Taidesauna – Art Sauna

The Serlachius Museums Art Sauna is a fresh architectural reinterpretation of the traditional Finnish sauna. Rounding out the existing ensemble of buildings on the grounds of the Serlachius Museum Gösta in Mänttä, Art Sauna invites visitors on a unique journey for all the senses.

Blending attractively with the shorescape, the architecture is a rhythmic fusion of stone surfaces, warm wood and creative flourishes by leading artists and designers. The interior echoes the atmosphere of the Serlachius Museum Gösta, in which the surrounding landscape is integrated with the art and architecture. The new sauna evokes a similar experience, but on a subtler, cosier scale. The featured artworks also include furniture and design items, some custom-designed especially for Art Sauna.

This book presents the philosophy and architecture of Art Sauna and tells the story of its design process through a rich variety of texts and images. It also discusses themes related to traditional Finnish sauna culture and sheds light on their connections with Finnish visual art.

Art Sauna was selected as Finland’s Concrete Structure of the Year 2022 for its original, innovative and accomplished architectural design, its professional project development and its high standards of excellence in execution. The sauna was designed by architects Héctor Mendoza, Mara Partida and Boris Bežan, with Pekka Pakkanen overseeing implementation.

Authors: Boris Bežan, Laura Kuurne, Mikko Myllykoski, Mara Partida, Jyrki Siukonen, Pauli Sivonen, Päivi Viherkoski
Edited by: Pauli Sivonen and Päivi Viherkoski
Layout: Ville Karppanen
Printed by Jelgavas Tipogrãfija, Jelgava 2023
Publisher: Parvs Publishing Ltd
Languages: Finnish, English
128 pages

Serlachius Museums’ Publications 91
ISBN 978-952-74451-49-7