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Ondsauna Sauna by Taro Shimokawa

Ondsauna Sauna by Taro Shimokawa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Бронзана награда A' Design Award in Дизајн архитектуре, зграда и конструкција Competition Category.


БронзанаАрхитектура· 2025

Ondsauna Sauna

by Taro Shimokawa

Client: Ondpark

Бронзана награда A' Design Award Winner in Архитектура Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Ondsauna Sauna

Ondsauna je sauna smeštena unutar šume. Vertikalni spoljašnji zidovi grupisani su oko prostorije za saunu, odražavajući uzlazni rast drveća. Spiralna staza vodi do prostora za odmor na krovu. Ulaz se nalazi 250 milimetara iznad nivoa tla, terasa za hladno kupanje na 1000 milimetara, a krov na 3250 milimetara, tako da je kretanje od saune preko hladnog kupanja do otvorenog prostora vertikalno. Nepravilan poligonalni plan i klupe pod tupim uglom usmeravaju vizuru i omogućavaju posetiocima da sami biraju nivo interakcije.

The Recognition

About the Бронзана награда A' Design Award

Ondsauna Sauna је добитник Бронзане награде A' Design Award, високо престижног признања које се додељује изванредним дизајнима који се одликују креативношћу, домишљатошћу и оштроумношћу. Добитници Бронзане награде у потпуности су вешти и упечатљиво креативни артефакти који потврђују велико искуство, машту и снаљажљивост својих дизајнера. Очекује се да Ondsauna Sauna буде високо цењен, дивљен и вољен предмет, запажено професионалан и иновативан. Овај дизајн награђен Бронзаном наградом A' Design Award уграђује најбоље праксе у уметности, науци, дизајну и технологији и одличан је по пажњи према детаљима. Ondsauna Sauna сјајно задовољава потребе, дотиче жеље, очарава осећања и привлачи радозналост.

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.

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