Finnish Sauna Essentials Workshop Brings Practical Design Training to Helsinki After World Sauna Forum

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.