Saun By Nüüd Studio
Designed by Nüüd Studio and made in Australia from locally sourced timber, Saun draws on time-honoured Estonian sauna culture, bringing the tradition into Australian backyards.
Words HANDE RENSHAW Photos SEAN FENNESSY
Nüüd Studio directors Brad Mitchell and Kerli Valk.
Designed by Nüüd Studio and made in Australia from locally sourced timber, Saun is intended to age gracefully and remain in use for decades to come.
Saun is made from from locally sourced Macrocarpa, a durable, aromatic softwood related to cedar.
Traditional three-tier seating offers a choice of temperatures, allowing users to find a comfortable position throughout the sauna session.
A simple and contemporary steel blade forms a crisp drip edge around the roof, neatly framing its solid timber construction.
A frameless door sits flush within the timber wall, with a concealed pivot system keeping hinges and hardware out of sight.
Saun is a new Australian-made sauna by Melbourne-based Nüüd Studio, inspired by the longstanding role of sauna in Estonian home life and designed with local timber, traditional building methods and a restrained architectural approach.
For Nüüd Studio’s Kerli Valk, who grew up in an Estonian family, sauna was a familiar weekly ritual rather than something reserved for hotels or wellness centres. That personal connection became the starting point for Saun, developed with her partner Brad Mitchel as a contemporary take on the traditional backyard sauna.
The structure is made from solid Macrocarpa sourced in Victoria, using timber from trees originally planted as windbreaks throughout rural Gippsland. As many reach the end of their life, the timber has been given a new use in place of imported species commonly associated with sauna construction.
Its simple rectangular form follows traditional log-building methods, with solid lengths of Macrocarpa stacked horizontally and interlocked at the corners using square-notch joints. The timber forms the structure as well as the interior and exterior walls, removing the need for additional lining or cladding.
A charred finish gives the exterior its dark, textured appearance, while the interior is treated with natural linseed oil to leave the lighter grain of the Macrocarpa exposed. The contrast continues through the finer details: a slim steel roof sits above the solid timber form, while a frameless floor-to-ceiling door is fitted with a custom flamed-steel handle made by Rowsaan metal artists in Castlemaine. A small window brings light and a framed view into the sauna without compromising privacy.
Inside, traditional three-tier seating creates different levels of heat and accommodates up to five people. The upper bench is wide enough for one person to lie down, while concealed lighting and integrated natural ventilation are built into the timber interior. The sauna can be fitted with either wood-fired or electric heating.
Each sauna is assembled on site, with its orientation considered in relation to privacy, views and the surrounding landscape.
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