Two years after the inauguration of the Munch Museum, Estudio Herreros has completed “Trosten”, a small architectural manifesto built on the Oslo´s Fjord. The Floating Sauna commissioned by the non-profit Oslo Sauna Association is aligning with their vision of “bringing sauna to the people.” Following the tradition of architectural follies, the project features a distinct volume and silhouette with a strong, colorful component, serving as a point for both individual and collective use, offering retreat and contemplation at the foot of the Munch Museum. The program is divided into a sauna cabin with direct access to the water and an amphitheater facing the fjord allowing for small events. The construction combines sustainable design through an ambitious energy system that ensures consistent heat at all levels; conscious use of natural and recycled materials; and social inclusion, being the first universally accessible sauna with a steam recirculation system that facilitates heat for convenient use, also when seated in a wheelchair.
The recognizable volume of Trosten is the latest addition to the cluster of floating saunas designed by different architects at the mouth of the Akerselva River. The sauna village dissolves the boundary between peninsula and fjord water while being part of the Harbour Promenade that has emerged after the historic container port disappeared. This promenade now offers 7km of public space including walking, jogging, and biking circuits, as well as seating areas, beaches, solariums, and bathing platforms active year-round.
The proposal has an important experimental component initiated with the assembly of the wooden structure in a dry dock outside the city before installing it on a prefabricated concrete floating platform, where the exterior skin and interior finishings were completed. The towing and landing at its destination completed the construction cycle that avoided disturbing the everyday tranquility of the sauna village. Additionally, the project contributes to decarbonization and reduces environmental impact using certified wood, recycled aluminum in the façades, and large terrazzo tiles fabricated under Green Label certification, providing thermal inertia to the ensemble.
Trosten is an architectural instrument of slowing down time, an observatory from which to understand the city and its ecology, and to connect with realities and phenomena beyond health practice. Its name corresponds to the Norwegian word for the thrush bird, which migrates annually between Spain and the Nordic countries, traditionally seen as a harbinger of good luck. This idea that a small piece of architecture can impact a constellation of global issues reminds us that we must seize every opportunity to send messages that can be understood by all regarding the fragility of our planet.
