Golden Egg “Saunas are places that fascinate. When Riksbyggen asked us to interpret Kiruna, we felt it was natural to explore a space that unites and encourages conversation. Saunas are sacrosanct places where you can discuss all manner of things – from the big to the small.” - Mats Bigert & Lars Bergström, Artists talking about ‘Solar Egg’. Glimmering in solitude among the snow-laden landscape stands a distinctive public sauna erected by artistic duo Mats Bigert and Lars Bergström. Titled the ‘Solar Egg’ the installation stands at five meters high and four meters wide. The smooth and multi-faceted envelope or ‘shell’ is wrapped in gold-plated titanium. A total of 69 separate pieces make up the egg’s exterior, reflecting glimpses of the Swedish town of Luossabacken in Kiruna in the distance. Located in Sweden’s northernmost town the ‘Solar Egg’ is a warm welcome and intimate space for reflection. Locals and visitors are encouraged to take part in this unique sauna experience. Created with the intention to be transportable, the faceted-structure can be de-constructed piece-by-piece and relocated to different locations within the city. A delicately-framed staircase reveals the entrance, an opening that appears to have cracked open to invite guests inside. The multi-faceted character is continued inside but finished in pine wood. The pine-clad interior surrounds a handmade wood-fired burner, encased in a iron cage in the shape of an anatomical heart. The burner is filled with large stones to conduct the heat, which varies between 75° and 85° Celsius. A flight of drawbridge stairs that form the doorway can be lowered down to the snow for visitors to enter. Inside, benches made from aspen wood form the sauna's tiered seating with room for up to eight people. #neonurchin #neonurchinblog #dedicatedtothethingswelove #suzyurchin #ollyurchin #art #music #photography #fashion #film #words #pictures #neon #urchin #solaregg #kiruna #matsbigert #larsbergström #artists #arcticcircle #sweden #lapland #environment #kiruna4ever #ironore #mining #riksbyggen #whitearkitekter (at Kiruna, Sweden)
