in Ähtäri

Location Ähtäri, Finland

Client / operator Hankaveden Laine Oy

Architects Studio Puisto Architects Ltd. FI - 00170 Helsinki www.studiopuisto.fi

Author Studio Puisto

Photos Marc Goodwin, Archmospheres Riikka Kantinkoski

LAKE-FRONT SAUNA AND COMMUNITY HUB

“SAUNARAVINTOLA KIULU“ SAUNA AND RESTAURANT IN ÄHTÄRI

As its name suggests, Saunaravintola Kiulu is both a sauna and restaurant as well as the backdrop for all sorts of impromptu events within the city. Inside the restaurant, the dining experiences vary from formal to casual, while two saunas offer either a community-driven bathing experience or a more intimate one. All of these spaces are unified by a shared outdoor terrace, bringing the entire experience closer to not only the adjacent lake, but to the vastness of nature around it.

Conceptually, Saunaravintola Kiulu aims to rethink the wellness experience through a holistic design approach, on the understanding that wellbeing is highly personal and therefore different for everyone. Whether it is through active, social pursuits or solitary, spiritual ones, Saunaravintola Kiulu’s architecture carefully defines different user paths for the community as a whole to give everyone an equal opportunity to enjoy themselves according to their preferences.

Activating the waterfront The city of Ähtäri required a masterplan concept for the area that would establish different

avenues for year-round, versatile tourism. While synthesising and evaluating all the regional data, the architecture firm immediately identified two potential areas for growth: strengthening the public connection to the waterfront and integrating a multi-purpose gathering space for both tourists and the greater local community. Consequently, the idea for Saunaravintola Kiulu rapidly emerged, turning from concept into reality in less than two years.

Through Saunaravintola Kiulu, the waterfront is activated – an element which is often underscored by architecture. Every viewpoint from within the structure frames the lake, offering different moments and perspectives through which to take in and enjoy the natural landscape. Whether the user arrives by land or on the water, Saunaravintola Kiulu serves the city of Ähtäri and beyond through the diversification of services that were previously limited in the area, inviting visitors to ultimately connect with others, nature and even themselves.

Spatial atmospheres The exterior of Saunaravintola Kiulu is deceptively hidden. Its outer shell is clad in black wooden boards while the entire structure itself nestles into the landscape, allowing it to blend into its surroundings. This is done deliberately so that the architecture not only avoids detracting from the wilderness around it, but also creates a sheltered, safe pocket for activity.

Inside, there is a delicate interplay between dark and light atmospheres, strategically juxtaposed at different points within the architecture. The restaurant entrance is airy with warm wooden tones and a flood of light from large windows, while the sauna spaces are entirely dark and secluded from the rest. These powerful spatial transitions create a stimulating, sensory-rich experience that positively overwhelms, focusing us on the present moment.

While the atmospheres between the two sauna spaces are similarly dark, they offer different spatial experiences. The larger one, which is connected to the main structure, has raised seating with a narrow horizontal panoramic window at the top and is better suited for larger groups. Meanwhile, the smaller, experiential one is removed entirely from the main structure with a nearly ceiling-high window to foster a deeper connection to the water directly below. Here, the floor is level with the outside to make the transition between outside and inside seamless.

Grandma’s lakefront sauna The overall interior concept focuses on fostering a cosy, comfortable experience akin to mummolan rantasauna or your ‘grandma’s sauna on the lake’. By using traditional

materials in modern, unconventional ways, it celebrates the ritualistic heritage of family saunas, while reinventing them to suit the whole community.

One of the most prominent traditional materials throughout the overall interior is red brick. It adds character to the restaurant space as the tiling on the floor, while the epoxy in the wet sauna spaces is coloured in the same hue to reference it. Similarly, within the restaurant, natural woollen upholstery and curtains bring softness and rich textures to compliment the architectural materials and furniture, shaping a warm and tactile ambiance. Steps provide additional seating On the terrace, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the season with furniture that allows both dining and lounging, while the steps themselves act as additional seating. It continues all the way upwards onto the roof, where there are scenic views out into the nature around Saunaravintola Kiulu, offering ample opportunities to sit back, relax and take it all in with a cold drink in one’s hand.