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A Lonely Cedar Sauna is Milled in 3-D CNC

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On an isolated rocky outcropping on the shore of Lake Huron north of Toronto, lies a sauna with a secret interior.

Late afternoon sun fills an otherworldly cedar space with a warm light across curvy woodwork that swells into deep windowsills and skylights.

Canadian architecture studio Partisans used 3D modelling and CNC-cut models to design a space that is a sophisticated exercise in building science.

They worked with local sawmill MCM Inc on the fabrication and installation of the cedar woodwork, using 3D technology to scan, model and build the grotto.

Then it was prefabricated before being boated and craned into position.

The timber is formed into panels with parallel grains, creating the illusion of a softly water-carved interior.

Its cavernous milled cedar interior emulates the form of a seaside grotto.

Skewed porthole windows bring in abundant light into the sauna.

The traditional stepped sauna seating arrangement becomes a single undulating shape.

Ventilation is milled in a striated pattern that develops naturally due to the construction technique.

The final touch? Sensitively chosen hardware perfectly complements the complex cedar curves.