Auroom’s designer range of saunas was created in close cooperation with experienced and talented Italian architect Luca Donazzolo. After graduating from the University of Architecture in Venice, Luca began working with small urban and residential projects before shifting his focus onto designing wellness, fitness, spa and beauty spaces. Luca also specializes in energy efficiency, sustainability and the construction of wooden buildings.

Our collaboration with Luca began with a redesign of three classical sauna models that needed to be refined and elevated to a higher quality level that would offer our customers something truly special to please the eye and soothe the soul. While adhering to some central design principles, such as combining pure, clean lines with harmonious looks, we wanted to explore the use of edgier, more attractive materials while also introducing some new design elements.

In Luca’s own words:

“If we look at the worlds of fashion, design and architecture in addition to those of psychological and physiological well-being, we find a strong influence in every direction between all of these fields. New technologies and social behaviors, in both real-life and virtual contexts, have led to a greater availability of information than in the past, meaning that there is no longer a clear distinction between home or office environments – we can be influenced by both when making decisions about these spaces. Think of the trend towards open-plan spaces in the home and the modern workplaces that then embraced these principles to offer a more homely feeling for their employees. The office can be a home and vice versa. This is the starting principle that I considered when developing these sauna models; environmental features can be adapted for use in any space, and as such they become a design object to be exhibited, not hidden.

“A second principle that I worked with is a return to craftsmanship and manual skills in the building process. This derived from the awareness among our generation of the importance of retaining trade knowledge developed through the experience of our predecessors and also in the possibility, with the help of new technologies, of approaching craftsmanship in a simpler way. So rather than restricting ourselves to flat, linear surfaces, we can also consider contours that are able to create different aspects by playing with the lighting.”

Together with Luca, Auroom developed a series of saunas that evoke a variety of values and emotions. Most of these were traditional saunas, with the addition of one infrared sauna and two outdoor designs. Lumina, Nativa and Electa boast unique and attractive wall paneling, while the design of our infrared model, Irradia, enchants with its semi-transparent looks and brushed dark thermally modified alder. We also created Natura and its smaller, more compact cousin Arti – undoubtedly the most beautiful outdoor models in the sauna market.

All of these saunas have attracted positive recognition from around the world, and we are very grateful for our fruitful collaboration with Luca. At Auroom, we also offer exquisite tailor-made options, which has allowed these beautiful designs to take on a life of their own to complement the many shapes and sizes of the rooms in which they’ve been installed and the desires of those who have chosen them for their homes. Together with Luca, we’re delighted and thankful to have the opportunity to spread this beauty and harmony into wellness spaces worldwide.

See other Luca’s work at lucadonazzolo.it