Baltimore Ravens Install Thermory Sauna at Under Armour Performance Center
The NFL franchise's new recovery facility features a custom Thermory thermo-magnolia sauna designed by ZGF Architects, and it just won a design award.
When the Baltimore Ravens renovated their Under Armour Performance Center, the recovery facilities got a serious upgrade. The centerpiece: a custom sauna built with Thermory thermo-magnolia wood, designed by ZGF Architects, one of the largest architecture firms in the U.S.
The project won Best Sauna & Spa at the Thermory Design Awards 2025, which drew 74 submissions from 21 countries across four categories.
The Design
ZGF used a custom thermo-magnolia C4J profile for the ceiling (installed with GRAD clips) and thermo-magnolia STS10 for the sauna walls and benches. The jury described the result as "immersive and sensory" with "clean, refined detailing" and praised the natural lighting integration.
Thermo-magnolia is one of Thermory's newer wood species for sauna applications, prized for its smooth grain, light color, and stability in high-heat environments. It's becoming a go-to for commercial and institutional projects where aesthetics matter as much as durability.
Pro Sports and Sauna
The Ravens project is part of a broader trend of professional sports teams investing in dedicated sauna and cold plunge facilities as part of their recovery infrastructure. Heat therapy has strong clinical backing for muscle recovery, inflammation reduction, and cardiovascular conditioning. For NFL teams with multimillion-dollar rosters, the ROI on a well-built sauna is straightforward.
The fact that the Ravens chose Thermory's premium material and hired ZGF (not a low-budget move) suggests that pro sports teams aren't just adding saunas as afterthoughts. They're treating them as serious design and performance investments.
Elise Lindgren
Editor-in-Chief, SaunaNews
Elise Lindgren has covered the global sauna and wellness industry for over fifteen years, first as a business journalist in Stockholm and later as founding editor of SaunaNews. She has reported from trade floors in Helsinki, factory lines in Estonia, and boardrooms across three continents. Under her editorial leadership, SaunaNews has become the go-to source for decision-makers across the sauna supply chain.
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