A Log Cabin Kit Sauna Is Built Lakeside for a Post-Steam Plunge in Finland
By building a prefab sauna at water’s edge outside Helsinki, a Finnish family can take a steam, and then cool off with a dip in the region’s archipelago.
Deeply rooted in Finnish culture, the beloved sauna ritual is one embraced by the entire nation: Most Finns have a sauna in their own home, and apartment buildings often provide a space for a communal steam. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that when Finns build holiday homes, a deluxe sauna cabin is often part of the plan. After seeing a log cabin sauna that Helsinki-based prefab builders Pluspuu had erected for her friend, Hanna Löyttyniemi-Vuorio tasked the firm with building a similar structure for her own family on their plot of land in Heinola.
The Luoto sauna cabin is perfect for lakeside settings where its full-height glazing provides unobstructed views. The structure’s elongated profile blends in with the surrounding shoreline.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
Since 2017, Pluspuu has used the latest in Finnish log construction technologies to create a range of high-quality prefabs—both homes and saunas—that feature an aesthetic update to the log cabin typology of yore. Hanna chose the company’s Luoto model, a single-story, roughly 290-square-foot structure that comprises a sauna and living space under a single shed roof. For Hanna and her family, Pluspuu customized the model to include floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, and an expanded terrace. "This is how Pluspuu works—we modify our own models according to our customer’s wishes, while also taking into account the requirements of the building site," explains Markku Miettinen, cofounder of the company.
Pluspuu customized the structure to meet the family’s needs, sizing the windows and doors to their specifications and including a large covered terrace to better enjoy the cabin’s natural setting.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
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Full height windows allow for expansive views. "You can feel the nature inside the cabin because the big windows allow for views of the lake and forest," explains Hanna.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
A small kitchenette was added to increase the unit’s functionality.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
Built from 134-by-195 millimeter spruce lamella logs—a common building material in Finland—the minimalist, Scandinavian design is broken into two volumes situated atop a wraparound deck. On either side of a breezeway are the open-plan living space with a kitchenette, and a sauna with a wood-burning stove and shower.
The two separate volumes create a breezeway that frames views over a body of water called Ruotsalainen.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
The wood-burning sauna stove is made by Finnish company IKI.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
Full-height windows in the sauna give the space an indoor/outdoor feel, and a stunning view.
Photos by Samuli Miettinen
Adjacent to a lake called Ruotsalainen, the forested site is perfect for engaging in the après sauna custom of emerging from hot steam—the steam is called Löyly in Finnish—and taking a cold plunge in a nearby body of water for a brisk cooldown. "We also have a sauna in our home in Helsinki," explains Hanna. "But it is an electric city sauna. There is nothing better than a wood-burning sauna stove."
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ShopA shower in the same volume as the sauna provides a place to clean up pre- and post-steam.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
Now that the sauna is complete, the family will soon embark on their next project: a customized retreat adjacent to the sauna using Pluspuu’s Kustavi model. "We will then have more room to invite family and friends along to enjoy the beautiful Finnish summer," shares Hanna. "But the heart of our property will always be the sauna. Here, time stops and we aren’t in a hurry anymore."
Pluspuu has a total of 15 different sauna models. This project—including the custom request for full-height glazing—came in at a total of roughly $49,000.
Photo by Samuli Miettinen
More from Pluspuu:
A Log Cabin Kit Home Pops Up at the Edge of a Lake in Southern Finland
These Log Cabin Kit Homes From Finland Are Surprisingly Sleek
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Pluspuu / @pluspuutalot
Builder/ General Contractor: Pluspuu
Structural Engineer: Mikko Kyläkoski
Civil Engineer: Mikko Kyläkoski
Interior Designer: Hanna Vuori (Homeowner)
Photography by: Samuli Miettinen
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