{"id":33,"date":"2014-02-28T21:20:11","date_gmt":"2014-03-01T02:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/partisans.com\/?post_type=project&p=33"},"modified":"2026-04-27T17:18:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T21:18:00","slug":"grotto-sauna","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/partisans.com\/project\/grotto-sauna\/","title":{"rendered":"Grotto Sauna"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Perched on an island\u2019s edge in Georgian Bay, Ontario, the Grotto Sauna is a feat of old-world craftsmanship and new-world sustainability made possible by cutting-edge software and fabrication technology. It is a sculpted space, a sensual experience, and a sophisticated exercise in building science.<\/p>\n

Inspired by an Italian grotto, our design pays homage to the rugged extremities of the northern Canadian landscape. To the extent that the objective was to tell an architectural story of escape and refuge, we conceived of a design that marries contrasts to transport visitors into an otherworldly sanctum. A simple but dignified exterior built from charred cedar prepared using the traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban method conveys a weathered appearance; it\u2019s as if the building has been hidden in plain sight for centuries. By contrast, the warm, curved interior simultaneously emulates Lake Huron\u2019s waves and mirrors the Precambrian shield\u2014a soft, undulating rock surface that has been worn over billions of years. The luminous glow of the interior wood enhances the sunkissed sauna experience, while the pre-aged exterior veils the intimacy of that experience from the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":424,"template":"","project_type":[3,34],"project_location":[4],"class_list":["post-33","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project_type-spa","project_type-wellness","project_location-georgian-bay"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGrotto Sauna | Georgian Bay Design | PARTISANS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A sculptural island sauna on Georgian Bay, Ontario. 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