Finnish Sauna Essentials Workshop Brings Practical Design Training to Helsinki After World Sauna Forum
By Arlene Scott
Senior Wellness Correspondent & Hospitality Consultant
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Saunologia’s June 13 side event gives sauna professionals a practical, case-study-based look at layout, heater placement, ventilation, bench geometry, materials, lighting, and construction details.
In this story3 sections
Saunologia is organizing a Finnish sauna design and construction workshop in Helsinki on Saturday, June 13, 2026, immediately after World Sauna Forum 2026 in Jyväskylä.
The half-day side event, titled Finnish Sauna Essentials, is built for professionals who need to understand how a Finnish sauna works as a complete system, not just a room with a heater. The workshop is aimed at designers, builders, consultants, operators, and sauna entrepreneurs who want to plan safer, more functional, and more enjoyable sauna environments for clients.
The session will be led by Lassi Liikkanen, PhD, sauna designer, author, educator, and founder of Saunologia. Liikkanen will guide participants through key Finnish sauna design decisions, including layout, heater choice, ventilation strategy, bench geometry, material selection, lighting, and the details that often determine whether a sauna performs well in practice.
What the workshop covers
The training centers on a case study of an integrated indoor sauna design and construction project. From there, the workshop moves through major design choices that shape the bathing experience:
- The “four leaf clover” model of Finnish sauna design
- Capacity planning and rough layout
- Heater choice, heater placement, and height considerations
- Ventilation options
- Bench layouts and cross-sections
- Materials, lighting, and finishing details
- Terminology and standards for communicating with clients and contractors
The format makes the side event especially relevant for international professionals attending World Sauna Forum who want a more applied, design-focused session before leaving Finland.
Why it matters
World Sauna Forum brings global attention to Finnish sauna culture, manufacturing, wellness research, and business development. This Helsinki side event narrows the focus to one of the category’s persistent practical challenges: how to design and build a sauna that actually delivers the Finnish experience.
As sauna adoption expands globally, more builders and operators are entering the category without a deep technical understanding of löyly, ventilation, bench height, heater sizing, or the relationship between room geometry and bathing comfort. A short, practical workshop like this gives professionals a direct way to connect Finnish design principles with real construction decisions.
Event details
- Event: Finnish Sauna Essentials: Finnish Sauna Design & Construction Workshop
- Organizer: Saunologia
- Instructor: Lassi Liikkanen, PhD
- Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
- Location: Downtown Helsinki, Finland
- Time: TBA
- Format: Approximately three-hour workshop, followed by optional sauna time
- Price: €250 per person, including Finnish VAT
- Registration: Advance online purchase required; pre-registration is open via the official event page
The organizer notes the event will be held if there is sufficient interest. If the organizer cancels the workshop, paid registrations will receive a full refund.
Official details and registration are available on Saunologia’s side-event page: WSF2026 Side-Event: Finnish Sauna Design & Construction Workshop.
Update, September 25, 2026: Saunologia canceled the Helsinki workshop on May 22, 2026 because it did not reach the required number of participants, per Saunologia’s event page.
