Apple-inspired timber sauna is hidden within a grassy green slope

As if Northern Italy’s countryside wasn’t idyllic enough, design studio noa* tucked a dreamy sauna and wellness retreat within the region’s verdant green hills.

Designed as part of the ‘Apfelhotel Torgglerhof’ in Saltaus in the Passiria Valley, the Applesauna is a timber-lined sauna and spa that blends into the landscape with a rounded green-roofed structure. The building's design was inspired by the region’s historic apple harvest, and it's surrounded by groves of apple trees.

The sauna takes on a circular shape in reference to the shape of an apple and the cycle of nature. The curved concrete entrance envelopes visitors within a welcoming shaded nook with outdoor furnishings. Inside, the small sauna is lined with timber and features rows of wooden seating that evoke the classic apple crate. Contemporary spherical lamps are suspended from the ceiling, however, are unnecessary in the daytime when ample amounts of natural light stream through a full-height glazed rear window that overlooks the apple groves.

“It was essential to us to bring the charm of the surrounding garden and nature into the interior; different elements of the historic apple harvest inspired the design,” said noa* designer Christian Rottensteiner. In addition to the sauna, the structure includes changing rooms, showers, and a space for relaxation. The hotel grounds also include a restaurant, a museum with a shopping corner, and new suites located in a renovated stable.