VARES is looking for architects, builders, engineers, inventors, artists and cultural researchers to co-create a two-month interdisciplinary sauna school from 13 July to 6 September 2026 in Valga, Estonia. The residency will explore, experiment and build – resulting in a floating sauna that will emerge on the Pedeli river by the end of the summer.
The residency combines hands-on construction, collective discussions and independent research and experimentation. It is a full-time programme and participants are expected to be actively present throughout the entire period.
The residency will explore the core of sauna rituals and speculate on what other forms might accommodate them. It will also engage with the performative dimensions of the sauna experience – how one enters, inhabits and acts within the space. The participants will prototype chimneys and heaters, learn masonry and test ideas through making.
Alongside the construction process, residents are invited to contribute to a public programme – including workshops, reading sessions, performances and community events – that helps establish a support structure around the sauna for its future use.
VARES welcomes applications from Europe-based or Europe-affiliated architects, interior architects, builders, engineers, inventors, artists, performers, researchers, theorists and sauna practitioners interested in exploring the nuances of sauna typology. Practical skills and experience with tools are an advantage, but they also welcome applicants who are motivated to develop these skills during the residency. Applications are open to individuals as well as small groups (preferably 1–2 people applying together). Up to five participants will be selected.
Each participant is offered a private bedroom, shared spaces in the residency house, basic working conditions and access to a workshop equipped with essential tools and machinery. The residency includes a stipend and travel support and covers costs related to construction and public programming.
