Tag Archives: Cabins

Angular black cabin in the woods of British Colombia is the peaceful haven nature lovers dream about

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Nestled away on the Sunshine Coast of British Colombia, is an angular black cabin called the Halfmoon Bay Cabin. The cabin is tucked away between trees, and almost subtly merges into the landscape. Designed by Patrick Warren and his husband Kevin Kaufman, the home occupies 1450 square feet, making it a rather spacious and cushy house. “A stunning 40-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver, the home is close to the city, but feels like a world away,” said Patrick.

Designer: Patrick Warren of Frits de Vries Architects and Kevin Kaufman

“Our intention was to create a world that we could retreat to, with rules that are different from everyday life,” said Patrick. “The architecture and the landscape were to be combined in a way that lets a visitor feel natural, unpretentious, unburdened, free.”

The one-acre property on which the cabin is located was carefully selected by the couple. They fell in love with how idyllic and peaceful the spot was and knew it would make for an excellent location for their home. The home is defined by a covered entry, spacious living space, a steeply sloping roof, and massive floor-to-ceiling windows that create a connection between the indoors and the outdoors. “The geometry of the home accomplishes two things: to preserve the delight of exploring the site for the first time, and second, to maximize solar heat gain in the cool coastal climate by turning the home to the south,” continued Patrick.

The beautiful home is inspired by American coastal architecture of the 1970s, like those found on Fire Island in New York and Sea Ranch in Northern California. The couple intends for this to”evoke a spirit of naturalness, social freedom, and community”. They want their home to be a gathering space for their friends, where they can engage and interact while casting away societal pressures and expectations. The home also draws cues from Japanese ryokans. “The ryokans of Kyushu showed us a naturalness of subtlety and grace that is more contemplative, quiet, and slow,” said Patrick.

The entire home has been clad in black cedar, with second-growth cedar cladding the walls and stair treads. The window frames and beams were built using Douglas fir. Both the materials were sourced from local mills. “The conceptual color palette came from the beach cove: sun-and-sea-bleached driftwood, light gray granite, and stark shadows amongst the trees,” Patrick concluded.

The post Angular black cabin in the woods of British Colombia is the peaceful haven nature lovers dream about first appeared on Yanko Design.

Rustic holiday cabin in an Austrian village was built using locally sourced timber and straw

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Austria-based studio Juri Troy Architects designed the Straw Flea House – a visually intriguing and angular cabin located in the historic village of Murstetten. Built using locally sourced timber and straw, the rustic little cabin is designed to be a cozy weekend home, placed alongside a historic barn surrounded by green. The location is outside the village’s center, and is quite a peaceful and idyllic site, making it ideal for a weekend getaway, where guests can relax and unwind.

Designer: Juri Troy Architects

The cabin consists of a single bedroom, so it’s not exceptionally large and cannot accommodate too many people. But its location is wisely chosen, and the house has been oriented to allow views of nearby landmarks such as a church, through its huge windows. The cabin was constructed in collaboration with a local studio called Caravan Atelier and was designed to cause a minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Hence, it was constructed using locally sourced and processed timber, and insulated using straw. “The house is elevated and only touches the terrain via the eight screw foundations; this means that no ground surface is sealed. Most of the materials used come from the immediate surroundings. The wood, both for the structural elements and for the surfaces, comes from the client’s own forests and was processed in the neighboring sawmill,” said the studio.

The interiors of the cabin include a living, dining, and kitchen area in a single space. The bathroom is located in the northern corner, with a mezzanine floor on top which holds the sleeping area. The sleeping space can be entered via a wooden staircase. As you may have noticed, the roof of the cabin slopes downward to the south, and it shelters a raised wooden terrace, and full-height folding glass doors. The wooden terrace and the stairs can be retracted using a system of pulleys, ensuring that the cabin can be closed-off if needed.

“The new building plays free of the surrounding buildings and stands solitarily, self-confidently, and naturally in the midst of the historical remains,” said the studio. The large panorama windows are aligned with the historical and landscape references, and offer an unrestricted view towards the church, into the valley, or to the remains of historical status in the park,” concluded the studio. The Straw Flea House is a comforting and cozy home that makes for a sweet getaway from city life and gives you a glimpse into simple village life if you’re looking for a taste of it.

The post Rustic holiday cabin in an Austrian village was built using locally sourced timber and straw first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 cabins you need to visit for your next weekend getaway

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If you’re looking for a stunning little cabin in the woods to get away to and simply relax, then you’ve reached the right place. Cabins are by far the best type of vacation I’ve come across. They’re a peaceful and tranquil option to abandon your urban life and woes, and simply unwind in nature. If you’re wondering where to head for your next cabin retreat, then you can refer to this collection of beautiful and super cozy cabins that we’ve gathered. They’re the perfect safe haven nestled in the midst of nature, providing you a break from your everyday hectic life. From an off-grid cabin in the Italian mountains that doubles up as a yoga retreat to an all-black cabin in the woods that support a slow-paced life – these mesmerizing and surreal cabins are the ultimate retreat, you’ve been searching for. Plan your next vacation in one of them!

1. The Forest House

Called the Forest House, this beautiful cabin in Bowen Island, British Colombia is designed by SM Studio. It is heavily inspired by SM Studio’s philosophy of building low-energy and sustainable homes – and they have achieved it by creating a bridge-like structure that connects the home foundations. The result is a design that does not impact the surroundings negatively while allowing the user to enjoy the serenity, peacefully.

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by the Vancouver-based SM Studio, the Forest House is surrounded by Douglas firs, and elevated above the rocky landscape. To reduce the impact of the home on the forest floor, SM Studio designed it like a bridge connecting two massive outcrops, leaving the space below quite clear, and minimizing the need to create a foundation on the rocks.

What we like

  • Built while maintaining a serene relationship with the landscape around it
  • Supports a more slow-paced life
  • Causes minimum disturbance to the site

What we dislike

  • The home can accommodate only 3 people, hence it can be considered a small space for certain families

2. Cabin Anna

Located in the De Biesbosch National Park in the Netherlands is a modular cabin called the Cabin Anna. Designed by architectural designer Caspar Schols, this cabin is the latest iteration of the flatpack Cabin Anna, which created waves in 2016. Schols had built it as a prototype garden room for his mother, in their home in Eindhoven.

Why is it noteworthy?

The latest cabin in the De Biesbosch National Park is designed to be utilized as a small compact home. It features a ground floor, mezzanine sleeping areas, a kitchen, a bathroom, and an outdoor shower. “In wintertime, Anna’s insulated wooden shell keeps the warmth inside like a thick winter coat. In spring or autumn, the glass keeps the rain outside or lets the sun in to warm up the space,” said the architect.

What we like

  • All the sliders have been designed to be manually operated, to allow the residents to feel a sense of closeness with the surrounding environment

What we dislike

  • They don’t offer an electronic opening version of Anna

3. The Iwi Cabin

Designed to be an accordion-shaped shed, the Iwi Cabin is an innovative space-maximizing design that can be compressed and expanded. It provides city dwellers with a nifty solution to expand space in urban apartments and living spaces.

Why is it noteworthy?

When the Iwi Cabin is fully expanded, it unfolds and occupies almost 91 square feet, and when it is folded and compressed, it occupies only 26 square feet. The Iwi Cabin is super easy to operate since owners can push and pull the shed, owing to the wheel system that allows it to be swiftly and efficiently handled and stored away.

What we like

  • The exterior of the cabin is resistant to wind, rain, and sunshine
  • The interiors have been outfitted with cork and sheep’s wool to keep the residents warm during cold weather

What we dislike

  • There being only one door/window, it is the only source of ventilation in the cabin

4. Kjerringholmen

This is the Hvaler archipelago, a true island paradise in Norway where you will find the ‘Kjerringholmen’ cabin. With just 63 square meters in size, the plan/design of the cabin still showcases plenty of space to give a very spacious and airy effect.

Why is it noteworthy?

Kjerringholmen is proof “that large houses don’t necessarily mean more quality of life. In just 63 square meters, with smart planning, it still has plenty of usable space,” said the studio. Occupying 63 square meters, the cabin is supported by steel pillars and surrounded by a dusky rocky landscape.

What we like

  • Blends perfectly with the natural landscape
  • Designed extremely efficiently to support a smart way of living

What we dislike

  • Birds may not notice the home and could crash into it since it merges so perfectly with its surroundings

5. Cabins in Farouche Tremblant

Nestled within the Devil River’s Valley, with the Mont-Tremblant National Park in the backdrop is a series of A-frame buildings in the ‘Farouche Tremblant’ agrotourism site that includes a cafe, farm, and four rental micro-cabins. “The cabins, though minimal, are designed for visitors to comfortably experience the changing beauty of the site throughout all four seasons,” said Atelier l’Abri founding partner Nicolas Lapierre “The structures’ organization and proximity really bring in a more social and communal experience which is great.”

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by the Canadian architecture studio Atelier l’Abri, the buildings are meant to “recede in the landscape”. The studio designed that function as a basecamp for visitors who want to visit Devil’s River and valley.

What we like

  •  Amped with outdoor decking and a glazed gable end which allows the visitors to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the cabins are a bit old-school

6. “3 Scenes of Homes”

The ‘3 Scenes of Homes’ is a conceptual design by Studio Supra-Simplicities that was created as a proposal for Buildner’s 2023 MicroHome Competition Edition. The micro-cabin is placed on a rapidly rotating display, allowing it to swiftly switch between three varied rooms or scenes of living.

Why is it noteworthy?

The micro cabin seamlessly integrates three spaces – for sleeping, dining, and washing. It rotates swiftly, utilizing the theatrical function of a stage, to bring the bedroom, dining area, and washroom into the limelight turn by turn. The structure, in turn, occupies a minimum footprint, eliminating the need for unnecessary circulation spaces, and providing the space with a flexible style of living.

What we like

  • It covers only a small amount of space on the site
  • Recycles rainwater for daily usage via its rooftop harvesting system

What we dislike

  • It’s not the best and most functional living situation realistically speaking

7. Bathhouse

Norwegian architecture studio Handegård Arkitektur designed Bathhouse, a bright red cabin on the seafront in Hankøsundet, Østfold. Inspired by the traditional Norwegian boathouse aesthetics, the cabin uses the red color exterior as an homage to the same. The cabin sits right at the waterfront and is elevated using stacks of granite. This design gives it an almost fairytale appeal, with the little red cabin looking like it’s almost floating in the air.

Why is it noteworthy?

The cabin was built for a client who lives near the coast and aims to be a ‘modern reinterpretation’ of traditional Norwegian boathouses. The studio used contemporary materials and techniques to create this lively-looking cabin since the client wanted a space that was both modern and traditional.

What we like

  • The cabin’s red-painted finish, tin roof, and thick granite stacks in the water give the impression of a traditional boathouse quite accurately
  • The cabin’s living area is covered by a second layer of timber planks, angled at 45 degrees, which aim to create a sense of privacy

What we dislike

  • The open panels in the living room may cause discomfort for those who would rather have an option in arranging the angle and the privacy of their windows

8. A House

Nestled in the beautiful wooded region of Lilla Kilskäret, an island of the Swedish archipelago near Stockholm is a minimalist Nordic cabin called ‘A House’. Designed by emerging Studio Nāv, the idyllic cabin was designed for a young couple as a cozy summer home to escape to during the warm season.

Why is it noteworthy?

‘A House’ beautifully captures minimalist Nordic architecture, and its picturesque surroundings help to create a space that is truly calming and peaceful. However, despite its pristine and awe-spiring location, building the home wasn’t simple child’s play. The site and local building regulations were quite challenging, and hence the home needed to occupy a tiny footprint, and perfectly blend in with its surroundings. In a quest to do so, the interiors of the home were made to be open, free-flowing, and extremely flexible.

What we like

  • The interiors are marked by a single open room, encapsulated in shrouds of glass, allowing the home to harmoniously merge with its surrounding landscape, and creating the sensation of being at one with it

What we dislike

  • The home may not be private enough with its 3 walls being made of glass

9. The Buck Mountain Cabin

Situated on Orcas Island, which is part of an archipelago called San Juan islands, is the Buck Mountain Cabin. The beautiful cedar-clad cabin was built by embracing the original site and its conditions, and by ensuring that minimal disturbance was caused to it. A steep grade and a narrow clearing created by a rock outcropping were a few of the challenges faced by the architects, but they encouraged the clients to focus on these features as they are unique to San Juan.

Why is it noteworthy?

The grassy basalt-rock outcroppings set within a Douglas fir and Pacific madrone forest were used to enhance and elevate the cabin. The east side of the 1527 square feet cabin is anchored to an outcrop, while the west side interestingly cantilevers over the entire site, almost 22 feet above the ground, and provides beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. The large trees around the site weren’t torn down which also ensured that the site was minimally disturbed. The addition of cantilevers and point-load wooden columns with small footings helped this cause as well.

What we like

  • Large protective overhangs and south-facing clearstory windows allow sunlight to generously stream in, especially during winter
  • A stunning patio floats over the site and can be accessed via a glass door
  • Ensures minimal disturbance is caused to the original site

What we dislike

  • The designers avoided precious or complicated materials and systems, taking away from the luxury element the interiors could have

10. The Hermitage Cabin

Positioned on the edge of a hill, surrounded by the Apennine Mountains, and overlooking the Trebbia Valley near Genoa, is a minimal off-grid cabin called the Hermitage Cabin. This beautiful wooden cabin was built for “contemplation and introspection”, and occupies only 12 square meters. It can function as a secluded little home or even a cozy yoga retreat!

Why is it noteworthy?

Italian architecture studio Llabb drew inspiration from Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses while designing the Hermitage. The cabin is raised on four wooden and steel supports, which stand on a base of sandstone beds. It features an intriguing modular form created from Okoume marine plywood in Llabb’s carpentry workshop!

What we like

  • Inspired by Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses
  • Creates a minimal impact on the land
  • Doubles up as a yoga retreat

What we dislike

  • Can be considered a small space for a yoga retreat

The post Top 10 cabins you need to visit for your next weekend getaway first appeared on Yanko Design.

Caspar Schols builds the latest iteration of the popular Cabin Anna in a Dutch national park

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Located in the De Biesbosch National Park in the Netherlands is a modular cabin called the Cabin Anna. Designed by architectural designer Caspar Schols, this cabin is the latest iteration of the flatpack Cabin Anna, which created waves in 2016. Schols had built it as a prototype garden room for his mother, in their home in Eindhoven. This original cabin was immensely successful and was transformed into a series of commercially available flat-pack cabin structures.

Designer: Caspar Schols

The latest cabin in the De Biesbosch National Park is designed to be utilized as a small compact home. It features a ground floor, mezzanine sleeping areas, a kitchen, a bathroom, and an outdoor shower. “In wintertime, Anna’s insulated wooden shell keeps the warmth inside like a thick winter coat. In spring or autumn, the glass keeps the rain outside or lets the sun in to warm up the space,” he continued. “If it warms you up too much, you can either slide and close the wooden layer to block the warming sun or slide the glass layer open to let a cool wind enter,” said Schols.

The new Cabin Anna is a part of a series called the Anna Collection. The Anna Collection will include ten structures, whose construction, Schols will personally oversee and manage. All the sliders have been designed to be manually operated, to allow the residents to feel a sense of closeness with the surrounding environment. “We don’t offer an electronic opening version of Anna, using your own muscle power is essential. Your whole body is involved in opening up the whole cabin. Propelled by your body, the cabin prepares the brain to open up and connect to the natural environment,” Schols concluded.

The cabins are pretty versatile and can be used for multiple purposes. They can be utilized as compact homes, meditation spaces, or even artist’s studios. If you love Schol’s work, then you would also be excited to know, that he’s working on a project called ‘Anna One’. Anna One is a series of cabins that will hit the market in 2024. And what’s interesting is that users will be able to assemble and form the cabins themselves!

The post Caspar Schols builds the latest iteration of the popular Cabin Anna in a Dutch national park first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 cabins designed to provide you with the quaint vacation of your dreams

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If you’re looking for a stunning little cabin in the woods to get away to and simply relax, then you’ve reached the right place. Cabins are by far the best type of vacation I’ve come across. They’re a peaceful and tranquil option to abandon your urban life and woes, and simply unwind in nature. If you’re wondering where to head for your next cabin retreat, then you can refer to this collection of beautiful and super cozy cabins that we’ve gathered. They’re the perfect safe haven nestled in the midst of nature, providing you a break from your everyday hectic life. From an off-grid cabin in the Italian mountains that doubles up as a yoga retreat to an all-black cabin in the woods that support a slow-paced life – these mesmerizing and surreal cabins are the ultimate retreat, you’ve been searching for. Plan your next vacation in one of them!

1. The Forest House

Called the Forest House, this beautiful cabin in Bowen Island, British Colombia is designed by SM Studio. It is heavily inspired by SM Studio’s philosophy of building low-energy and sustainable homes – and they have achieved it by creating a bridge like structure that connects the home foundations. The result is a design that does not impact the surroundings negatively while allowing the user to enjoy the serenity, peacefully.

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by the Vancouver-based SM Studio, the Forest House is surrounded by Douglas firs, and elevated above the rocky landscape. To reduce the impact of the home on the forest floor, SM Studio designed it like a bridge connecting two massive outcrops, leaving the space below quite clear, and minimizing the need to create a foundation on the rocks.

What we like

  • Built while maintaining a serene relationship with the landscape around it
  • Supports a more slow-paced life
  • Causes minimum disturbance to the site

What we dislike

  • The home can accommodate only 3 people, hence it can be considered a small space for certain families

2. Kjerringholmen

This is the Hvaler archipelago, is a true island paradise in Norway where you will find the ‘Kjerringholmen’ cabin. With just 63 square meters in size, the plan/design of the cabin still showcases plenty of space to give a very spacious and airy effect.

Why is it noteworthy?

Kjerringholmen is proof “that large houses don’t necessarily mean more quality of life. In just 63 square meters, with smart planning, it still has plenty of usable space,” said the studio. Occupying 63 square meters, the cabin is supported by steel pillars and surrounded by a dusky rocky landscape.

What we like

  • Blends perfectly with the natural landscape
  • Designed extremely efficiently to support a smart way of living

What we dislike

  • Birds may not notice the home and could crash into it since it merges so perfectly with its surroundings

3. Cabins in Farouche Tremblant’

Nestled within the Devil River’s Valley, with the Mont-Tremblant National Park in the backdrop is a series of A-frame buildings in the ‘Farouche Tremblant’ agrotourism site that includes a cafe, farm, and four rental micro-cabins. “The cabins, though minimal, are designed for visitors to comfortably experience the changing beauty of the site throughout all four seasons,” said Atelier l’Abri founding partner Nicolas Lapierre “The structures’ organization and proximity really bring in a more social and communal experience which is great.”

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by the Canadian architecture studio Atelier l’Abri, the buildings are meant to “recede in the landscape”. The studio designed that function as a basecamp for visitors who want to visit Devil’s River and valley.

What we like

  •  Amped with outdoor decking and a glazed gable end which allows the visitors to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the cabins are a bit old-school

4. The Kererū Retreat

Nestled at Mountain Hutt on the South Island of New Zealand is the Kererū Retreat, a tiny quaint cabin surrounded by beautiful alpines. providing avid travelers with a 100% off-grid experience.

Why is it noteworthy?

The home completely supports an off-grid lifestyle, so it’s great for environment lovers. It has been amped with rooftop solar panels, a rainwater collection tank, a composting toilet, and a wood-burning fireplace.

What we like

  • Placed on top of a trailer, allowing it to be moved to different locations and sites, according to the requirement
  • Built usually locally sourced materials

What we dislike

  • Not the most aesthetically pleasing or attractive cabin
  • It’s not expandable if you have guests over. It’s designed for solitary living

5. Scalar Architecture’s Cabin

This beautiful wooden cabin in a vibrant green forest in Connecticut functions as an idyllic home for a family of writers. It occupies 1200 square feet and maintains a minimal environmental footprint. The home is located in a rather remote location and can be reached either by foot or via light utility vehicles.

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by Scalar Architecture, the dark-green cabin is built entirely from wood, except for the pier foundations, and a leaf-resilient siding. It seems as if the cabin is floating over the sloped terrain on it is positioned on. The home is marked by large openings which enable the residents to connect with nature. It features a concave roof surface that collects water and light, and controls ventilation, creating a living environment that is warm and comfortable.

What we like

  • Features a unique dark green color
  • Looks as if it’s floating above the sloped terrain

What we dislike

  • Resembling a cube, the design does not speak on how the cabin can be added/grown on

6. “3 Scenes of Homes”

The ‘3 Scenes of Homes’ is a conceptual design by Studio Supra-Simplicities that was created as a proposal for Buildner’s 2023 MicroHome Competition Edition. The micro-cabin is placed on a rapidly rotating display, allowing it to swiftly switch between three varied rooms or scenes of living.

Why is it noteworthy?

The micro cabin seamlessly integrates three spaces – for sleeping, dining, and washing. It rotates swiftly, utilizing the theatrical function of a stage, to bring the bedroom, dining area, and washroom into the limelight turn by turn. The structure, in turn, occupies a minimum footprint, eliminating the need for unnecessary circulation spaces, and providing the space with a flexible style of living.

What we like

  • It covers only a small amount of space on the site
  • Recycles rainwater for daily usage via its rooftop harvesting system

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!
  • It’s not the best and most functional living situation realistically speaking

7. A House

Nestled in the beautiful wooded region of Lilla Kilskäret, an island of the Swedish archipelago near Stockholm is a minimalist Nordic cabin called ‘A House’. Designed by emerging Studio Nāv, the idyllic cabin was designed for a young couple as a cozy summer home to escape to during the warm season.

Why is it noteworthy?

‘A House’ beautifully captures minimalist Nordic architecture, and its picturesque surroundings help to create a space that is truly calming and peaceful. However, despite its pristine and awe-spiring location, building the home wasn’t simple child’s play. The site and local building regulations were quite challenging, and hence the home needed to occupy a tiny footprint, and perfectly blend in with its surroundings. In a quest to do so, the interiors of the home were made to be open, free-flowing, and extremely flexible.

What we like

  • The interiors are marked by a single open room, encapsulated in shrouds of glass, allowing the home to harmoniously merge with its surrounding landscape, and creating the sensation of being at one with it

What we dislike

  • The home may not be private enough for some people

8. Tind

David and Jeanette Reiss-Andersen, cofounders of the Oslo-based tiny home company Norske Mikrohus, decided to build an eco-friendly and affordable alternative to the pricier standard-size homes available on the market.” We wanted to create something for people looking for a way out of the rental and mortgage markets—something for those who want easy access to nature and to live with fewer possessions,” said David. And their efforts led to the birth of ‘Tind’ – a beautiful wood-wrapped tiny home built in Norwegian style.

Why is it noteworthy?

Not only is Tind built from environmentally friendly Nordic materials, but it was also designed to withstand Nordic weather conditions. Tind was designed with one important goal in mind – to encourage flexibility and freedom. It’s a home you can move around in and take wherever you want to.

What we like

  • Sustainable + eco-friendly
  • Inspired by Norwegian aesthetics

What we dislike

  • Measuring only 70 square feet, the home promotes a solitary lifestyle with no option to expand the space

9. Bathhouse

Norwegian architecture studio Handegård Arkitektur designed Bathhouse, a bright red cabin on the seafront in Hankøsundet, Østfold. Inspired by the traditional Norwegian boathouse aesthetics, the cabin uses the red colour exterior as an homage to the same. The cabin sits right at the waterfront and is elevated using stacks of granite. This design gives it an almost fairytale appeal, with the little red cabin looking like its almost floating in the air.

Why is it noteworthy?

The cabin was built for a client who lives near the coast and aims to be a ‘modern reinterpretation’ of traditional Norwegian boathouses. The studio used contemporary materials and techniques to create this lively-looking cabin since the client wanted a space that was both modern and traditional.

What we like

  • The cabin’s red-painted finish, tin roof, and thick granite stacks in the water give the impression of a traditional boathouse quite accurately
  • The cabin’s living area is covered by a second layer of timber planks, angled at 45 degrees, which aim to create a sense of privacy

What we dislike

  • The open panels in the living room may cause discomfort for those who would rather have an option in arranging the angle and the privacy of their windows.

10. The Hermitage Cabin

Positioned on the edge of a hill, surrounded by the Apennine Mountains, and overlooking the Trebbia Valley near Genoa, is a minimal off-grid cabin called the Hermitage Cabin. This beautiful wooden cabin was built for “contemplation and introspection”, and occupies only 12 square meters. It can function as a secluded little home or even a cozy yoga retreat!

Why is it noteworthy?

Italian architecture studio Llabb drew inspiration from Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses while designing the Hermitage. The cabin is raised on four wooden and steel supports, which stand on a base of sandstone beds. It features an intriguing modular form created from Okoume marine plywood in Llabb’s carpentry workshop!

What we like

  • Inspired by Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses
  • Creates a minimal impact on the land

What we dislike

  • Can be considered a small space for a yoga retreat

The post Top 10 cabins designed to provide you with the quaint vacation of your dreams first appeared on Yanko Design.

These A-frame eco-hotel cabins are tucked away in the vineyards of Italy

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Nestled away in the center of Piedmont, Italy, surrounded by vineyards and woodlands is LILELO (Little Leisure Lodges). It includes a group of four adorable wooden cabins. The autonomous cabins are designed by the Paris-based architecture studio Atelier LAVIT. The cabins are inspired by traditional haystacks, creating a triangular silhouette, which is supported by a trunk-like base.

Designer: Atelier LAVIT

The cabins have been elevated off the ground, ensuring they don’t touch it, in an attempt to adopt a sustainable approach. This approach lays an emphasis on energy efficiency and eco-compatibility materiality. The elevated cabins ensure that there is minimal impact on the ground, while also beautifully complementing the sloping topography. The eco-cabins artfully merge with their surrounding, creating the impression that is it at one with nature around it.

The cabins are an attempt on the part of Atelier LAVIT to create a collaboration between architecture and nature. The three cabins function as private suites, while the fourth structure serves more as a common space. It includes a large terrace, a generous kitchen with a massive table. This common structure is a gathering area for guests to sit and chill together, interact and engage with one another, and build conscious connections. Guests of the other three suites can partake in social interactions here.

The three suites feature an open-plan layout, accompanied by a cozy breakfast nook, and stunning views of the surroundings. The beautiful location makes for a great panoramic view from within the rooms. There is an adjacent deck that leads to the sleeping section, and a bathroom that is subtly tucked away at the back of the suite. What’s interesting about the suite is that there is only one door, which leads to the washroom, while the rest of the space is left internationally door-less, creating an open and free-flowing space that holds an air of continuity and consistency. However, the studio managed to gracefully pull this off, without compromising privacy in the least. The suites still hold a distinguished air of privacy and seclusion.  “The lodges weren’t designed as closed volumes from which the openings were subtracted but as a space created by three inclined surfaces, following the Japanese logic of working on layers,” said the studio. The stunning cabins camouflage with nature, creating a peaceful and ethereal space.

The post These A-frame eco-hotel cabins are tucked away in the vineyards of Italy first appeared on Yanko Design.

Snøhetta designed these stunning red cedar-clad cabins and placed them on a cliff edge in Norway

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Norwegian studio Snøhetta designed four new wooden cabins called ‘Bolder Star Lodges’ on a cliff edge above Lysefjord, near Stavanger. The cabins have been equipped with a “front-row view”, and the panoramic windows placed in the cabins allow residents to enjoy the stunning view. The cabins are designed to be a unique and comfortable retreat for hikers to rest and relax in and truly enjoy their surrounding nature.

Designer: Snøhetta

The project was commissioned by local developer Tom Bjarte Norland. “Initially, [Norland’s] plan was to build a series of smaller hermit huts, but he realized that this natural plot deserved something better, something daring,” Vipp CEO Kasper Egelund. “We wanted to create something that would harmonize with the surrounding nature, playing on the natural shapes in the area and creating a sensation that the cabins are floating in the air, hanging over the edge of the mountain above the fjord,” added Snøhetta project lead Frank Denis Foray.  The four cabins are respectfully called Stylten, Myra, Stjerna, and Eldhuseteach. They have been clad in the same red cedar that is found in the surrounding landscape, allowing them to artfully blend with the nature around them. This also enables the cabins to grey with time, and merge even further with their rocky surroundings.

All the cabins feature an intriguing upside-down design and have been placed on massive concrete pillars, that delicately elevate them. This ensures that the cabins have a minimum impact on the land. They also have a compact footprint – each cabin ranging from 38 to 60 square meters. Wood and concrete were the materials of choice for building the cabins. However, the cabins are prefabricated, and they were moved and placed on the concrete pillars by helicopters to minimize the disturbance to the site.

All the cabins have been equipped with a double bedroom and bath, and an upper storey amped with a kitchen and dining area. The kitchen is quite well-equipped and high-tech. This was designed by Vipp, and in fact, they went for a rather “minimalistic design ethos”, which included the use of materials such as wood, marble, leather, and concrete.

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This wooden tiny cabin merges perfectly with the Norwegian archipelago it is located in

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If the gruesome city life is getting to you, and you’re looking for a quaint cabin getaway, then I might just have the perfect one for you. The Hvaler archipelago is a true island paradise in Norway. If you want to relax in peace while being surrounded by water, then you may want to check out the ‘Kjerringholmen’ cabin tucked away in the archipelago. Designed by Line Solgaard, the Kjerringholmen is a tiny compact holiday home that blends almost too perfectly with the Norwegian archipelago.

Designer: Line Solgaard

Kjerringholmen is proof “that large houses don’t necessarily mean more quality of life. In just 63 square meters, with smart planning, it still has plenty of usable space,” said the studio. Occupying 63 square meters, the cabin is supported by steel pillars and surrounded by a dusky rocky landscape. The exterior of the home has been clad in wood, forming a rather cozy wooden shell, that merges with the surrounding landscape. It is located on a private island that is owned by the client, and the island provides fantastic views of the looming water. Although the home occupies a concise portion of land, it has been designed extremely efficiently, so as to support a smart way of living.

The cabin features an interesting multifaceted design, which allows it to have diverse shapes and forms when viewed from different angles. This always makes it a delight to look at! This simple yet substantial tactic imparts the cabin with a sense of spaciousness and a dynamic nature. What would have been an otherwise extremely remote living experience, transforms into an interesting and dynamic one. The cabin is small but detailed and efficient and aims to work harmoniously with the outdoors.

The studio chose to place the tiny cabin on steel pillars, in order to create minimum disturbance to the surrounding landscape. They wanted to keep the cabin’s impact on the land as minimal as possible. This allowed the home to maintain a subtle indoor-outdoor connection, and be equipped with an exciting outdoor area where guests can gather, interact, and chill. “This approach of ‘build smaller, build smart’, treating nature with respect, keeping the ecological footprint as small as possible is a natural Norwegian mindset, as we like to spend time in nature and the outdoor, to roam,” said the studio.

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These quaint A-frame micro-cabins in the Canadian forest are the ideal nature retreat

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Nestled within the Devil River’s Valley, with the Mont-Tremblant National Park in the backdrop is a series of A-frame buildings in the ‘Farouche Tremblant’ agrotourism site. Designed by the Canadian architecture studio Atelier l’Abri, the buildings are meant to “recede in the landscape”. The studio designed a cafe, farm, and four rental micro-cabins that function as a basecamp for visitors who want to visit Devil’s River and valley.

Designer: Atelier l’Abri

The four micro cabins feature steep-pitched roofs that have been clad in cedar shingles. The shingles, in fact, reach out to the ground, in turn forming sloping walls. Each cabin includes a king bed, a sofa, and a gas stove, they’re all connected with the help of a narrow winding path. The entrance of the cabin has been amped with outdoor decking and a glazed gable end which allows the visitors to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape, whether they’re inside the cabin or outside it.  “The cabins, though minimal, are designed for visitors to comfortably experience the changing beauty of the site throughout all four seasons,” said Atelier l’Abri founding partner Nicolas Lapierre “The structures’ organization and proximity really bring in a more social and communal experience which is great.”

The cafe, on the other hand, features a charcoal-colored steel roof, and hemlock timber-clad walls that are inspired by the vernacular farms located in the area. The interiors consist of a cathedral ceiling and a mezzanine floor which functions as a quaint space to sit and relax in. Besides a cafe, the property also hosts a small seasonal market, a cozy lounge area with views of the river and mountains, an agricultural barn, farmland, and greenhouses. There are also hiking trails starting from behind the agricultural building.

“The micro-cabin structures were inspired by the compact A-Frame cottages and cabins from the 1950s and 60s, while the larger buildings for the cafe and farmhouse were inspired by vernacular agricultural architecture. Minimalist in essence, the buildings recede in the landscape and allow guests to fully immerse in the wild beauty of the Devil’s River,” said Lapierre. All the buildings in the Farouche Tremblant have been clad in locally-sourced wood. The tiny cabins have been placed on steel piles, without utilizing any cement. This causes minimum disturbance to the land and reduces its impact on it.

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Top 10 cabins that are the ultimate escapism from our everyday hectic lives

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If you’re looking for a stunning little cabin in the woods to get away to and simply relax, then you’ve reached the right place. Cabins are by far the best type of vacation I’ve come across. They’re a peaceful and tranquil option to abandon your urban life and woes, and simply unwind in nature. If you’re wondering where to head for your next cabin retreat, then you can refer to this collection of beautiful and super cozy cabins that we’ve gathered. They’re the perfect safe haven nestled in the midst of nature, providing you a break from your everyday hectic life. From an off-grid cabin in the Italian mountains that doubles up as a yoga retreat to an all-black cabin in the woods that support a slow-paced life – these mesmerizing and surreal cabins are the ultimate retreat, you’ve been searching for. Plan your next vacation in one of them!

1. The Forest House

Called the Forest House, this beautiful cabin in Bowen Island, British Colombia is designed by SM Studio. It is heavily inspired by SM Studio’s philosophy of building low-energy and sustainable homes that have been created while causing minimum disturbance to the site they are constructed on.

Why is it noteworthy?

Vancouver-based SM Studio uplifted the traditional cabin form and gave it a more contemporary and modernized feel. Surrounded by Douglas firs, and elevated above the rocky landscape – the Forest House is definitely a far cry from the standard cabins we come across. To reduce the impact of the home on the forest floor, SM Studio designed it like a bridge connecting two massive outcrops, leaving the space below quite clear, and minimizing the need to create a foundation on the rocks.

What we like

  • Built while maintaining a serene relationship with the landscape around it
  • Supports a more slow-paced life
  • Causes minimum disturbance to the site

What we dislike

  • The home can accommodate only 3 people, hence it can be considered a small space for certain families

2. Scalar Architecture’s Cabin

This beautiful wooden cabin in a vibrant green forest in Connecticut functions as an idyllic home for a family of writers. It occupies 1200 square feet and maintains a minimal environmental footprint. The home is located in a rather remote location and can be reached either by foot or via light utility vehicles.

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by Scalar Architecture, the dark-green cabin is built entirely from wood, except for the pier foundations, and a leaf-resilient siding. It seems as if the cabin is floating over the sloped terrain it is positioned on. The home is marked by large openings which enable the residents to connect with nature. It features a concave roof surface that collects water and light, and controls ventilation, creating a living environment that is warm and comfortable.

What we like

  • Features a unique dark green color
  • Looks as if it’s floating above the sloped terrain

What we dislike

  • Resembling a cube, the design does not speak on how the cabin can be added/grown on.

3. ‘3 Scenes of Homes’

The ‘3 Scenes of Homes’ is a conceptual design by Studio Supra-Simplicities that was created as a proposal for Buildner’s 2023 MicroHome Competition Edition. The micro-cabin is placed on a rapidly rotating display, allowing it to swiftly switch between three varied rooms or scenes of living.

Why is it noteworthy?

The micro cabin seamlessly integrates three spaces – for sleeping, dining, and washing. It rotates swiftly, utilizing the theatrical function of a stage, to bring the bedroom, dining area, and washroom into the limelight turn by turn. The structure, in turn, occupies a minimum footprint, eliminating the need for unnecessary circulation spaces, and providing the space with a flexible style of living.

What we like

  • It covers only a small amount of space on the site
  • Recycles rainwater for daily usage via its rooftop harvesting system

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!
  • It’s not the best and most functional living situation realistically speaking

4. House Tjurpannan

HelgessonGonzaga designed a minimal and dark timber cabin in the coastal nature reserve Tjurpannan in West Sweden. Called, the House Tjurpannan, the house has been coated in tar and designed as a tribute to the boathouse and the jetties located close by. It also functions as a base for outdoor activities at the nature reserve.

Why is it noteworthy?

House Tjurpannan functions as an open and flexible living space that occupies 90 square meters. The spacious yet simple home is deeply influenced by the exposed personality of the site, as well as the generous number of boathouses found in the region. The boathouses are positioned above the ground, to mitigate the risk of flooding, and coated in black tar to provide protection against extreme weather conditions, which the home beautifully mimics.

What we like

  • The cabin is marked by massive, full-height glazing, which provides the rooms with stunning views of the landscape
  • The various rooms seamlessly flow into one another

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

5. Bathhouse

Norwegian architecture studio Handegård Arkitektur designed a bright red cabin on the seafront in Hankøsundet, Østfold. Called Bathhouse, the cabin is raised on stacks of granite, elevating it above the water, and giving the impression that it is floating in the air. The cabin was heavily influenced by the aesthetics of traditional Norwegian boathouses, especially their red color exteriors.

Why is it noteworthy?

The cabin was built for a client who lives near the coast and aims to be a ‘modern reinterpretation’ of traditional Norwegian boathouses. The studio used contemporary materials and techniques to create this lively-looking cabin since the client wanted a space that was both modern and traditional.

What we like

  • The cabin’s red-painted finish, tin roof, and thick granite stacks in the water give the impression of a traditional boathouse quite accurately
  • The cabin’s living area is covered by a second layer of timber planks, angled at 45 degrees, which aim to create a sense of privacy

What we dislike

  • The bright red shade of the cabin may be too bold for some people

6. The Dune Dormer

The Dune Dormer is a rustic A-frame cabin on the stunning Great Barrier Island in New Zealand. Built by RTA Studio, the cabin is deeply inspired by traditional Pacific huts, and this is showcased beautifully in its gable roof hut. The home completely resembles traditional Maori huts and brings to mind the vision of a harbor standing upright on a dune, guiding seafaring owners home.

Why is it noteworthy?

Unlike regular A-frame cabins, the Dune Dormer has a spacious and open feel to it, and functions as a cozy three-bedroom family home. Not only is the cabin inspired by traditional Maori huts, but it is also inspired by the local coastal landscape, and it aims to provide the residents with an experience of ‘living with the earth and sleeping with the sky’. It occupies a minimal footprint of 110 square meters and was built while respecting the environment, and local traditions of the region.

What we like

  • Inspired by traditional Maori huts
  • Occupies a minimal footprint

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

7. A House

Nestled in the beautiful wooded region of Lilla Kilskäret, an island of the Swedish archipelago near Stockholm is a minimalist Nordic cabin called ‘A House’. Designed by emerging Studio Nāv, the idyllic cabin was designed for a young couple as a cozy summer home to escape to during the warm season.

Why is it noteworthy?

‘A House’ beautifully captures minimalist Nordic architecture, and its picturesque surroundings help to create a space that is truly calming and peaceful. However, despite its pristine and awe-spiring location, building the home wasn’t simple child’s play. The site and local building regulations were quite challenging, and hence the home needed to occupy a tiny footprint, and perfectly blend in with its surroundings. In a quest to do so, the interiors of the home were made to be open, free-flowing, and extremely flexible.

What we like

  • The interiors are marked by a single open room, encapsulated in shrouds of glass, allowing the home to harmoniously merge with its surrounding landscape, and creating the sensation of being at one with it
  • Perfectly represents minimalistic Nordic architecture

What we dislike

  • The home may not be private enough for some people

8. The Trakt Forest Hotel

The Trakt Forest Hotel in Småland consists of a collection of five quaint suites, that are elevated and supported by five metal stilts. Designed by Swedish architecture studio Wingårdhs, the hotel was designed to “put nature in focus”. The beautiful cabins are accompanied by a restaurant and sauna as well.

Why is it noteworthy?

While building the cabins, the studio wanted to create minimal disturbance to the surrounding landscape, and hence they positioned the suites on steel columns placed on concrete plinths. The cabins were constructed using locally-grown wood.

What we like

  • The wooden cabins have been placed in a surreal circular arrangement
  • An impressive skylight has been placed above the bed, which provides views of the tree canopy above
  • Creates a deeper connection to nature

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

9. The Buck Mountain Cabin

Situated on Orcas Island, which is a part of an archipelago called San Juan islands, is the Buck Mountain Cabin. The beautiful cedar-clad cabin was built by embracing the original site and its conditions, and by ensuring that minimal disturbance was caused to it. A steep grade and a narrow clearing created by a rock outcropping were a few of the challenges faced by the architects, but they encouraged the clients to focus on these features as they are unique to San Juan.

Why is it noteworthy?

The grassy basalt-rock outcroppings set within a Douglas fir and Pacific madrone forest were used to enhance and elevate the cabin. The east side of the 1527 square feet cabin is anchored to an outcrop, while the west side interestingly cantilevers over the entire site, almost 22 feet above the ground, and provides beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. The large trees around the site weren’t torn down which also ensured that the site was minimally disturbed. The addition of cantilevers, and point-load wooden columns with small footings helped this cause as well.

What we like

  • Large protective overhangs and south-facing clearstory windows allow sunlight to generously stream in, especially during winter
  • A stunning patio floats over the site and can be accessed via a glass door
  • Ensures minimal disturbance is caused to the original site

What we dislike

  • The designers avoided precious or complicated materials and systems, taking away from the luxury element the interiors could have

10. The Hermitage Cabin

Positioned on the edge of a hill, surrounded by the Apennine Mountains, and overlooking the Trebbia Valley near Genoa, is a minimal off-grid cabin called the Hermitage Cabin. This beautiful wooden cabin was built for “contemplation and introspection”, and occupies only 12 square meters. It can function as a secluded little home or even a cozy yoga retreat!

Why is it noteworthy?

Italian architecture studio Llabb drew inspiration from Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses while designing the Hermitage. The cabin is raised on four wooden and steel supports, which stand on a base of sandstone beds. It features an intriguing modular form created from Okoume marine plywood in Llabb’s carpentry workshop!

What we like

  • Inspired by Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses
  • Creates a minimal impact on the land
  • Doubles up as a yoga retreat

What we dislike

  • Can be considered a small space for a yoga retreat

The post Top 10 cabins that are the ultimate escapism from our everyday hectic lives first appeared on Yanko Design.