Oslo, Norway
Created for the non-profit organization Oslo Sauna Association, the Trosten Floating Sauna by Estudio Herreros is the world’s first floating sauna clad in aluminium, a material with ideal properties for an object exposed all year long to the Nordic climate.
It is highly resistant to corrosion, which ensures long lasting durability in a harsh seawater environment.
Following the architectural tradition of object-pavilions, the project proposes a distinctive volumetry with a strong, colorful component that offers itself as a point of individual and collective use, of retreat and contemplation at the foot of the Munch Museum.
The program unfolds in the steam cabin, with its terrace directly overlooking the water and the amphitheater facing the fjord, which allows for the celebration of small events.
The design incorporates sustainable features with an advanced energy system ensuring consistent heating at all levels.
It utilizes natural and recycled materials, promoting environmental responsibility.
Additionally, it emphasizes social inclusion by being the first universally accessible sauna, made possible by a steam recirculation system that allows wheelchair access from the lower step of the grandstand.
The volume is the most prominent and noticeable element in a unique cluster of floating saunas designed by various architects at the Akerselva River’s mouth.
This sauna village blurs the line between the solid land and the fjord water, integrating with the Harbour Promenade.
The promenade, which developed after the historic container port was removed, now offers 7 km of public space. This includes paths for walking, jogging, and cycling, relaxation spots, beaches, sun decks, and year-round bathing platforms.
Trosten is an architectural creation designed to slow down time, serving as an observatory to comprehend the city’s ecology and connect with phenomena that extend beyond mere healthy practices.
Its name, derived from the Norwegian word for the Thrush bird, reflects its symbolic significance.
The Thrush migrates annually between Spain and the Nordic countries, traditionally signaling good luck upon its arrival.
This architectural piece embodies the idea that even small structures can address global issues, emphasizing the importance of conveying messages about the planet’s fragility in a universally understandable way.
The project includes a significant experimental aspect that starts with the wooden structure being assembled in a dry dock on the city’s outskirts.
Once this is complete, it is placed on a prefabricated concrete floating platform, where the enclosures and interiors are finished.
This process, including towing and securing it to its final location, is designed to minimize disruption to the everyday tranquility of the sauna village.
Additionally, the project supports decarbonization and environmental impact reduction by using certified wood, repurposing aluminum waste for facades, and incorporating large terrazzo tiles with Green Label certification to provide thermal inertia throughout the structure.
Project:Trosten Floating Sauna
Architects: Estudio Herreros
Lead Architects: Juan Herreros and Jens Richter
Design Team: Pablo Toribio and José A. Lora
Client: Oslo Sauna Association
Photographers: Einar Aslaksen
