A Private Grotto Sauna designed by PARTISANS was recently featured in Architect magazine. (PARTISANS was co-founded by Daniels Faculty Instructor Alex Josephson).

“Perched at the northwest edge of an island on Georgian Bay, the Grotto Sauna is a feat of old-world craftsmanship and new-world sustainability made possible by cutting-edge software and fabrication technology,” writes the firm on its website. “It is a sculpted space, a sensual experience, and a sophisticated exercise in building science.”

Architect examines the details of Grotto Sauna's fabrication:

“Inside the sauna, 117 curvilinear wooden panels line the walls. Toronto-based Millworks Custom Manufacturing (MCM) CNC-milled the panels, which each have a distinct shape. Cut from raw wood blocks up to 4 feet by 8 feet, the 7.5-inch-deep panels range from 10 inches square to 48 inches by 114 inches; the larger pieces were joined after milling. Custom 8-inch-by-4-inch-square, 11-gauge galvanized steel brackets inconspicuously hold the panels together, creating a smooth, sinuous space.”

The Private Grotto Sauna has also been nominated for a Small Project Prize as part of the World Architecture Festival. According to Dezeen, “The WAF 2015 shortlist includes entries from 46 countries, with buildings by major international firms including Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster + Partners, OMA and BIG, as well as established regional studios such as Istanbul-based Emre Arolat Architects and Australian office John Wardle Architects.”

Related:

• Sauna designed by Alex Josephson's firm Partisans "transports visitors into another world"
• Bruce Kuwabara, Alex Josephson, John Shnier, Maria Denegri and Tom Bessai among those to receive OAA Awards