The 38th floor in BC that gained a glass sauna and 4 °C with a view

The brief

"I want to use the terrace in winter and impress in summer - and the condominium cannot complain about noise." The owner trains at 6 am with a coach and hosts partners in the evening; the spa had to serve both scripts without becoming a months-long construction site.

The design decisions

• 1.9 m panels: every sauna piece sized for the service lift - external hoisting cancelled, condominium relieved.
• 8 mm glass with the corner to the sea: the sauna frames Barra Sul; mirrored film keeps the neighbouring towers out.
• A double tub: the couple runs the ritual together at 6:30 - 800 L, 2 HP, ±0.3 °C.
• The chiller in the plant room on dampers: we measured noise in the downstairs neighbour's suite before and after - same reading.
• Anchoring for façade gusts: BC is a wind city; everything calculated and signed off.

What changed in 90 days

The terrace became the most used room in the apartment: a contrast ritual before office hours, sauna with the partners on Fridays, and - the owner's words - "the best photo this apartment has ever produced" on New Year's Eve, the sauna glowing behind the dinner table. The building manager asked for our number: the condominium is studying the shared version for the rooftop.