#sauna

#sauna

A floating community sauna on frozen Lake Oulu seemed as good a place as any to ask Finnish locals what they think of the European Capital of Culture bandwagon that will be rolling into their city in 2026. Two women sweltering on the top bench seemed to sweat more over my question than over the clouds of sauna steam the result of a beefy Finn ladling water on the wood-fired coals with a grim determination to broil us all.

Copenhagen has an impressive résumé when it comes to high-quality living. This year, the Happy City Index ranked Copenhagen as the world's happiest city, based on factors like health, mobility, and environment. Plus, the World Happiness Report named Denmark the second-happiest country in 2025. After spending a week there on a solo trip getting a small taste of the Danish city and talking with locals, I think I understand why.

We planned a sauna facility in Kasama City, known since the Edo period as a center for Kasama ware and ceramics. The site is surrounded by a complex mix of environments: scattered ceramics schools, art museums, and golf facilities, yet also densely lined with residential homes. As a facility intended for use without clothing, the site could be read as being in a four-sided siege situation, enclosed by buildings and open fields.