This particular golden egg wasn't laid by a goose, but was instead designed by Swedish artists Studio Bigert & Bergström for co-op housing association Riksbyggen. It's named the Solar Egg and serves as a novel little sauna, allowing visitors to get their sweat on in Sweden's far-north.
The Solar Egg is installed in Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost town, and will be dismantled and moved around the area regularly. As we previously reported, the town is being relocated due to heavy mining.
Understandably, this is causing some strong feelings and Bigert & Bergström hopes that the sauna will encourage locals to get together and discuss their issues and concerns. The pair don't say so, but its similarity to the famous fable of the Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs is surely by design.
The Solar Egg measures 588 x 567 x 455 cm (231 x 223 x 179-in) and is constructed from wood and clad with 69 pieces of stainless steel gold-colored sheeting. Access is through a hatch with integrated steps, the interior is finished in pine, and the bench is made from aspen. Illumination comes in the form of LED lighting, powered by batteries.
There's enough room inside the sauna to squeeze up to 8 people. At its center is a wood-fired heart-shaped sauna stove made from iron and stone that enables the interior temperature to reach up to 85° Celsius (185°F).
You can actually book a visit to the Solar Egg if so inclined, maybe to warm up after a stay at the nearby ice hotel. It's free to use, but towels, snacks and bathrobes will set you back 125 SEK (roughly US$14), per person.
Sources: Studio Bigert & Bergström, Riksbyggen
