Canberra Apartments Add Infrared Saunas to 2026 Wellness Push

Infrared saunas have moved in a few short years from the edges of the wellness world to a near-standard feature of premium gyms and recovery studios. In 2026 that demand is showing up in an unexpected place: the amenity briefs of new apartment buildings.

From recovery studio to residential floor

Where a traditional sauna heats the air around you, an infrared sauna warms the body directly at a lower ambient temperature, which many users find more comfortable for longer sessions. Paired with steam rooms, cold exposure and quiet meditation space, it forms part of a broader "recovery" category that buyers increasingly expect to find at home rather than to commute to.

How Canberra is responding

The clearest local example is Club Lawson, the residents-only wellness floor at The Lawson beside Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen. Its amenity list pairs an infrared sauna with a pool, steam room, gym, yoga studio and meditation rooms, a combination aimed squarely at residents who treat daily recovery as part of their routine.

For developers, the appeal is straightforward: wellness amenity is one of the few features that genuinely differentiates a building and supports long-term resale, particularly in a market like the ACT where apartment stock has tended to look similar from the inside. Sales for The Lawson are managed by Apartment Collective.