Delve into the inspiration behind Framework, the science driving our facilities, our commitment to social wellbeing, and the personal stories that fuel our mission to build the foundation for our collective health.

For Allen Penn, Framework began well before it took a formal shape. His personal quest for vitality and longevity—fueled by turning 40 and embracing fatherhood—prompted plenty of exploration.

Sauna use as a lifestyle practice to extend healthspan was the unlock Allen needed to realize—and formalize—integrating hot and cold therapies into daily life. The learnings – both the science and the surrounding practice – were compelling:

Sauna use appears to reduce morbidity and mortality in a dose-dependent* manner.
Frequent sauna use may protect against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease.
Sauna use mimics physiological and protective responses induced during exercise.
Sauna and cold plunge are simple practices that have been exercised around the world for thousands of years
Both exposure practices are inherently social, enjoyable, and accessible to all.

*Dose dependent means that the listed benefit was found to increase with more frequent usage.

But his desk research had been fed by decades of experience, prior to reading any published journals.

The journey looked like gym sauna usage as a high school basketball player and freezing Ironman swims in Lake Michigan—it looked like bonding with friends in Japanese onsen and learning about cold plunge in a pool at the base of Machu Picchu. His travels through Finland and Japan solidified the intrinsic connection between hot springs (onsen), dry sauna, and the social rituals born from both communal workouts.

“While living abroad and regularly traveling internationally for a large portion of my thirties, it was really impactful to me to see the variety of cultures on different continents who all had health traditions that involved the use of hot and cold,” Penn says. “It struck me as a common human experience—a health and socialization ritual that everyone, except maybe Americans, independently arrived at.”

The philosophy he formed is simple: life is better when you know more people in your town, that interactions are more meaningful when they are not mediated by screens, and that combining health with social activities is the easiest way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Inspired by the Finnish approach to heat, Framework follows the traditional practice of high-temperature hot rooms followed by a cold plunge. This studied method provides the greatest health benefits. But it's not just the Finns who have influenced Framework's approach. From the sweat lodges of Native American tribes to the ‘sweat houses’ of Ireland, the practice of pairing heat with cold is globally intuitive and has been naturally embraced by diverse cultures for thousands of years.

Although our inspiration may be ancient, our methods are firmly rooted in the present.

Each aspect of the studio is backed by rigorous research and built to support your goals. From the temperature-optimized dry sauna to guided cold plunge sessions, every element is calibrated to maximize the health benefits of an exposure workout. We’ve made the conscious decision to limit digital distractions, leveraging technology where it matters most—like ensuring the cleanliness and quality of our plunge pools through salt electrolysis and constant water quality sensing.

We also understand that for the greatest health benefits, regularity and routine are key. That’s why we’ve adopted a membership model, encouraging our guests to make sauna and cold plunges a regular part of their lives.

“It’s one thing to read and understand the science, which is important and a key part of Framework—but I have always tried to just look at what makes common sense,” Penn says. “In the case of hot and cold, there are 50,000 years of human history for us to learn from. And those 50,000 years add a lot of context to our less-than 100 years spent in climate controlled homes and buildings. Our bodies are far more evolved and adapted to significant temperature swings across the day and the year than the constant 72-degree environment we’re used to. We say, ‘let’s practice what our bodies have evolved to handle.’”

a line of cold baths with sauna people in the back

So we made getting your dose of hot and cold exposure easy.

Framework is for anyone who’s up for a challenge. Anyone who’s eager to switch up ‘the usual’ catch-up over coffee or booze. Anyone who wants to try something today to feel healthier and happier tomorrow. All it takes to supercharge your cardiovascular health, increase caloric burn, and maintain an overwhelming ‘feel good’ feeling is consistent sauna and cold plunge sessions.

No infrared lasers, no IV drips, no pseudo-science. Just space dedicated to the proven health benefits of sweating, shivering, and socializing. Book a session for you and your crew, or learn more about the lowest-cost way to forge or fortify your practice today.

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