This new sauna is the ultimate experiential home relaxation tool
Whipsaw present the Arc Sauna, a new personal, in-home experiential sauna in collaboration with wellness specialist Ancient Ritual, inspired by furniture design and filled with clever technology
Product Design and Experience Innovation Whipsaw have created the Arc Sauna, a new concept developed with wellness specialist Ancient Ritual to combine traditional elements of sauna culture, inspired by furniture design and with cutting-edge (but unobtrusive) technology for maximum relaxation.
Arc Sauna by Whipsaw and Ancient Ritual
'I like that sauna has a single purpose, which is to simply relax,' says Dan Harden, CEO, Founder and Principal Designer of Whipsaw Inc. 'When we relax deeply in a sauna, we feel reinvigorated, renewed, and even transformed. We emerge like a new person. This extraordinary body/mind transformation, that is achieved by the relatively simple means of heat and space, is sublime. It’s no wonder why it’s called “sauna culture”.
'As a cultural endeavor, it has it all - historical roots, community following, personal satisfaction, and design expression,' continues Harden. 'A sauna is an ideal experience design problem since it is a dynamic yet unhurried mix of physical and mental activity. Saunas also have a close relationship between the objects inside it like benches and heaters, and the surrounding architectural enclosure. As a design and cultural construct, it doesn’t get any better.'
The sauna's minimalist design, achieved in natural oak and Japanese hinoki cypress, integrates therapeutic infrared heat, soothing light, and high-fidelity surround sound to create a full relaxation experience. Arc is equipped with an AI software developed to transform users' biometric data into dimensional dynamic analytics for a uniquely tailored sauna experience.
'Technology can often be overbearing, and if not incorporated with care, it is unwelcome - especially in a sauna,'' continues Harden. 'We let the desired human experience drive all tech decisions. The lighting had to be magical, the sound natural and clear, the heat even, the controls instinctive, the chair comfy beyond expectation. The tech feels soft.'
The sauna chamber features a reclining chair and compact, fold-down guest seat. Warmth is achieved via infrared emitters and a ceiling heater, while thick wall insulation isolates the room from all heat and sound. Every element was considered to let the cabin's aesthetic gently guide users towards a fully immersive experience. 'Design is a language, and with it you can communicate anything you want,' explains Harden. 'In this case, we made every design element speak to relaxation. The gently curved exterior roofline, abundant use of rich wood grain, and an easy door handle with a wisp of light welcome you to the concept. Upon entering, the lit horizon line surprises you with how much bigger it feels inside than what you expected, which instantly relaxes you.'
Meanwhile, the lighting experience inside the sauna was developed in collaboration with Matthew Schreiber, artist James Turrell’s lighting engineer, who contributed to the sophisticates LED lighting system creative immersive lightscapes that were inspired by nature’s sunsets and aurora skies.
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'It soon became apparent to us that some light trickery was needed to prevent the sauna from feeling claustrophobic,' explains Harden. 'We needed to do more with light than just illuminate the space, and a general overhead light wasn’t going to cut it. Matthew and his team experimented with many lighting effects inside our sauna models, primarily light curtain projection techniques. They explored every light variable including intensity, color, direction, form and focus. The result is a magical shimmering effect like the northern lights, which was very appropriate considering most saunas are in Finland!'
Ancient Ritual is currently taking reservations for the Arc Sauna, with shipping beginning from Summer 2024.
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
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