This summer, Crystal Sauna — a large-scale public artwork and fully functioning sauna — will be built on a former industrial brownfield in Skellefteå, Subartic Sweden. The work, created by the world-renowned Swedish artist duo Bigert & Bergström (known for the Solar Egg Sauna), will offer year-round sweat access for locals, visitors and sauna lovers alike — bringing together art, climate reflection, and community on land once shaped by Sweden’s timber industry.
Crystal Sauna is scheduled to open to the public in May 2026.
The sauna takes the form of a faceted lithium crystal, referencing the key mineral used in batteries and symbolizing the global transition from fossil dependence to renewable energy. Crystal Sauna will be powered by a custom-built, battery-operated heater — possibly the first of its kind in the world — and can accommodate up to 12 people at a time.
Crystal Sauna is the first permanent installation in Wasteland Climate Action Park, a visionary collaboration between Bigert & Bergström and the Municipality of Skellefteå. The park aims to merge art, architecture, industry, climate research, and social inclusion to create a new kind of civic environment, one that acknowledges the past while looking forward.
“By placing a sauna — a space for heat, conversation, and pause — on land that once represented ecological harm, we want to reflect both the scars of the past and the possibilities forward,” said Mats Bigert, one half of the artist duo behind Crystal Sauna. “Its prismatic form is inspired by lithium, a mineral that plays a key role in the energy shift but also an imperative substance for mental well being. We wanted the exterior to feel charged — part geology, part technology — while the interior offers the soft warmth and communal intimacy of a traditional sauna.”
The site, once home to the Scharins industrial complex just outside Skellefteå, was once used for timber processing — an industry that helped fuel Sweden’s economic development but left behind lasting environmental pollution. In recent years, the area has undergone extensive environmental remediation, paving the way for new uses that reflect the city’s sustainability ambitions and continued growth.
Today, Skellefteå is known for its bold investments in green technology and wood architecture. It is also home to Sara kulturhus, one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world and a cultural flagship for the region. In 2026, the city will host Society Expo 2026, an international event focused on sustainable living and inclusive urban development.
More About Crystal Sauna
Crystal Sauna is approximately 20 feet tall, 17 feet wide, and 17 feet deep. Its exterior is designed with pink steel plates in the form of an enlarged lithium crystal. As the metal used in battery production, lithium has become one of the most demanded materials on the global market, crucial to the green transition. The sauna’s wooden interior resembles a cave, the oldest human habitation form. The sauna burner is made with flint stones and reflects the oldest archaeological find of human tools: a 3.3-million-year old chopping tool from Lake Turkana, Kenya.
“Crystal Sauna exemplifies the kind of space we aim to develop in Skellefteå — open, thoughtful, and rooted in both local heritage and future challenges,” said Helena Renström, expo general for Society Expo 2026. “We see it as a public meeting place that speaks to both long-time residents and newcomers, helping to build a shared sense of place and purpose.