The pattering of rain on a roof. The warmth of a wood fire on cold feet. The cool touch of a window on a winter's night. The tranquil peace of staring into the forest beyond. The embedded quality of a well crafted detail. These are the many simple, yet important experiences that a cabin in the woods must treat its users to. For it is a cabin in the woods that can truly help a society hooked on the digital, come back to the physical.
The name of the cabin describes in two words the entire purpose of this small yet important piece of architecture. In order to successfully blur the lines between building and nature, the architecture of whatever building is attempting this feat must be able to take on a secondary role to nature. This is done with the simple retreat, in the simple, clean formal nature of cabin's architecture, which is inspired by the regional vernacular architecture of the pioneer house.
The retreat portion of the nomenclature comes from both the cabins backwoods location as well as its meditative interior. By simplifying the interior space into a highly efficient space that only includes the essentials, the incoming guest will be treated to a escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This meditative quality is centered around the key feature of the cabin, the two windows. The larger of the two is designed so that it is optimally viewed at the sitting height of a person in a chair, encouraging a reflective attitude towards the view out into the valley. The second window is smaller and more focus around the act of lying in the loft space allowing the guests to reflect on the serenity of nature as they drift to sleep.
The place on the site becomes another important feature on the cabin, as views out and solar orientation become the guide principles. The cabin orients itself to face the views of the surrounding valley through the large picture window. This in turn as helps the orientation of the cabin for the included pv panel to capture enough sunlight to provide the electricity need for the cabin's operation.
The simple retreat will become a beacon on how architecture can successfully meld with nature to form a harmony that will achieve a heightened sense on being. This project will show how a contemporary solution can be able to an age-old tradition of the cabin in the woods, and achieve the same results. A simple retreat.
(Competitor's text)
7 scanned / 6 viewable
- Perspective
- Site Plan
- Axonometric Drawing
- Section
- Elevation
- Plan
