Rocky Knob Sauna

On a mountain farm in Upper Tract, West Virginia a series of saunas have been constructed since the late 1970’s. Each iteration advanced the relative permanence of the structure. Unfortunately, the last iteration burned down a quarter century after the first. This project emerged as a research driven, collaborative design/build blending students, professionals and craftsman throughout the process. This sauna became an experimental and authentic undertaking where the participants learned by doing.

The teams research of sauna (and sweat lodge) traditions throughout the world directly impacted the form, craft and materiality of the sauna. The design abstractly references those traditions while reflecting vernacular farm outbuildings. The wood siding was reclaimed rough cut oak from an adjacent renovated cabin and the traditional West Virginia quilt pattern is etched into the surface of the steel heat shield, door and exterior privacy screen.

The projects remoteness caused great logistical complexities. Without access to heavy machinery all aspects of the work were completed manually or with small power tools. Major components of the design required a high level of technical expertise and construction capability, much of which was learned on-site or strategically supplemented by local craftsmen. For example, 10,000 lb of concrete, was delivered to the site on a palette of 145 individual 80 lb. bags, hand mixed and then poured board formed playing a significant role in the function, aesthetics and performance of the sauna.