WA Sauna is a unique culmination of the combined efforts of a young design firm that sought to design, fund, and build a project that underlines the nature of the values and ideals of a project one would like to work on. According to GO’C, the idea of a floating sauna came into existence on a cold and wet winter day back in January 2014.
Image ©Kevin Scott
The project revolves around the primary concepts of fire, water, and community. It also combines the team’s love of water, the relaxing dry heat of the saunas, and floating structures. Through their design, they were on an exploration for a way to engage Seattle city’s surrounding vicinity to the water as well as entice visitors onto the lake throughout the year. The modest project was named “ wa_sauna” & also is considered a welcoming gesture to the Pacific Northwest landscape and its adventurous people.
Drawing Courtesy – GO’C
Culminating into the ideas of Journey and discovery, wa_sauna creates a distinctive experience along with refuge on the water and offers a diverse perspective to the landscape. The project situates itself on Seattle’s Lake welcoming Boaters and Kayakers to venture out in the water while tying off to the surrounding deck. One would not miss the wa_sauna from Lake Union & Lake Washington.
Drawing Courtesy – GO’C
Drawing Courtesy – GO’C
Not just aesthetically but the project also has a noteworthy built process combining various techniques and materials. “Maneuvering a 14’ high, 4,500lb structure from the warehouse to the public boat ramp and into the water was a challenging process. Towed on 6 steel casters with a 1980 VW Vanagon, we slowly crept along at dawn making the 8-block trip to the boat ramp in just under 3 hours. The contrast of steel casters on rough gravel and pavement to the feeling of this structure gently floating was the most exciting moment of the build process.” said GO’C in a statement.
Image ©Kevin Scott
Funded by the support and effort of the local community & a crowdfunding campaign in the fall of 2014, wa_sauna was built by the team at GO’C and backed by a talented group of volunteers with prior knowledge and expertise in the architecture community and construction skills. The sauna is a registered vessel facilitated by an electric trolling motor with (3) 12-volt batteries and heated by a wood-burning stove. The project also received a generous donation space in the production warehouse of Hilliard’s beer, where they initiated fabrication in July 2015. The project was also recognized as one of the recipients of the 2016 AIA small project awards.
Drawing Courtesy by GO’C
Through its modest design, wa_sauna enables users to find peace and calm within the warmth of the sauna while opening itself to the endless views of Seattle and the sounds of fire crackling and gentle water.
Project Title: wa_sauna
Location: Seattle, WA
Architect: GO’C
Architect’s Project Team: Jon Gentry AIA, Aimée O’Carroll ARB
Size: 240 Square Feet ( ~ 22 SQ MT)
Cost: 25K
Completion Date: May 2015
Builder: goC studio, Greg Lewis
Engineer: Kevin Winner, Swenson Say Faget
Photographer: Kevin Scott
Owner: GO’C
