In northern Sweden, a former industrial site is being given an entirely new purpose. At the center of the transformation stands an unexpected landmark: a shimmering pink sauna shaped like a giant lithium crystal.
The Lithium Crystal Sauna, created by Swedish artist duo Bigert & Bergström, is the centerpiece of WasteLand, a Climate Action Park along the Skellefte River. What was once one of Västerbotten’s most polluted industrial areas is being transformed into a place centered on art, climate awareness, recreation, and ideas about the future.
WasteLand opened Spring 2026, following years of environmental remediation at the former industrial site. Its guiding philosophy, “From Waste to Promise,” reflects the dramatic transformation of the landscape.
The Lithium Crystal Sauna takes the form of an enormous asymmetrical lithium crystal, finished in pink, titanium-plated mirror steel. Its reflective exterior captures the surrounding river, forest, and sky, making the landscape part of the artwork itself.
Inside, the futuristic exterior gives way to a warm wooden interior. CNC-carved wood, handmade alder benches, and northern Swedish heart pine create an intimate contrast to the reflective shell.
But this is not simply a sculpture to admire. The installation functions as a public sauna, inviting visitors to step inside and experience the artwork firsthand.
The choice of lithium carries particular significance. The mineral is closely associated with the batteries powering the transition toward electrification, while also having an important connection to human health through its use in treatments for bipolar disorder.
For Bigert & Bergström, the crystal becomes a meeting point between technology, climate, and human well-being.
The Stockholm-based duo are known for large-scale works that explore environmental and social issues through immersive installations. Their Lithium Crystal Sauna continues that approach by turning a familiar wellness ritual into a meditation on the future.
Inside WasteLand
The sauna is part of the larger WasteLand, where art, science, recreation, and ecological restoration come together.
Visitors can encounter installations exploring climate change, technology, time, and the natural environment, alongside spaces for play, movement, and reflection. The park itself represents an ongoing transformation, turning a once-contaminated industrial landscape into a place for discovery and possibility.
At its center, the Lithium Crystal Sauna offers perhaps the most tactile expression of that idea. It is a place to pause, warm up, and reflect, while surrounded by a landscape being given a second chance.
