwidaw il-linji tal-vista u jħallu lill-viżitaturi jagħżlu l-livell tagħhom ta' interazzjoni.

The Recognition

About the Premju A' Design Award tal-Bronż

Ondsauna Sawna huwa rebbieħ tal-Premju A' Design Award tal-Bronż, rikonoxximent prestiġjuż ħafna mogħti lil disinji eċċellenti ddistingwuti mill-kreattività, l-ingenwità u l-għaqal. Ir-rebbieħa tal-Bronż huma xogħlijiet bi ħila biżżejjed u kreattivi b'mod impressjonanti li jawtentikaw l-esperjenza vasta, l-immaġinazzjoni u l-ħila ta' riżorsi tad-disinjaturi tagħhom. Huwa mistenni li Ondsauna Sawna ikun oġġett imqabbar ħafna, mammirat u maħbub, notevolment professjonali u innovattiv. Dan id-disinn rebbieħ tal-Bronż jinkorporaw l-aħjar prattiki fl-arti, ix-xjenza, id-disinn u t-teknoloġija u huwa eċċellenti fl-attenzjoni għad-dettalji. Ondsauna Sawna jissodisfa l-ħtiġijiet b'mod eċċellenti, imiss ix-xewqat, jinċanta s-sentimenti u jattira l-kurżità.

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