There’s much more to the Finnish sauna ritual than simply getting clean. Ville Hara and Anu Puustinen of Avanto Architects – designers of the acclaimed Kyly sauna, pictured here – take us through the process of designing a sauna, and at the same time, through the steps of the sauna ritual itself.
“We designed Kyly as a journey from
the everyday to this sanctuary, with each
step leading sauna-goers to a deeper level
of calm. The first step inside the Kyly
sauna is to undress – mentally, this is akin
to shedding the weight of everyday life.
Next comes the washing area, with
showers and a pool – a space to prepare
the mind and body for the sauna itself.
The last step is the most sacred moment
of the ritual: the room with the sauna
stove itself,” Anu explains.
“A sauna is a multisensory experience
shaped by the surrounding views, the
peaceful stillness at the heart of Kyly, and
the scent and texture of wood. It’s like a
wooden nest, and the journey to its heart
and back is a passage from the ordinary to
the sacred – and slowly, back again.”
Fun fact: Anu and Ville chose Lapuan
Kankurit’s bath textiles for Kyly’s Habitare
exhibition, where it was first unveiled, and
have been using our products ever since.