Sauna House Knoxville

Client: Sauna House Knoxville

Architect: BurWil Design

Interior Design: Lauderdale Design Group

Photographer: Daniel Brown

Location: Knoxville, TN

The Knoxville Sauna House transformed a previously light-industrial building into a calming retreat that reimagines sauna culture for the American South. Situated in a revitalizing historic area just north of downtown. Programmatically, communal and private spaces are experienced through an intentional sequence of changing rooms, steam saunas, cold plunges, and a recovery terrace. Sauna House advances wellness architecture by blending social resilience and environmental stewardship. Sustainability was integral including the reuse of a building with minimal demolition, utilizing natural and incredibly durable materials, and overall design moves to reduce overuse of mechanicals while balancing a hot and cold environment of saunas and cold plunge pools. The project demonstrates how thoughtful design can enhance urban health, cultural engagement, and personal improvement.