Bigert & Bergströms Crystal Sauna Turns a Toxic Legacy into a Heated Meeting Place in Northern Sweden
Stockholm, Stockholm , June 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the summer of 2025, construction will begin on Crystal Sauna,—a large-scale public artwork and fully functioning sauna to be built on a former industrial brownfield in Skellefteå, Subartic Sweden. The work, created by the world-renowned Swedish artist duo Bigert & Bergström (known for the Solar Egg Sauna), will offer year-round sweat access for locals, visitors and sauna lovers alike—bringing together art, climate reflection, and community on land once shaped by Sweden’s timber industry.
Sculpture and public sauna - Crystal Sauna in Northern Sweden.
The sauna takes the form of a faceted lithium crystal, referencing the key mineral used in batteries and symbolizing the global transition from fossil dependence to renewable energy. Crystal Sauna will be powered by a custom-built, battery-operated heater—possibly the world’s first of its kind—and can accommodate up to twelve people at a time.
Crystal Sauna is the first permanent installation in Wasteland Climate Action Park, a visionary collaboration between Bigert & Bergström and the Municipality of Skellefteå. The park aims to merge art, architecture, industry, climate research, and social inclusion to create a new kind of civic environment, one that acknowledges the past while looking forward.
“By placing a sauna a space for heat, conversation, and pause on land that once represented ecological harm, we want to reflect both the scars of the past and the possibilities forward”, says Mats Bigert, one half of the artist duo behind Crystal Sauna. “Its prismatic form is inspired by lithium, a mineral that plays a key role in the energy shift but also an imperative substance for mental well being. We wanted the exterior to feel charged—part geology, part technology—while the interior offers the soft warmth and communal intimacy of a traditional sauna.”
The site, once home to the Scharins industrial complex just outside Skellefteå, was once used for timber processing—an industry that helped fuel Sweden’s economic development but left behind lasting environmental pollution. In recent years, the area has undergone extensive environmental remediation, paving the way for new uses that reflect the city's sustainability ambitions and continued growth.
Today, Skellefteå is known for its bold investments in green technology and wood architecture. It is also home to Sara kulturhus, one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world and a cultural flagship for the region. In 2026, the city will host Society Expo 2026, an international event focused on sustainable living and inclusive urban development.
“Crystal Sauna exemplifies the kind of space we aim to develop in Skellefteå—open, thoughtful, and rooted in both local heritage and future challenges,” says Helena Renström, expo general for Society Expo 2026. “We see it as a public meeting place that speaks to both long-time residents and newcomers, helping to build a shared sense of place and purpose.
Crystal Sauna will open to the public in May 2026.
Size and specifications, Crystal Sauna:
The sauna exterior is designed with pink steel plates in the form of an enlarged lithium crystal. Lithium is the metal used in battery production and has become one of the most demanded materials on the global market, crucial to the green transition. The wooden interior mimics the oldest human habitation form: the cave. The sauna burner is made with flint stones and designed to mimic the oldest archaeological find of human tools: a 3,3 million years old chopping tool from Lake Turkana in Kenya.
Height: 580 cm Width: 520 cm Depth: 510 cm
About Bigert & Bergström
Bigert & Bergström is a Stockholm-based artist duo whose work explores the intersection of humanity, nature, and technology. For over 30 years, they have focused on climate-related themes, creating large-scale sculptures, installations, performances, and films that merge scientific inquiry with artistic expression. Their work often addresses pressing environmental and societal questions.
Among their most recognized projects are Solar Egg (2017), a golden, egg-shaped public sauna symbolizing rebirth; Tipping Point (2022), a kinetic installation on climate thresholds; and Sensing the Arctic, studies how to translate the processes of climate change into bodily experiences. Their practice continues to provoke dialogue about climate change and human agency, combining poetic form with technological insight. More at: bigertbergstrom.com
About Wasteland Climate Action Park
By the Skellefte River, just 10 kilometers from Skellefteå's city center in North Sweden, lies the old Scharins industrial site, once one of Västerbotten region's most polluted areas. But after 17 years of remediation, the site holds the potential to become one of Sweden's most sustainable, modern, and beautifully located urban districts. As a first step in the transformation, an art and knowledge park will take shape, set to open during Society Expo 2026. The Scharins Park will potentially become Europe’s first Climate Action Park and a unique visitor attraction, where guests can draw inspiration from new technologies and explore artistic interpretations of future climate challenges. The world-renowned artists Bigert & Bergström will leave their mark on the site with the permanent exhibition Wasteland. The park will serve as a platform for collaboration aiming to promote innovation for sustainability.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Jakob Lind, curator Wasteland Climate Action Park
jakob@futurniture.com
+46 704314705
For more information and visuals, please visit:
Crystal Sauna Dropbox - Press materials
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