As a design lab, we operate at the crossroads of art, design, research, and architecture, creating installations, objects, and commissioned works centered around materials developed with discarded sauna stones. These repurposed stones serve as media to narrate Finnish sauna history—spanning ancient traditions to contemporary practices—transforming them into objects of cultural storytelling and connection.
Rooted in a cultural perspective, we examine the role of sauna and sauna stones in Finnish design and heritage, creating a space for experimentation and collaboration. Our mission is to foster dialogue around Finnish material traditions while shaping contemporary design practices.
Humans shape their identity through the creation of objects, which enrich our lives with meaning beyond pure functionality. Objects have both practical and symbolic roles: while their practical functions are finite, their symbolic or "mental" functions are limitless, allowing them to carry layers of history, meaning, and imagination. Materials and objects crafted from discarded sauna stones transcend their primary purpose, becoming carriers of cultural narratives and deeper significance.
-Lennart Engels, Founder
All works on this website are made exclusively by Sauna Stone Lab (except if mentionned otherwise). A consent is needed if you want to use any of the shown content.