The Merikoski Sauna

This group of 1950’s functionalist wooden cottages is located on the Merikoski peninsula of Lake Kallavesi near the city of Kuopio in central Finland. Building improvements were strictly restricted to minor extensions and restoration work only. Permission was, however, granted for a new sauna building to be built in place of the existing one. The holiday cottages located close to the outskirts of the city also have short-term rental agreements.

The Merikoski Sauna was designed so that, upon termination of the lease period, the original canvas roof could be rolled up, the timbers sacked onto a lorry and the wooden jetty structures which rested on boulders also hoisted onto the same lorry load.

Once the permanency of the site had been secured, a solid wooden roof was built for the sauna in a style reminiscent of the original light canvas roof. The functionalist wooden cottages have also been renovated and extended in keeping with the spirit of the 50’s.

The sauna, with canvas roof, was completed in 2001. The wooden roof and the restoration work of the old cottages were finished in 2006.