Inspired by Finnish traditions, japanese philosophies & Scottish aesthetics
Image for illustration purposes only
Stone Water is not just a sauna, it’s a ‘third space’. Not your home or your work, but a place where nothing is expected of you… other than to relax and restore your mind and body. This is the essence of sauna, where the health of your body and mind come first, in a space that can be social or solitary.
Informed by the nature-focused philosophy of biophilic design, and inspired by aspects of ancient Celtic sweat lodges, Stone Water will be a new community space in which visitors explore the ancient practices of hot and cold therapy.
supporting community and environment
Part of the ambition with Stone Water is to create a healthy community space, where people come to connect — both with other people, and with themselves.
Stone Water will run sessions including silent meditations for a more solo experience, and sessions focused on bringing people together, e.g. a regular gathering for retirees.
The vision for Stone Water is also to ‘re-wild’ its immediate landscape, re-introducing local flora and keeping a wild, ‘Highlands’ feel within the bounds of the city, reconnecting us with our natural landscape.
a destination, not an appointment
We are creating a new kind of space for Edinburgh, a place where you can take a book, meet friends, make new ones, or come for solo, silent sessions to truly unwind and relax. We don’t believe any of this should be done on a tight schedule.
Short time-slots can mean stressful clock-watching and a feeling of being rushed. At Stone Water we’ll be giving clients the option of staying for several hours, so that they can lose track of time and listen to what their body needs.
our story
Stone Water is a passion project by Scottish artist and designer Jamie Johnstone (owner of The Island tattoo studio). Having spent many, many hours in saunas all over Europe, and as a frequent visitor to Finland, the birthplace of the sauna, Jamie is combining his experience of sauna traditions with his own creative vision.
Jamie’s dream for Stone Water is to take the best elements from the spaces he’s experienced and to combine them with his training in biophilic design (a set of design principles proven to help us feel better at the deep, unconscious level, with similar effects to those of forest bathing).
Stone Water is currently exploring various sites in and around Edinburgh, aiming to open in Autumn/Winter 2026