The Moment It Became Real
“It wasn’t real until we sat inside it.”
That’s how VIM founder Mark Hellweg described his first time stepping into the Oblique — a sauna that had lived for months as sketches, CAD models, and late-night design conversations between his team and ours at Superior Sauna & Steam.
When Mark arrived in Ashland, Wisconsin, to see the prototype standing on its foundation for the first time, the moment was electric.
“You’re designing on paper, moving lines on a screen, but it’s not real — it’s just a cartoon shape,” he said. “Then suddenly you’re standing in front of it, and it’s made of metal, wood, and glass. It’s alive.”
Together with Superior’s David Dragseth (CEO), Justus Benson (Director of Production & Special Projects), and Colin Cabalka (Director of Marketing), Mark fired up the heater for the Oblique’s first true session.
“The heat built evenly, the airflow felt right, and when we threw that first ladle of water — the steam rolled perfectly across the benches and landed on our shoulders,” he said. “That’s when we knew we had something special.”
Shared Vision, Shared Craft
The collaboration between VIM and Superior Sauna didn’t begin in a boardroom — it began with a shared love of craft.
Mark, known for his two-decade history designing high-end coffee equipment, came to the sauna world with the same precision-minded curiosity that defined his earlier work.
“In coffee, people are generous with their knowledge — they care deeply about ritual and craft,” he said. “I found that same spirit in the sauna community.”
Through a series of introductions across the wellness design world, Mark connected with David Dragseth of Superior. What started as a casual conversation about sauna culture and mid-century architecture quickly evolved into a design dialogue — about structure, geometry, and the art of heat.
“We hit it off right away,” Mark recalled. “We talked about our kids, travel, food, and design. But pretty soon we were sketching — wondering if we could make something together that didn’t look like anything else.”
That “something” became the Oblique.
Shaping the Oblique
The name itself tells you something about the design philosophy behind it. Oblique means “not square” — and that was exactly the point.
“When you look at most outdoor saunas, they’re boxes,” Mark said. “Functional, sure, but not expressive. I kept thinking about those coastal cabins you find in Neskowin, Oregon or at Sea Ranch — simple, striking silhouettes that feel architectural but natural. What if a sauna could feel like that?”
From that question grew the Oblique’s signature geometry: a forward-leaning roofline, asymmetric window placement, and a subtly widened back wall that expands the interior footprint from five feet to six without increasing its base size.
“David sent me his first sketch,” Mark recalled. “I grabbed a red pen, marked it up, sent it back. Then he and Justus refined it. Back and forth like that — we became a small design team.”
The result was a shape that feels sculptural yet grounded — modern architecture rendered in timber, glass, and heat.
Made by Hand and Machine
Inside Superior’s Ashland facility, innovation hums in two languages: technology and touch.
Mark described walking through the production floor for the first time: “There’s a lot of automated CNC machinery, laser-cut precision — but right next to that, you see people shaping panels by hand, checking seams, sanding edges. It’s old-world craft meeting new-world tools.”
The Oblique’s frame is constructed from cross-laminated timber (CLT) — a material known for its strength, dimensional stability, and sustainability. Each panel is fabricated to exact tolerances, allowing for quick, seamless assembly on-site.
The interior uses Western Red Cedar, prized for its aroma and resilience under heat. Exteriors can be finished in thermally treated woods or steel, creating flexibility for architectural environments — from modern backyards to lakeside retreats.
“The Oblique looks like art,” Mark said, “but it’s engineered like a performance tool. Every surface, every vent, every joint has a reason.”
The First Steam Together
That first sauna session at Superior was as much celebration as testing.
Four people sat shoulder to shoulder across the top bench — Mark, David, Justus, and Colin — in a space barely six feet wide at its widest point. “We wanted to see if it would feel tight or comfortable,” Mark said. “Turns out, it was perfect. Compact, but the geometry made it feel open.”
When the Iki 9kW heater roared to life, the Oblique filled with radiant heat and quiet anticipation. The first ladle of water hissed into steam; the air shimmered. “The löyly hit our shoulders and we all shouted,” Mark laughed. “It was that perfect blend of intensity and comfort — even distribution from floor to ceiling.”
That moment wasn’t just proof of function — it was proof of philosophy. A sauna born from collaboration, engineered by obsession, and realized through shared craft.
Bringing It Home
By the time the Oblique was unveiled, a few early adopters had already placed their orders — some before seeing it in person.
“A few people jumped in just based on renders and trust,” Mark said. “And the ones who’ve seen it — they can’t wait. The enthusiasm is through the roof.”
Production is now scaling, with Obliques shipping to new homes across the U.S. and early events planned to celebrate the first installations.
“It’s surreal to think how fast it’s moving,” Mark said. “From an idea on a notepad to a functioning architectural sauna — all within a year or two. And to do it with partners who bring this level of skill and care — that’s rare.”
A Collaboration in Craft
At its core, the Oblique is a manifestation of partnership.
VIM brought the architectural eye — a belief that everyday wellness spaces can be designed with as much intention as homes or studios. Superior Sauna brought decades of experience in heat engineering, ventilation, material sourcing, and fabrication.
Together, we turned sketches into steam — and redefined what a modern sauna can be.
The Oblique stands not just as a product, but as a philosophy made tangible: that beauty and function belong together, that collaboration multiplies craft, and that the simple act of sharing heat can spark something extraordinary.
From all of us at Superior Sauna & Steam, thank you for stepping into this story with us — and for believing, like we do, that the future of sauna design is just getting started.
