Heli Carr Smith, a talented friend and Garden designer invited me to design a Studio Sauna for a Beautiful project she designed.
A WALK IN THE WOODS
Heli Carr Smith, a talented friend and Garden designer invited me to design a Studio Sauna for a Beautiful project she designed.
Studio Sauna
This was a dream project, set in the back garden of a home in De Beauvoir. A talented friend and collaborator, Heli Carr-Smith, invited us to design a Studio Sauna that would also include a space for exercise.
Drawing on Joss’s previous career in high-end construction, every skill was brought to bear in the making of this space. At the heart of Joss’s design principles lies a commitment to honest materiality — hence the use of natural, locally sourced materials throughout. The build features a green oak timber frame, sheep’s wool insulation, cork, English ash, and English oak, all chosen for their integrity and tactile warmth.
The result is an elegant creation — a haven of calm and bliss within a city renowned for its restless energy.
At the heart of the Joss Stoddart brand lies a deep respect for material — its origins, its integrity, and its story. Every project begins not with a drawing, but with the substance itself: wood, stone, or metal in its rawest form. These materials are not merely components to be shaped; they are collaborators in the design process, each with their own grain, texture, and temperament.
Working closely with trusted craftspeople and local suppliers, we choose materials that speak of place and permanence. The aim is not perfection, but honesty — to let natural character guide proportion, finish, and form. A knot in a beam or a ripple in the grain is not seen as an imperfection, but as a reminder of the material’s life before it became part of ours.
This approach defines our philosophy: design should reveal, not conceal. By honouring natural materials and using them responsibly, we create spaces and objects that endure — calm, tactile, and deeply connected to their origins.
