The Cultural Heartbeat of Finland: Saunas as Community Spaces
On a warm September afternoon in subarctic Finland, architect Laura Mattila adjusts her kneeling position in the tall grass beside a sauna she and her partner, Mikko Merz, built eight years ago in the village of Fiskars, an hour’s drive west of Helsinki. Mattila, a 40-year-old architect, isn’t focused on the architectural perfection of the sauna’s design—its two 135-square-foot volumes, separated by an open void that frames the forest, or its elegant lock joints folded like knuckles over the corners of its solid timber walls. Instead, she is drawn to how the sauna works. She explains the functional ingenuity behind its construction: thin layers of linen packed between logs for insulation, the stove’s residual heat drying the sauna between uses, and the gaps around the windows and doorjambs allowing the timber to contract and expand over time as it loses moisture. These details, rooted in centuries of Finnish tradition, reflect a deep understanding of natural materials and their behavior.
For Mattila, the sauna is not just a building; it’s a living, breathing entity that adapts to its environment and the people who use it. The client for this project, Jan Söderblom, a 54-year-old conductor and violinist, had requested something “timeless and archaic,” and Mattila delivered exactly that. The sauna blends seamlessly into the landscape, resembling the barns and saunas Finns have built for centuries. It’s a testament to the enduring connection between the Finnish people, their architecture, and the land they inhabit.
A Glimpse into the Past: The Ancient Roots of Finnish Saunas
The Finnish sauna, as we know it today, emerged around 3,000 years ago during the icy transition between the Bronze and Iron Ages. However, sweat bathing had been a common practice across many cultures for millennia before that. In Finland, the harsh climate and dense forests of pine, spruce, and birch necessitated resourcefulness. Early agrarian communities built threshing barns from ax-hewn logs, which they could disassemble and move as needed. By trapping smoke inside these structures to dry their crops, they inadvertently created radiant heat, a principle still used in the savusauna (smoke sauna) today.
Over time, saunas became central to Finnish society. They served as multifunctional spaces where life unfolded: women gave birth in saunas, the sick were treated there, and the dying received their last rites. Families cooked over open stoves, preserved meat and fish in the dry heat, and offered shelter to neighbors and travelers seeking refuge from the cold. Saunas were not just places of hygiene; they were kitchens, clinics, temples, and inns. This versatility made them indispensable to Finnish life.
Despite the decline of sweat bathing in Europe during the 16th century due to epidemics like the plague, smallpox, and syphilis, the sauna persisted in Finland, particularly in its rural areas. By the time Finland gained independence in 1917, the sauna had become a cornerstone of national identity. Today, Finland boasts about three million saunas for its 5.6 million people, ranging from lakeside cabins to semipublic spas in city centers. For Finns, the sauna is more than a luxury—it’s a symbol of equality, communal bonding, and resilience.
The Architecture of Simplicity and Resilience
Finnish architecture is deeply rooted in wood, a material that has been central to human life for centuries. Forests cover three-quarters of Finland, more than any other European country, and wood has become the nation’s “ur-material.” Architects like Laura Mattila and her contemporaries emphasize practicality and sustainability, drawing on centuries of experience in building with timber. Solid logs and cross-laminated timber (CLT), an engineered wood introduced in the 1990s, are favored for their strength, durability, and environmental benefits. These materials are not just sustainable; they are renewable and recyclable, making them crucial in the quest to create a more sustainable built environment.
The design of Finnish saunas often prioritizes functionality over formal innovation. Architects like Mattila & Merz, Livady Architects, OOPEAA, and PES-Architects have embraced traditional techniques while exploring new possibilities for wood. Their work reflects a deep respect for the past, combined with a forward-thinking approach to sustainability. As the world grapples with climate change, Finland’s reliance on timber offers a valuable lesson in how architecture can harmonize with nature.
The Enduring Influence of Alvar Aalto
In 1925, a young architect named Alvar Aalto proposed a radical idea: a civic structure in the central Finnish city of Jyväskylä that would serve as a public sauna. Aalto, who would later become one of Finland’s most celebrated architects, described the sauna as “almost the only genuinely Finnish cultural phenomenon.” This statement captures the essence of the sauna’s significance in Finnish life—a space that transcends architecture to become a cultural and spiritual institution.
Aalto’s career spanned a period of radical change in Finland, from the postwar era of industrialization and urbanization to the rise of modernism. While he and his contemporaries embraced new materials like brick, concrete, and steel for public projects, Aalto remained deeply connected to wood, particularly in his sauna designs. Over his career, he designed 27 free-standing saunas, each a refinement of an ancient typology. Even in his most experimental projects, such as the Paimio Sanatorium and the summer cottage on the island of Muuratsalo, Aalto’s saunas remained grounded in tradition.
The same respect for tradition can be seen in the work of Aalto’s successors, like Reima and Raili Pietilä, who pushed the boundaries of organic architecture while maintaining a deep connection to Finland’s cultural heritage. Their saunas, often dramatic and expressive in form, still reflect the timeless essence of the Finnish sauna—a space where architecture, nature, and human experience converge.
The Modern Renaissance of Sauna Design
In recent decades, Finnish architects have continued to evolve the sauna typology, blending tradition with innovation. Firms like PES-Architects, led by Tuomas Silvennoinen, have reimagined the sauna for contemporary needs while retaining its essence. Silvennoinen’s work, such as the replacement of a century-old log sauna with a modern cottage and bathing pavilion, demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and adaptability. By reusing the original logs to build a small guesthouse, he highlights the timeless qualities of timber construction.
Architects like Anssi Lassila of OOPEAA are pushing the boundaries of sauna design even further, exploring its potential as a public space. Lassila’s work, from the design of a 388-square-foot sauna for a summer villa to the Konsthall Tornedalen, an exhibition space in Lapland, reflects a belief that the sauna is not just a Finnish phenomenon but a universal architectural typology with global relevance. His designs often emphasize the periphery, where change and innovation are most evident.
Other firms, such as AOR and Lukkaroinen Architects, are similarly exploring the possibilities of solid logs in larger, more complex projects, from schools to cultural centers. These architects are proving that the sauna, a seemingly simple structure, can inspire bold and innovative designs that resonate with a broader audience.
A Sustainable Future Rooted in Tradition
Finland’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its architecture, particularly in its use of wood. Timber, a renewable and recyclable material, has become central to the country’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact. Architects like Laura Mattila and Anssi Lassila are leading the way, creating buildings that not only honor tradition but also address the challenges of a warming world.
The sauna, as both a building and a ritual, embodies the values of equality, shared responsibility, and mutual support that are at the heart of Finnish society. It is a space where social hierarchies dissolve, where people from all walks of life come together to connect and reflect. Saija Silen, a curator at the Museum of Central Finland, describes the sauna as the “foundation of Finnish equality,” a place where “it doesn’t matter how much money you have or what you do.”
As Finland looks to the future, the sauna remains a powerful symbol of its past and a blueprint for a sustainable, equitable society. Whether in the form of a traditional smoke sauna or a modern, sprawling bathhouse, the sauna continues to inspire architects, artists, and communities around the world. It is a testament to the enduring power of tradition, the beauty of simplicity, and the importance of human connection in an increasingly fragmented world.
