My pair work with good friend Onni Juvonen revolved around creating a public, small-scale sauna to be constructed in a nature-surrounded headland on our university campus in Otaniemi. We immediately wanted to investigate the ritualistic meaning of the sauna and create an almost sacral architecture that would represent the humility of the sauna. We created a path that consist of four elements that more or less unites all saunas, but are enhanced in our design; 1) undressing and leaving everyday hassle behind, 2) walking to and getting ready for the sauna, 3) the healing and contemplating journey of sitting in the sauna, going for a swim, washing oneself and repeating it according to personal preferences 4) having a moment of relaxation afterwards before taking the path back towards dressing and carrying on with the daily life. The design turns its back quite literally towards the mundane, as the building turns towards the untouched nature and the sea while the noise and manmade elements of the campus is left on the entrance side. The only windows on that side are located high up, to let light in and just the peaks of the surrounding pine trees and spruces. The interior space works almost completely without doors, with architectural elements guiding the visitor the right way and separating the spaces.

The process of Puhto was incredibly important for improving conceptual thinking and especially combining elements of structure with elements of phenomenology. We paid thorough attention to creating a concept that leaves no questions to be asked, but paid equally as much attention to a structural concept that is naked, caressing and completely honest.