Point of View is the name of our backwoods cabin.
Fascinated by the enchanting landscape of New Brunswick in Canada, we think of this cabin as a place that would allow local operators, students, innovators and guests to enjoy the scenery at 360 degrees. The projection of the valley and the South/West orientation have suggested to us to develop the design matrix in that direction, leaving visual glimpses on the remaining counts, which allow you to communicate with the surrounding forest.
Far from classic cabins that we used to imagine, our shelter is made faithful to more modern design, but at the same time fully respecting the environment.
A point of inspiration was the telescope on the Italian Alps: The "Museo del Passo del Rombo", realized 60 years ago and is still a point of reference in the alpine valley today. From there the idea was to create a cube - a telescope over Whaelghinbran Valley.
The compact volume and the solar exposure were determining factors allowing us to create a highly-effective thermal envelope, allowing us to retain heat inside in winter and keep cool in the summer. The advantages in terms of energy consumption are enormous: a passive structure consumes 90% less compared to a traditional building and about 75% less energy than a modern building without passive solar gain.
Located in the woods of New Brunswick outside of Sussex this small oasis of peace has everything you could want and desire. Simplicity and essentiality are the key words of this project where the refuge is in dialogue with nature and tells a little story and conveys emotions to a magical dwelling. It is a place without boundaries between man and nature.
It is a dynamic project where light is its strong point! It is a double-height room projector that captures all the sunlight possible while being enclosed by surrounding forest. The choice and simplicity make the materials with low environmental impact and at the same time efficient. Equipped with a photovoltaic system, the refuge lives off of sunlight. The sun is the source of clean energy - renewable and inexhaustible. The solar panels are connected in parallel and joined to an invertor to convert direct current to alternating current. Our inverter is positioned in a niche at the entrance to the refuge.
Inside the cabin there are two loft beds, a relaxation area with views over the Whaelghinbran Valley, closets (wardrobes), and table and chairs. Outside there is a small patio that creates shade and shelter and serves as a place to cram the wood the feeds the stove inside. The refuge merges wit the most modern design and with the harmonious landscape, in which the shelter can communicate and hide at the same time to offer the peacefulness of the forest without renouncing on comfort.
Bio-climatic principles have influenced the orientation of the building to maximize natural lighting thanks to floor to ceiling windows. Also the use of renewable energy sources and natural building materials demonstrate how you can live without damaging the ecosystem. The shelter is supported on slender raised discs of cement that raise the structure from the ground, leaving the roots of white pine to live free. The skeleton of the structure is supported by iron beams while the structure itself is made entirely of wood.
A pack of 25cm thermal insulation is airtight and separates the interior and exterior world.
Energy saving is high, providing a good living comfort is paramount. Good design and layout is the base for environmentally sound and fast construction. Even reducing or eliminating the waste material during construction can play an important role in the conservation of natural resources.
The exterior panels are plywood, fiber insulation and paints of natural origin. The roof is covered with a black sheet that will capture solar energy as heat and a PV system will occupy part of that space.
The "dry" construction, ease of on-site assembly, lightweight, and approximately 30% of traditional building techniques used guarantee a high quality design with local materials and reduced transportation costs.
(Competitor's text)
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