Sweden's Crystal Sauna combines public art and Nordic bathing with experimental technology that draws power from electric vehicles

A bright pink sauna designed to resemble a lithium crystal has opened for bookings in Skellefteå, northern Sweden, combining public art with an experiment in battery-powered heating.

The Crystal Sauna is the centrepiece of Wasteland, a riverside visitor experience in Scharin's former industrial area in Ursviken. Following Society EXPO 2026 in Skellefteå, the permanent installation, which is owned by Skellefteå Municipality, can now be booked by visitors.

The Crystal Sauna takes its design from lithium, a metal used in rechargeable batteries that has become associated with the transition from fossil fuels to electric power.

Its exterior is made up of about 280 prisms covered in titanium-coated pink mirror panels. These reflect the surrounding landscape and give the structure its distinctive colour.

The pink finish is produced by vaporising titanium before condensing it onto sheet metal inside a vacuum chamber using an electric current. The entire structure leans backwards by four degrees, referencing both natural rock formations and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The sculpture was designed digitally before being constructed from more than 140 laser-cut metal plates, including 58 top sections and 86 side sections. More than 3,500 nuts and bolts hold the structure together. It stands on a hexagonal wooden deck made from locally sourced heartwood pine.

Inside, the design changes from futuristic crystal to ancient cave. The space is intended to reference early human settlements in the Rift Valley of East Africa and the period when people first learnt to control fire.

Heat-resistant fine-grain plywood and a certified spruce frame have been used for the interior. The floor is made from northern Swedish heartwood pine, a naturally resin-rich material selected because it can withstand moisture and rot without chemical treatment. The sauna benches are handcrafted from alder.

Technology is also central to the Crystal Sauna. Its hand-forged heater takes inspiration from a 2.5-million-year-old chisel associated with the Oldowan culture of East Africa, creating another link between early human technology and contemporary energy systems.

The project is described by its creators as the world's first battery-powered sauna. It can draw electricity from standalone batteries as well as electric vehicles.

Through a project called "Vehicle-to-Sauna", energy company Skellefteå Kraft is testing technology that allows the battery of an electric car to supply power to both the Crystal Sauna and the surrounding park. The experiment explores how electric vehicles could function as mobile energy-storage systems rather than simply consuming electricity for transport.

The sauna forms part of the continuing development of Wasteland, which is intended to become a hub for culture and conversations about sustainable solutions. The site combines contemporary art with the remains and history of an industrial landscape that has previously been associated with shipping, timber floating and other local industries.

Wasteland is also designed as a picnic destination, with a mixture of permanent and temporary large-scale art installations creating a landscape that can change over time. Its riverside location introduces nature into what was once primarily an industrial environment. Visitors can reach Wasteland from central Skellefteå by bus, bike or car, with a cycle route following the river.