This project is a small bathhouse complex located in a rural area in northern Russia. It blends the traditional form of a gabled countryside home with a minimalist approach to exterior finishes. The program includes a steam room with showers, a lounge area, a utility space, and a spacious terrace with a soaking tub.
The building’s form is based on the interplay of two simple volumes: the main gabled block and an inserted utility wing. The latter appears to carve into the primary volume, creating a recessed niche beneath the roof slope that forms a covered entry and a sheltered terrace. The façade is treated as a continuous skin of charred wood slats wrapping around the entire structure.
The layout supports a comfortable, circular bathing sequence: entry vestibule for outerwear > lounge > shower > steam room > shower > terrace with plunge tub > lounge, and so on. Two entrances ensure a circular flow along the bathing sequence, with easy access to the firebox and wood storage. For short-term storage of bikes and equipment, the utility wing includes an open section concealed behind folding doors.
The building’s structure consists of 400 mm aerated concrete block walls without insulation. The foundation is a shallow slab, and the roof is standing seam metal over wooden rafters. Exterior cladding is made of vertical charred wood slats (approx. 30×30 mm with 15 mm spacing). Interior finishes include moisture-resistant plywood and tile in wet zones. Heating is provided by underfloor radiant systems.
171 Charred Timber Bathhouse
Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Built
2024-2025
2025
145m2
Schematic Design
Construction Drawings
Construction Administration
Wellness Architecture
Daniil Vyazemskiy
Azaliia Miftakhova
Structural: Alexey Polushkin
JSC "AKS"
