The Ziedlejas Wellness Resort in Latvia is a place where traditional Latvian heritage meets modern design and innovation. Designed by Riga-based architectural firm Open AD, the resort offers guests a tranquil and mindful retreat into nature. The project, which has been developed in a highly collaborative process with the owners and a landscape team, focuses on celebrating Latvian folklore and nature without compromising modern standards. The resort's cabins and saunas, with their thoughtful design and use of local materials, create an immersive experience that encourages rest, rejuvenation, and connection with one's surroundings. The Corten Steel and Glass Cabins In 2020, Open AD introduced three compact cabins to the hillside at Ziedlejas. Clad in contrasting Cor-Ten steel and glass, these structures offer an immersive experience by embedding guests directly into the landscape. The cabins were inspired by the "tiny living" movement and Japanese design, with the intent to create a minimalist, clutter-free space that facilitates a connection to nature. The multi-functional design includes a foldaway bed that can be stowed to make room for a tea table that pops up from the wood floor. A ladder leads to a mezzanine loft, providing additional sleeping space. The fully glazed fronts and roofs provide guests with panoramic, "full screen" views of the surrounding ponds, forests, and starry night skies. Interior details: The bathroom is discreetly tucked into the steel-clad portion of the cabin, and the interiors feature muted, natural tones of gray and cream. Special storage boxes are attached inside the door to encourage guests to remove their shoes upon entry. The Traditional and Contemporary Saunas A central element of the resort is the traditional Latvian sauna ritual, or pirts. Open AD designed several unique saunas, each offering a distinct experience. Glass Sauna (baltā pirts): Built into a hillside, this concrete-structured "white sauna" features a large glass facade that provides panoramic views of the ponds and surrounding landscape. It is situated close to a pond for a refreshing plunge. Smoke Sauna (melnā pirts): A more traditional sauna, the "black sauna" is constructed from red spruce and is hidden within the forest for a more primeval, secluded experience. Wool Sauna (aitas vilnas pirts): Completed in 2021, this sauna features an internal yurt-like canvas structure wrapped in wool, which releases lanolin when heated for its purported healing properties. The room is round and centered around a wood stove, and a winding walkway leading to it helps guests mentally prepare for the ritual. Project contributors Architecture: Open AD Design Team: Zane Tetere – Sulce (lead architect), Dace Bula, Zane Legzdina, Beatrise Dzerve, Alvis Petrovskis, Eva Heidingere – Jukama Landscape Architecture: Girts Runis (LANDSHAPE) Photography: Alvis Rozenbergs