The Wild Swimscapes Ethos
At Wild Swimscapes, Charlie creates swim ponds that work in harmony with the land, using natural materials and native planting to support biodiversity. In this video, Charlie shares his design philosophy—crafting spaces that feel wild yet inviting—and clients reflect on their experiences of reconnecting with nature through their bespoke swimscapes.
The challenge
Designed for cold water swimming events across the South West, The Mobile Sauna is a fully transportable, wood-fired retreat that allows swimmers to warm up in comfort after bracing open-water dips. Built on a repurposed horse box chassis, the sauna was designed to be rugged, weather-resistant, and visually striking, while maintaining a strong connection to natural materials and traditional craftsmanship.
The challenge was to create a fully functional sauna within the constraints of a compact, mobile frame, ensuring durability for travel while delivering an authentic and atmospheric sauna experience.
The challenge
Transforming an old horse box into a stylish yet functional sauna came with a unique set of challenges::
- Maximising space efficiency to create a comfortable and immersive sauna environment.
- Ensuring structural integrity while maintaining mobility.
- Selecting materials that balance durability with aesthetics, suitable for both the sauna’s interior and exterior.
- Providing efficient heat retention using sustainable methods and traditional design techniques.
Project goals
To bring The Mobile Sauna to life, we set the following objectives:
✔ Repurpose and upcycle materials to maintain an eco-conscious approach.
✔ Use traditional sauna-building techniques for an authentic experience.
✔ Ensure efficient heat circulation with handcrafted copper pipework.
✔ Weatherproof the exterior using the Shou Sugi Ban (burnt wood) technique to enhance longevity and visual appeal.
✔ Create a sleek, modern design with a juxtaposed natural wood interior for warmth and comfort.
✔ Ensure easy transportation for use at wild swimming events across the region.
The result
The finished Mobile Sauna is a beautiful fusion of tradition and innovation, offering a cosy, restorative space that travels wherever it’s needed. The burnt wood exterior not only enhances durability but also adds a chic, modern aesthetic that contrasts elegantly with the warm oak and mahogany interior. Inside, the space is thoughtfully designed to maximise heat retention and comfort, with handcrafted copper pipework ensuring efficient heating. The result is a truly unique mobile sauna, perfect for post-swim relaxation, bringing warmth and wellbeing to wild swimming events across the South West.
