Kuusijärvi Smoke Saunas

Located in Vantaa, Lake Kuusijärvi is a significant outdoor destination and an important gateway to Sipoonkorpi National Park. The new smoke saunas are a subtle addition to the long sauna-building tradition at the Kuusijärvi area. They meet the increasing demand for year-round sauna services and the need for new traditional smoke saunas and accessible dressing and shower facilities.

The design focused around the premise of sustainability, materiality and long-term use. The buildings are situated on a slope by the edge of the woods, thus preserving the peaceful character of the landscape.

The dark, timber-clad exteriors and hipped green roofs blend almost seamlessly with the surrounding nature. The architecture is arranged to maintain views towards the surrounding landscape.

The design considers the user experience: the saunas are accessed from the dressing and shower rooms through an outdoor space, integrating nature as a part of the sauna ritual. The pathways, views and cooling-off areas form a balanced and experiential whole where utility and atmosphere support each other. Limited use of windows in the saunas creates a dimly lit interior with controlled natural light.

The selection of materials, building scale and detailing make these buildings an example of contemporary Finnish sauna construction in which architecture, landscape and user experience are closely interconnected.

Source: Finlandia Prize for Architecture 2026 pre-selection jury