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Elata treats the outdoor sauna as architecture

Kindra designs a sauna series in Japanese cedar and hardwood, built to survive very different climates.

By Editor · October 28, 2026

The Elata Outdoor Sauna Series
Photo: Kindra

Object details

Designer / StudioJack Graham; team: Ethan Pearson, Elias Honor, Isaac Honor
BrandKindra, Australia
MaterialsSouthern Spotted Hardwood, thermally modified Japanese cedar
AwardEPDA 2026 Winner, Outdoor Equipment: Sauna
Explore the designkindrasaunas.com

A garden sauna often looks like a garden shed. It is functional, but it rarely belongs to the house or the landscape around it.

The Elata series, designed by Jack Graham and the team at Sydney company Kindra, treats the sauna as an architectural wellness system. It was a winner in the sauna category at the 2026 European Product Design Award.

Design starts from the environment. Elata is engineered to endure across harsh and widely varied climates.

Australian architectural principles shape its form, materials and detailing, so it can sit naturally within contemporary buildings and gardens.

Performance is part of the same thinking. Thermally modified Japanese cedar provides high thermal mass for consistent Finnish heat, supported by multi-point ventilation and carefully shaped seating. The structure also uses Southern Spotted Hardwood.

Elata shows that a sauna can be both an authentic heat experience and a well-made piece of small architecture.

View The Elata Outdoor Sauna Series on the European Product Design Award winner’s page →

Image: Kindra.

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