The remnants of World War 2 can still be seen in the landscapes around Norway. While significant in telling the history of a place, the structures themselves are rarely maintained and have become run-down, dark, damp and inhospitable. The BunkerSauna uses one of 5 ammunition storages at Østmarkneset in Trondheim, Norway to show the possibilities of what small changes can achieve, to give our cultural heritage an new function and perhaps invite others to participate in a good evening of Sauna and friendship.
The Bunker is divided into 4 parts. The entrance, which is completely public, marks the Bunker apart from the other 4 and provides a sheltered cooling area for later on. The first room serves as a place for the outer garments necessary for the walk along the Fjord to the Sauna, while the undressing room gives a place to shed the rest of ones clothes before entering the Sauna proper. While entering, the coldness of the bunker is keenly felt, draining warmth from your feet and limbs. In the Sauna, the heat and humidity of the löyly provides a tactile and welcome contrast, only for the body to adjust and soon long for another change – the cool air of the outside.
The bunker itself is cast concrete to which minimal changes have been made. With the exception of a few new bolts, the entire project can be taken apart and the project restored to its original state. The interior walls are made of massive stacked pine, making the interior more acoustically pleasing, as well as providing the necessary separation of hot and cold. The wall has a construction that allows for wood movement without risking the pressure building towards the bunker or the hot air leaking from the Sauna. To ensure thermal comfort, all tactile surfaces were made from planed aspen. The water runs on the floor from the Sauna, through the entrance and all the way to the Fjord. There is no plumbing or electricity installed in the bunker, only the comfort of a live fire.
FACTS
Location:
Østmarkneset, Trondheim, Norway
Architects/tutors:
Sami Rintala, Pasi Aalto and Carla Carvalho
Client:
Municipality of Trondheim
Budget:
NOK 72.000,- / ~7500 €
Students:
Jonas Albæk Christensen, Petur Gretarsson, Orlane Guillouet-Lamy, Frøydis Hegnar, Sondre H. Hilde, Maja Håkansson, Sofia Jernberg, Morten Mathisen, Ashley Menegon, Herwig Peter Pichler, Nikolas Søfting Røshol, Cedric Wehrle and Vegard Forbergskog