Clearing the mists from a luxury sauna

Anyone seeking to immerse themselves in relaxing heat and indulge in some good coffee is certainly in search of some “me time.” However, choosing the right sauna trip can be tough, especially in Finland, where so many venues vie for a booking. The country has an estimated 3 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million. They’re a cornerstone of national culture, which means competition is fierce. Attracting business isn’t just about the facilities, drinks, seating, and physical therapies on offer. It relies on making people feel like they’re escaping the monotony of the regular world, simply by imagining themselves visiting and tying the towel. 

Eeropekka Hämäläinen, a project engineer for building consultancy group Inmeco Oy Rakennuskonsultit, knows this well. An expert in site monitoring and inspection, he harnesses the power of digital twins in an extensive range of environments. When Finland’s Kankaan sauna required a richer, enrapturing window into the experience it offers, he put Matterport’s technology to work. Here, Eeropekka explains why and how he used 3D models for a space that needed to raise the temperature for unmissable marketing. 

Q: What inspired you to capture this space in 3D? 

A colleague of mine runs a public sauna as a side business at Kangas in the heart of Finland’s Jyväskylä region. The sauna is located in a 100-year-old paper mill gate building that has been completely restored and renovated. As a sauna enthusiast with a keen interest in old buildings, I was more than happy to help him boost marketing by offering a 3D virtual sauna experience.

Q: What are the ‘must sees’ you want visitors to explore, and why? 

If you visit a public sauna, then the heart of the place is, of course, the sauna itself. At Kankaan, there are two saunas with different steam preferences. If you want to cool down between sessions, there’s also a nice private outdoor terrace area that I was able to capture nicely on a cloudy day by shortening scan distances.

Q: What’s the one thing you want visitors to take away after exploring your 3D tour? 

I wish that anyone who visits the sauna virtually gets a glimpse of the old building’s unique impression and the warmth of the saunas. Additionally, I want them to have a sense of the sauna experience on the proverbial spot. That’s why I’ve also added Mattertags on the front desk with links for sauna session bookings and other basic information.

Q: What are the benefits of Matterport digital twins? 

I think the best thing about digital twins is that they allow visitors to gain a deep understanding of the spaces’ dimensions and their relative locations. The dollhouse view is a great feature for achieving this because it gives the space’s overall impression before diving into its details. Combined with robust image quality, it gives you a very good understanding of the actual place.

Q: Do you have any plans to capture more 3D experiences? 

Yes, of course! I mostly use 3D capture for engineering & construction, but it’s also nice to capture finished locations for promotional purposes. In my opinion, spaces captured for marketing need higher 3D integrity and every viewpoint should be visually appealing, so it’s nice to have some variety in rendering spaces.