Modular sauna for Thermory

Students from Estonian Academy of Arts were developing a new product range of outdoor saunas for Auroom brand in cooperation with one of the world’s largest producers of thermal wood and sauna materials, the Estonian company Thermory. The co-operation project was led by EKA PAKK.
Project executor: Pattern buildings research group
Partner: Thermory AS
Period: 25.10.21 - 05.01.22
According to Renee Puusepp, senior researcher at PAKK and senior researcher at the Faculty of Architecture, the involvement of Thermory specialists in teaching and the practical acquaintance of students with factory production will give future architects a better sense of reality and understanding of how the designed solutions are implemented. An in-depth knowledge of the production and execution process will help students to create higher-quality and more sustainable buildings in their future work, because factory production, like any large-scale industry, has its own characteristics and constraints, according to Puusepp.

Thermory has now selected a winner from among the four works developed by student teams during a design sprint for the ready-made sauna brand Auroom – and the winning concept is being implemented. In the course of further cooperation, the aim is to develop a product line with a distinctive Nordic architectural solution and design language, offering students the opportunity to put their ideas into practice and get to know the practicalities of the production company.

According to Andres Kangur, Marketing Director of Thermory, one of the important target groups of the company’s products is architects, and the logical continuation of this is to work more closely with research institutions and universities that train architects. “Our goal is to support the knowledge of young architects about the timber industry and wood enhancement technologies, so the common ground with the competence center of wooden architecture at EKA was already there,” Kangur explained.

Students of architecture, in cooperation with Thermory, will now further develop their concept, consider all the details of the solution, construction, critical assemblies, materials, accessories, etc. They will also examine market competitors and best practices. “By spring 2022, we want to finish the design phase and start working on the construction and economic side of the project. In the autumn, we want to present the new product line at two major wellness trade fairs in Europe,” Kangur described further plans.


Tudengitöö: Ella Mari Roosi, Katriin Maitsalu, Laura Susanna Lätte, Helerin Talpsepp Tudengitöö: Ella Mari Roosi, Katriin Maitsalu, Laura Susanna Lätte, Helerin Talpsepp Tudengitöö: Miia Laur, Julia Freudenberg, Mia Maripuu