Dezeen Magazine

There are three cabins and a spa set on sloped terrain
Open AD designs spa in Latvia with Corten-clad cabins

Open AD designs spa in Latvia with Corten-clad cabins

Latvian architecture studio Open AD has completed the Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort in the town of Sigulda, featuring a cluster of Corten steel and glass cabins dotted across a sloping site overlooking a pond.

Designed as a contemporary take on local sauna culture, the spa, which has been shortlisted in the hospitality building category of Dezeen Awards 2021, comprises two independent steam rooms and three cabins for overnight stays.

The cabins at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort have a corten steel and glass exterior
Top: three corten-steel and glass cabins and a subterranean sauna were built in Latvia. Above: the cabins were built onto a sloping terrain

The three cabins sit at the top of the sloping site, while the subterranean Glass Sauna sits at its base, dug into the hill and overlooking the pond.

The second sauna, called the Smoke Room, sits in a nearby wooded area, constructed using charred logs and topped by a weathered steel roof that references the form of traditional sauna structures.

The front of the cabins were fully glazed
The cabins were placed on top of decked platforms

Riga-based practice Open AD worked with landscape architect Landshape to draw all of these independent structures into a coherent whole, linked by winding pathways and stone steps that traverse the site.

"Each structure is both an independent unit and an intrinsic part of the overall composition...the journey from sauna room to pond is short, and the Glass Sauna is accessible for persons with reduced mobility," said the practice.

Corten steel and glass cabins at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
The Smoke Room has a charred-log exterior

The Glass Sauna is clad in charred wooden planks, with Corten steel used to finish the parapet and two chimneys that protrude from the hillside.

A large window provides views from the wood-lined steam rooms directly out onto the pond, with a small seating area in front of the sauna able to used in the warmer months.

A window seat was placed against a glazed wall at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort
The Glass Sauna is located at the base of the hill

"Ziedlejas welcomes guests all year round, so the solutions need to perform both visually and functionally in a range of conditions such as snowy winters, golden autumn, luscious green summers and the grey in-between moments," said the practice.

The cabins have been designed with a focus on creating minimal, "clutter free" spaces, with tables that pop-up from the floor and foldaway beds, with additional sleeping space on a mezzanine above.

Living areas occupy the glazed section of the cabins to benefit from uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape, while the bathrooms are tucked into the Corten-clad sections for greater privacy.

"[We] designed bespoke furniture and paired it with solutions from brands such as IKEA, which proves that a luxurious feel is not just budget-dependant," said the practice.

Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort has wood clad interiors
The interior of the cabins was designed with a minimal look

Previous projects by Open AD include two houses, House on Zaru Street and House in Marupe, both of which make use of blackened timber and dark steel.

Also shortlisted in the hospitality building category of Dezeen Awards 2021 was Klein Dytham Architecture's PokoPoko clubhouse for the Risonare Nasu hotel in rural Japan.

The photography is by Alvis Rozenbergs.

More images and plans

ground floor plan of cabin at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
interior plan of cabin at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
section drawing of cabin at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
Corten steel and glass cabins at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
Interior view of cabins at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
Interior view of cabins at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD
Interior view of cabins at Ziedlejas Spa and Wellness Resort by Open AD