The Making of KOS: A Floating Sauna for Body and Community
On the waters of Saratoga Lake floats Marka, a sauna where thoughtful design meets the timeless ritual of heat and cold. Every detail, from the cedar-clad exterior to the aspen-lined interior, has been crafted to enhance the sensory experience of sauna, connecting guests to the water, the light, and one another. KOS invites you to step into a space where architecture supports wellbeing, community, and the simple, transformative joy of a sauna session. Read on to find out more.
Different Worlds United by Sauna
KOS grew from the vision of people drawn to the transformative power of sauna, each bringing expertise from distinct fields.
Kate, a designer and strategist from New Jersey, spent over a decade living and working abroad, most recently in Oslo, where sauna and cold-water immersion became a regular practice. These experiences shaped her understanding of wellbeing, community, and winter life, and inspired her to bring Nordic public sauna culture thoughtfully to the US.
I grew up in central New Jersey, on the shore, where life year-round revolves around the beach. Before I could even drive, I was riding my bike to the beach to meet friends. My connection with water and swimming has always been core to who I am.
Bjørnar, an award-winning architect and community organizer from Bergen, Norway, contributes deep knowledge of design, sauna operations, and community engagement. His work blends craftsmanship, co-creation, and urban development, ensuring KOS is both functional and socially vibrant.
Tom (not pictured), grew up on a small island in western Norway, where sauna and cold-water bathing were part of daily life, now lives in New York City. He supports KOS with legal and marketing strategy, bridging Nordic traditions with American audiences.
Together, their diverse experiences have shaped KOS into a floating sauna that is modest in scale yet rich in impact, uniting architecture, design, and wellness into a shared, transformative experience.
Rooted in Nordic Public Sauna Culture
Modern Norwegian sauna culture provided the blueprint for KOS. Floating public saunas are not luxury retreats but shared civic spaces, designed to be accessible, social, and woven into daily life. Organizations like Oslo Badstuforening, the Oslo Sauna Association, demonstrated how sauna could grow without losing intimacy, becoming part of a city’s social fabric.
KOS draws directly from this model. It is intentionally neither spa nor gym. Instead, it treats sauna as social infrastructure, a place where people gather without expectation and winter becomes something to engage with rather than endure.
Choosing Saratoga Lake
Saratoga Lake in Saratoga Springs, New York, was selected for its combination of water access, community, and regional vibrancy. The lake offers a high-quality, swimmable body of water with existing commercial facilities, making it ideal for a floating sauna. The surrounding population and strong tourism economy provide a stable base for memberships and recurring use.
KOS will serve two different mineral waters from Saratoga Springs, one rich in magnesium and potassium and the other high in lithium, incorporated into the sauna experience, as they’re believed to enhance the sensory and revitalizing qualities of löyly.
Architecture Designed for the Body
The first KOS sauna boat, Marka, is permanently moored at the Lago by Druthers marina. Its form draws inspiration from traditional Norwegian stabbur architecture, reinterpreted for a floating structure. Material choices were guided by touch, durability, and context.
Cedar wraps the exterior. Pine is used in shared spaces, with aspen lining the sauna itself. A slab of locally quarried bluestone anchors the heater. Every decision supports how people move through the space barefoot, lightly dressed, and attentive to sensation.
Finnish Principles at the Core
At the heart of Marka sits a Harvia 50 wood-burning heater. The sauna volume is generous and includes a full wall of windows opening onto the lake. The heater was imported directly from Finland to meet the demands of authentic löyly at scale.
Ventilation follows Finnish sauna principles, with multiple air intakes, a dedicated outtake, and a curved ceiling that supports even heat distribution. Safety distances exceed standard recommendations, prioritizing long-term use and comfort.
Wellness That Happens Together
KOS was created as a shared experience. Marka includes a fifteen-person sauna, lake plunge access, changing rooms, a reception area, and a roof terrace. The atmosphere is calm, welcoming, and intentionally non-exclusive.
Public sauna is gaining momentum in North America because it answers a real need. In the heat, phones disappear, status markers fade, and connection becomes easier. Strangers leave feeling steadier, warmer, and more human. KOS is designed to grow with its community. The hope is simple. That people remember it as a place where they felt present, restored, and quietly alive.
Kate says, "I hope that people remember us as a space where they felt welcomed, seen, safe, and respected; where they felt comfortable to be vulnerable and went outside their comfort zone to experience something that helped them feel great!"
