Creating our "floating" sauna
A clean, dark, angular cube reflected in the still waters of the lake. The Nant founder Sam Meehan reveals the crystal-clear vision he had when designing Ebba's sauna.
The idea began with the thought of a focal point in the middle of the lake. At first, we imagined it would be the cabin itself, but over time it felt more natural for the cabin to sit within the landscape rather than on the water.
The sauna suited the lake better. It became a destination in its own right — a floating box suspended quietly at the centre, proportioned so that water surrounded it on all sides.
We kept the form simple and geometric — just a clean, angular dark cube set against the hills behind, reflected in the water.
Building the box
Structurally, it’s a timber frame like any other small building. To protect the timber and insulation from the heat, the internal face is first lined with foil before the wall cladding goes on.
The wall build-up runs: internal wall panel, batten, foil, timber frame with 100 mm PIR in the cavity, batten, rainscreen, and finally the shou sugi ban cladding.
For the roof we used a flat EPDM rubber system — again keeping the lines minimal and clean over the water.
Creating the floating illusion
To make the structure look as though it’s hovering on the surface, we ran the external cladding down past the base of the wall and cut it just above the waterline.
At the top, the cladding carries slightly beyond the wall edge so that all you see, all the way around, is blackened timber. The cube is outlined entirely in charred wood — no visible roof or floor edge, just one continuous skin.
Framing the view
The front of the sauna is dominated by a single pane of glass — two metres high by 1.8 metres wide — completely frameless. It’s held in place between the internal and external cladding so the boundary between inside and out disappears; the interior seems to flow straight into the lake beyond.
Fitting that pane of glass was a moment. Four of us carried it gingerly down the jetty and eased it into place from the inside — one of the last jobs before filling the lake.
The warmth within
Inside, we lined the walls in thermo radiata pine — pine that’s heat-treated in an oven to bring out a rich brown tone.
The floor is heavy tumbled limestone, giving the space a grounding weight against the wood and glass; practical for cleaning and perfect in contrast.
We chose an electric heater rather than wood-burning, so guests can step in and use the sauna straight away without worrying about fire-lighting.
Lighting comes from a diffused LED strip recessed beneath the benches — no visible source, just a soft glow that catches the steam and flickers off the water outside.
It’s a small structure but it encapsulates everything we love — water, fire, craftsmanship, and a quiet sense of adventure.
A sauna not just to relax in, but to swim to.
Find out more about our lakeside retreat, Ebba, complete with waterfall,
sauna and outdoor stone bath at the-nant.co.uk/ebba