In the northernmost city in Sweden — Kiruna, in Lapland — amid snow and mountains stands an extraordinary sauna called Solar Egg, created by the architectural duo Bigert & Bergström. Its form not only draws attention through its originality, but also carries a less obvious yet significant symbolic meaning on both a civic and even national scale.
The challenges faced by the people of Kiruna led the architects to choose the egg as a symbol of birth, renewal and continuity.
An iron ore deposit runs beneath Kiruna — a major source of Swedish income since the late nineteenth century and a vital pillar of the town's economy. A decision was recently made to physically relocate Kiruna by two miles in order to open up more space for mining operations. The consequences of this relocation for residents' lives, as well as the impact of the mining industry on the environment, provided the basis for the discussions that the Bigert & Bergström studio set out to facilitate.
The egg shape symbolises an incubator in which ideas are born and take form, while the sauna not only functions as a communal gathering space but also proves to be the most fitting structure imaginable amid the snows of Lapland. The architects succeeded in creating a multi-layered concept in which form and content trigger an entire chain of associations — all of which, in one way or another, connect back to the wellbeing of Kiruna and its inhabitants. The iron stove at the centre of the sauna is cast in the shape of a human heart: yet another symbol of unity, and something of a defining emblem for a space in which the future of a city is being decided.
The exterior facets of the egg are clad in mirror-polished stainless steel panels of a golden hue, reflecting snow, forests, sky and city alike. This multifaceted surface symbolises the ambiguity and complexity of the contemporary world's challenges — climate change and environmental responsibility chief among them. Inside, the walls and floor of the sauna are lined with pine boards, while the benches are hewn from aspen.
Bigert & Bergström describe Solar Egg as a 'social sculpture', since its primary purpose is to bring people together for conversation and debate. The sauna is also part of a project the studio launched in 1994, exploring the integration of climate, weather and atmospheric phenomena into works of art. You can read more about it here.
Photography: Jean-Baptiste Béranger (Jean-Baptiste Béranger)
If you are drawn to Scandinavian eco-aesthetics, experiments with natural forms, or simply have an interest in saunas, you will enjoy our feature on the Finnish sauna Löyly.
