Southern Cross Saunas

Southern Cross Sauna Company designs and builds custom saunas in New South Wales, Australia. Each project involves its own dimensions, materials, and interior layout, with details developed between the customer and the team.

I was approached to design and develop an interactive builder that would make those conversations more visual. The browser-based tool lets customers and employees create accurately sized plans, configure the room and its interior, and review the project from above or across four elevations, without specialist drawing software.

The challenge was to support quick ideas and detailed plans without making users learn specialist drawing software. They can start from scratch or use a pre-built template, then shape the room through drag-and-drop controls and exact measurements.

Room editing covers dimensions, porch, eaves, roof slope, external cladding, and internal lining. Changes update the plan directly, allowing customers and employees to explore different configurations before settling on the details.

Users can add and adjust benches, backrests, windows, doors, heaters, and downlights. Benches have stacking and connection logic for multi-level seating, while collision rules prevent elements from moving into one another.

Safety distances around the heater are part of the placement logic too. Its clearance zone blocks conflicting positions during editing, helping users develop a layout that respects the defined safety requirements.

I built the tool with Fabric.js and custom logic for sizing, collisions, and element relationships. The top view and four elevations share the same project data, keeping edits consistent across viewpoints.

An animated three-dimensional transition helps users stay oriented when switching views. Together, these views explain both the floor layout and vertical placement without requiring separate drawings.

The builder turns an idea into a visual plan that customers and the Southern Cross team can refine together. Dimensions, finishes, layout, and placement constraints stay in one project, giving the consultation a clearer starting point.