The Upcycled Sauna, a powerful demonstration of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of its creators, ika.architekti, stands as a vibrant example of what can be achieved with a little creativity and a lot of discarded materials. Nestled within their Brno garden, this personal project is a celebration of upcycling, built entirely from reclaimed and second-hand finds.
The sauna’s journey began with a simple desire: to build something with their own hands. This yearning, coupled with a growing collection of salvaged materials – a result of years of browsing second-hand websites and a penchant for hoarding potentially useful items – led the architects to envision a structure that would not only serve a practical purpose but also showcase their commitment to sustainable building practices.
The result is a whimsical and unique structure. Wooden pallets, the cornerstone of the project, form the load-bearing structure, while sheep wool insulation, salvaged from a local shepherd, provides warmth. The exterior is a captivating spectacle, clad in overlapping sheets of corrugated fiberglass, creating a soft, undulating facade that resembles fish scales. A “mining cart turned cooling tub” adds a touch of playful eccentricity, completing this one-of-a-kind retreat.
The construction process itself was an exercise in resourcefulness and adaptability. With a limited budget and a desire to minimize waste, the architects meticulously pieced together the sauna using whatever materials were available, from leftover beams and planks to discarded cement-bonded particle boards. The floor, for example, is a patchwork of salvaged pieces, reflecting the project’s emphasis on making do with what they had.
Insulating the sauna with raw sheep wool proved to be a particularly rewarding experience. The architects meticulously cleaned the wool, transforming it into a natural and effective insulation material. This hands-on process, coupled with the use of salvaged materials throughout the project, underscores the architects’ deep connection to the building process and their commitment to sustainable and ethical construction practices.
The Upcycled Sauna serves as a powerful reminder that even the most ambitious projects can be realized with ingenuity and a respect for resources. It is a powerful example of the power of creativity and the enduring appeal of handcrafted structures. More than just a sauna, it is a celebration of architectural ingenuity, a showcase of upcycling at its finest, and a powerful example of the joy of building something with your own hands.