Lithium Crystal Sauna stands at the heart of WasteLand – Climate Action Park. The artwork embodies the site’s transformation from one of Västerbotten’s most polluted industrial areas into a place of hope, knowledge, and future possibility. The fully functional public sauna is shaped like a giant asymmetrical lithium crystal, clad in titanium-plated pink mirror steel that reflects the surrounding river and regenerating landscape. Inside, a warm, crafted “wood grotto” offers a contrasting, sensory experience—inviting visitors into a space of reflection, both physical and symbolic.

As a central landmark within WasteLand, Lithium Crystal Sauna captures the park’s core idea: “From Waste to Promise.” The sculpture connects past, present, and future, linking a history of extraction and pollution with new narratives of climate awareness, innovation, and collective imagination. Its lithium form references both the material essential for electrification and sustainable energy systems and its role in mental health treatment, subtly bridging technological progress with human vulnerability. In this evolving landscape, where art, science, and public life meet, Lithium Crystal Sauna becomes more than an artwork: it is a destination, a gathering point, and a powerful symbol of transformation and future-making.

Click here to read more about WasteLand!

'Lithium Crystal Sauna', Bigert & Bergström 2026
Stainless steel mirrors with pink titanium color coating, steel,
flint and olivine stone, sauna heater, alder and heartwood pine, copper, glass, LED’s,
ventilation fan, sauna insulation. 440 x 530 x 470 cm



CREDITS:
Commissioner: Skellefteå Municipality, Society Expo 2026
Curatorial management, graphic design and communications: Futurniture AB
3D visualisations: Martin Christensen and Petter Hauffman
Construction and 3D-drawings: Lars Hässler, Jakob Nieman and Tom Bigert
3D printed models: Lars Hässler
Structural calculations: Thyréns AB, Kayin Dawoodi and Axel Grampp
Construction / installation: Lars Hässler, Jakob Nieman, Jakob Hallström, Fredrik Eriksson,
Hektor Jonsäter, Queenning Zhao, Elina Bergsmark Wiberg, Zara Anna Cetacea Arnell,
Markus Påhlsson and Viggo Wichmann
Welding Olduvai sauna heater: Zoltan Schnierer
Sauna heater: IKI Sauna
Electricity: Per Burén and Eltech
Lighting: Ljusdesign AB, Anders Westlund and Johnny Palmqvist
Joint sealing: Svenska Fog AB, Ismena Zdrojewska and Sebastian Lasinski
Metal bending and laser: Mälarlaser AB, Scandcut AB
SpaPlex hemlock interior walls: Europlac
Construction heartwood pine deck: Peter Wiklund and Jimmy Brännström
Heartwood pine wood: Norra Timber
Ground plan design: Nordmark & Nordmark Architects, Moa Öst
Ground remediation: Skelleftebygg
Battery power source: Skellefteå kraft