Bakkely Sauna & Guest Room

2019

Ærø, Denmark

An extension to a family country house, conceived as a compact, cross-functional structure. The program combines sauna, guest room, elevated terrace and a framework for climbing plants. The building is positioned in one of the most fertile corners of the site, surrounded by apple trees and roses. Rather than clearing the garden, the structure establishes a precise footprint that allows vegetation to continue growing through and around it. A dark timber espalier defines the outer volume and mediates between building and landscape. Inside, a single room is organised around a set of benches that transform from sauna seating to a double bed. The roof structure extends upward to form an elevated terrace, connected to the existing house by a narrow bridge. The project explores how a small structure can serve multiple functions while remaining spatially clear and materially restrained.