cabin Archives

Suspended bridges connect round cabin hotels in Mexico

Mexican architect María José Gutiérrez has placed a series of round, pine-clad cabins connected by suspended bridges onto a vineyard in Mexico to serve as vacation rentals.

Located in Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada on the Baja Peninsula, Zeuhary Hospedaje Campestre includes a community lounge and four vacation rental cabins.

Round cabin with plunge pool — Top: photo by Martin Acevedo. Above: the cabins are located in Baja California, Mexico. Photo by Jonatan Ruvalcaba Maciel

“Beyond creating spaces we aim to create experiences, where nature and human beings integrate and recognize each other,” María José Gutiérrez, who leads Mexican studio Arqos Arquitectura Arte Y Diseño, told Dezeen.

“The architecture and interior design were focused on connecting with the environment and maintaining harmony with it.”

Cabin bedroom — Central bedrooms feature in the round buildings

Completed in June 2022, the 250 square metres (2,690 square feet) of built area is divided into five 40-square metre (430-square foot) structures that look outward to the surrounding wine region.

The ground floor of each cabin is divided orthogonally, splitting off a portion for a partially covered exterior porch that leads into the sleeping space through a glass sliding door.

The interiors were sectioned into a bathroom along one side, a central bedroom and a kitchenette tucked behind the headboard wall.

“In the furniture and interior decoration, we used organic materials from the region and different areas of the country, earth tones and grey contrasts, crafts, natural fibers, textiles, local wood and stone, recognizing Mexican handicraft talent and tradition,” the studio said.

“The chukum finish on the interior walls gives an organic texture and helps keep the interiors cool in summer, while the exterior coating of recycled pine wood allows the cabins to be thermally insulated in both winter and summer for greater energy efficiency.”

Round jacuzzi in cabin garden — Small private gardens feature round jacuzzis

The cabins are all rotated to face a particular northern or eastern view without compromising privacy for the occupants.

A small planted garden protected by a grey wall rings a quarter of each plan, terminated by a private in-ground jacuzzi, connected to the cabin by a wooden deck with planks that align with the vertical cladding boards as if the facade radiates down the wall and along the ground.

Up a delicate metal spiral staircase with wooden treads, the round plan becomes a rooftop terrace complete with a rope net set into the roof of the porch like an integrated hammock.

A free-swinging wooden bridge with rope netting guard rails is suspended from the roof of each cabin and leads to the roof of the common area, allowing guests to congregate in a central location.

“The circular floor plan of the cabins, together with their transition spaces such as the hanging bridges, wooden paths and spiral staircases generate fluid and dynamic routes which allow us to reconnect with ourselves and awaken our inner child through play and movement,” the studio said.

In addition to the material selection that responds thermally to the environment, the design works to preserve what little water the agricultural region has, reusing grey water for the irrigation of the vineyards.

Round cabins — Zeuhary Hospedaje Campestre is positioned within a vineyard

Other cabins recently completed in Mexico include a house deconstructed and separated for glamping within a forest in Nuevo León by S-AR and a brutalist cube-shaped holiday home tucked into a pine forest in Alférez by Ludwig Godefroy.

The photography is by Jonatan Ruvalcaba Maciel unless otherwise stated.

Project credits:

Architect: María José Gutiérrez
Engineering and construction: Specialized Urban Services

Reference

Architecture

CCY architects hides this DNA alpine cabin in the colorado rockies

By Zarkon Group,17/09/2023

a mountain hideaway for nature-lovers

Deep into the rugged wilderness of Colorado‘s San Miguel County, this newly completed house known as DNA Alpine has been crafted by CCY Architects. This secluded retreat high in the Rocky Mountains offers a tranquil retreat for a family who had owned and loved the 70-acre plot of land for over two decades. Their wish for a permanent dwelling — from which they could hike, snowshoe, and cross-country ski — led to the design of this humble trio of cabins. Perched along the northern edge of a gentle bowl and backdropped by towering spruce trees, the copper-clad dwelling results from the owners’ intimate knowledge of the site. Their commitment to preserving the environment led to the structure’s minimal footprint on the land.

‘Accessible by car only in summer, occupants must reach the cabins by snowshoe in the winter months,‘ writes CCY Architects, describing the unique remoteness of the forested site.

images © Jeremy Bittermann / JBSA

ccy architects clusters a trio of cabins

In a thoughtful response to the hidden site’s challenging topography, CCY Architects divided DNA Alpine into three distinct buildings: the main house, garage, and sauna. This division allowed each structure to respectfully adapt to the natural contours of the land, weaving between the existing trees. These buildings are linked together by a network of walking paths.

To ensure space for gatherings across generations, the architects employed a clever strategy of multi-functional areas. Instead of allocating space for four dedicated bedrooms, a flexible room serves as an office or sleeping area with two daybeds, while a sleeping loft is nestled beneath the sloping roof. The outcome is a beautifully designed home that accommodates both the family and the environment it inhabits.

‘The clients wanted a generational house that respected their land, so we paid close attention to the scale of the structures,’ Consulting Principal John Cottle, FAIA tells designboom. ‘The house lives large, with flowing spaces, but because of the folded roof the highest point is only fourteen feet above the undulating topography. It’s a statement of deference to the beauty of the landscape.’

the copper cladding pattern mirrors the DNA sequence of the site’s heritage spruce trees

dna alpine’s namesake copper cladding

For the cladding of its DNA Alpine, CCY Architects turned to copper sheeting, which was carefully formed into four profiles that could be arranged in any pattern. Inspired by the client’s interest in synthetic biology, the chosen pattern mirrors the DNA sequence of the heritage spruce trees that encircle the house. This non-repetitive sequence wraps the structure, creating a dynamic and slightly reflective facade that interacts with the changing daylight. As seasons pass, the cladding will gracefully patina, further harmonizing the house with its natural surroundings.

the angular, sloping roof is expressed along the interiors the trio of cabins are linked by a network of footpaths

Reference

Sustainable News

Overtreders W secures hotel cabin with colourful straps

By Zarkon Group,17/08/2023

Dutch architecture studio Overtreders W has created Stable Stack, a temporary cabin hotel built using straps and borrowed materials, in Veenhuizen, the Netherlands.

The studio found the materials for the cabin in the village of Veenhuizen, sourcing concrete gutters and wood from carpenter Peter Kroes and roof tiles and paving slabs from Riedstra farm.

overtreder W built Stable Stack on a farm, by Overtreders W — *Stable Stack features a strap-fastened structure built with borrowed materials*

Instead of gluing, drilling or screwing, Overtreders W opted for tie-down straps to fasten the structure, so that the borrowed materials could be returned without damage and devaluation.

The studio also used the green straps as decorative elements and to add another layer of texture to the stable, “emphasising the versatile and innovative character of the structure,” it said.

STABLE STACK is a temporary hotel room with a view of farmland, by Overtreders W — *Stable Stack is a temporary hotel room with a view of farmland*

The studio designed the temporary accommodation to highlight Veenhuizen’s craftsmanship, history and environment.

The village, which is now a World Heritage Site, was first built as a reform housing colony, Landbouwkolonie Veenhuizen [agricultural colony Veenhuiz] by the forced labour of homeless people 200 years ago.

“In line with the modest history of the place, where labour and life took place with limited resources, this cosy dwelling has been created,” said Overtreders W.

“Stable Stack showcases the beautiful possibilities that the combination of craftsmanship and sustainable handling of materials can offer.”

STABLE STACK's Components were stacked and secured with straps, by Overtreders W — *Components were stacked and secured with straps*

Stable Stack, which is located in a peat meadow landscape and overlooks farmland, forms part of Veen Huis Hotel.

This is a project that celebrates 200 years of the village by maker and thinker collective Ketter&Co and local hotel Bitter & Zoet.

Hotel cabin in Netherlands — Stable Stack is one of seven temporary accommodations

It comprises seven temporary accommodations, created in unconventional ways, and opens its door for guests from May to October 2023.

“With a revaluation of the relationship between man and landscape and an explosion of creativity, the Veen Huis Hotel inspires an urgent conversation about the future of Veenhuizen as an experimental agricultural colony,” said Ketter&Co.

STABLE STACK is a permeable accommodation, by Overtreders W — *It was secured and decorated with green straps*

Hester van Dijk and Reinder Bakker founded and head Overtreders W, a small Amsterdam architecture studio specialising in temporary structures.

At Dutch Design Week 2017, the studio collaborated with Bureau SLA and designed the People’s Pavilion with borrowed and reclaimed materials. The pavilion was the venue for Dezeen’s Good Design for a Bad World talk series.

More recently, the studio built a demountable exhibition pavilion with pink hempcrete and recycled timber.

The photography is courtesy of Overtreders W.

Reference

Architecture

ecological wooden cabin nestles in rural finland’s lakeside setting

By Zarkon Group,18/05/202319/05/2023

Villa K by Saukkonen+Partners stands on a remote Finnish island

Architectural firm Saukkonen + Partners designs an escape retreat located on a remote island in lakeside Finland, surrounded by nature. Dedicated to a couple’s occasional stay in the rural site, the hideaway cabin is a thought-through entity that adapts to the changing seasons and landscapes. The main cottage and a separate sauna building are carefully positioned on the island. The two separated volumes are connected by their overlapping roof structures. A bridge leading to the island is also a part of the designed whole. The beautiful views of the lake are generally westwards where the sun sets in the evening. The building’s main living spaces and generated views are developed following the sun’s patterns.

all images by Timo Pyykönen

material selection and color scheme reflect the natural setting

The design is based on respect for the surrounding nature, aiming to place the buildings on the terrain as naturally as possible, without overpowering the environment. Thereby, the villa aims to become one with the lake scenery. The design team opts for the effective maximizing of all available building permits to allow for a practical and desired program for leisure purposes. The intention is to create a design that would be as maintenance-free as possible while bringing the surrounding nature into the atmosphere of the spaces. From a technical point of view, the buildings are formed to be ecological and low-energy-consuming. The material selection and color scheme of the building merge the architecture with its natural environment. The villa is made to be as long-lasting and durable as possible.

the hideaway cabin is a thought-through entity that adapts to its landscape

the main cottage and a separate sauna building are carefully positioned on the island

the villa aims to become one with the lake scenery

the buildings are placed on the terrain as naturally as possible, without overpowering the environment

Reference

Architecture

Dezeen Agenda features Norwegian cabin clad with 12,000 offcuts

By Zarkon Group,07/03/2023

The latest edition of our weekly Dezeen Agenda newsletter features a weekend retreat with a facade made from wooden flooring material. Subscribe to Dezeen Agenda now.

Stockholm-based studio Kolman Boye Architects has designed a weekend retreat in Lillesand, Norway, with an exterior made from offcuts of wooden floor material.

Studio founders Erik Kolman and Victor Boye came up with the concept after they learned that Danish floor brand Dinesen had a large haul of leftover wood available for use.

“It’s about using what’s available, of trying to find beautiful materials without clicking ‘order’ on a computer,” said Boye.

Portrait of Rafael Viñoly — Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly dies aged 78

This week’s newsletter also included a minimalist renovation of a mews house in London by Trewhela Williams, an interview with the “grandfather of mass timber” Hermann Kaufmann and the passing of Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly.

Dezeen Agenda

Dezeen Agenda is a curated newsletter sent every Tuesday containing the most important news highlights from Dezeen. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Agenda or subscribe here.

You can also subscribe to our other newsletters; Dezeen Debate is sent every Thursday and features the hottest reader comments and most-debated stories, Dezeen Daily is our daily bulletin that contains every story published in the preceding 24 hours and Dezeen In Depth is sent on the last Friday of every month and delves deeper into the major stories shaping architecture and design.

Reference

Architecture

Bureau conceals Thérèse cabin in France with boulder-like concrete finish

By Zarkon Group,15/01/2023

Architecture studio Bureau has used a rough concrete finish to disguise this small wooden cabin in France as a boulder, distinguishable only by a porthole-style window.

Named Thérèse, the structure is located in the rural grounds of contemporary art space Bermuda outside the town of Sergy and provides space for one person to live comfortably.

Concrete exterior of Thérèse cabin in France by Bureau — Bureau has created a boulder-like cabin in France

Bureau, formerly known as Bureau A, conceived the project as a companion piece to its 2014 project Antoine – a cabin in the Swiss Alps that was also disguised as a boulder.

Both projects pay tribute to the work of Swiss writer Chales-Ferdinand Ramuz, whose novel Derborence tells the story of a shepherd named Antoine who becomes trapped under rocks following a landslide, shortly after his marriage to Thérèse.

Woodland with boulder-like structure — It has a rough concrete finish to disguise it in woodland

“Thérèse was thought and built along the same lines as Antoine, creating interconnected dependencies of art and other travelling communities,” said Bureau.

“Habitation is political here, as the two shelters are nowhere near commercial or speculative routes or agendas,” it continued. “They offer a place to many outside any financial or economic considerations.”

Porthole-style window of Thérèse in France — All that distinguishes it is a porthole-style window

Nestled in a wooded area close to France’s border with Switzerland, all that gives away the presence of the cabin is a single, large porthole-style window.

Underneath Thérèse’s rough concrete exterior is a pyramidal timber structure, sitting atop light foundations that give it the potential to be relocated in future.

Inside, the cabin provides enough space for a single person to live comfortably, with room for a portable wood-burning stove, a table with benches and niches for storage.

Beneath the openable porthole window is a bench for viewing the surrounding landscape, alongside a ladder that leads up to a small mezzanine sleeping area.

Wood-lined cabin interior designed by Bureau — Underneath the concrete is a wooden structure

Exposed timber panels line the entirety of Thérèse’s interior and have also been used to construct the furniture, chosen to provide a warm contrast to the rocky exterior.

Wooden ladder to mezzanine of Thérèse — A mezzanine is accessed by a ladder

Bureau is an architecture, design and research studio led by architects Daniel Zamarbide, Carine Pimenta and Galliane Zamarbide, with offices in Geneva and Lisbon.

As well as the previously completed cabin Antoine, the studio’s other projects include an inflatable PVC nightclub in Geneva that was designed to host the annual party of the Federation of Swiss Architects.

The photography is by Dylan Perrenoud.

Reference

Architecture

Llabb creates The Hermitage cabin overlooking Italian mountains

By Zarkon Group,20/11/2022

Italian architecture studio Llabb has perched an off-grid wooden cabin for “contemplation and introspection” on the edge of a hill overlooking the Trebbia valley near Genoa.

Surrounded by the dramatic landscape of the Apennine Mountains, The Hermitage is just 12 square metres in size and contains a single space designed to be anything from a secluded studio to a yoga retreat.

Wooden cabin in the Trebbia valley — Llabb has created The Hermitage cabin near Genoa

Llabb‘s design for the off-grid structure is informed by Scandinavian cabins and Japanese teahouses.

Sitting atop four wood and steel supports resting on sandstone beds, it has a modular wooden structure crafted from Okoume marine plywood in Llabb’s own carpentry workshop.

Person looking out from The Hermitage cabin — The Hermitage overlooks Trebbia valley

According to the studio, this structure ensures a minimal impact on the landscape and is “easily scalable and adaptable into different compositions”.

“The basicness of construction, the minimal impact on the land and the use of natural materials that can be easily sourced locally enable a respectful installation in natural contexts,” explained Llabb co-founder Luca Scardulla.

“These Hermitages put human beings back in touch with nature by lightening the anthropization load that marks all building activities.”

Underside of The Hermitage cabin by Llabb — It has a wooden structure

The Hermitage cabin extends over the edge of the hill with a full-height glazed end, where a sliding door leads onto a small wooden terrace sheltered by a retractable fabric awning.

Designed to be completely off-grid, it features photovoltaic panels on its roof, as well as a composting toilet and water canisters in the bathroom.

Inside, a long countertop runs the entire length of the wall on the right of the plywood-lined space. Located beneath a letterbox window that frames the tree canopy, it is designed to be used as either a seat or desk containing storage space.

Opposite the countertop is a small seating area and a fold-out bed that provides space to rest, next to a small bathroom at the back of the cabin.

yoga studio in mountains near Genoa — It can be used as a yoga studio

“Minimal and flexible, with the expansive glass wall facing the terrace, the space feels light and contemplative,” said Llabb co-founder Federico Robbiano.

“The interplay between different levels offers the possibility to better manage storage spaces and technical compartments, while contributing to the definition of a graceful atmosphere,” added Robbiano.

Plywood-lined interior of The Hermitage cabin — A desk lines one side

Scardulla and Robbiano founded Llabb in 2013, originally as a carpentry workshop before expanding into architecture.

Prior to creating The Hermitage, the studio combined two apartments in Genoa to create bright, open interiors that subtly reference the area’s maritime heritage.

The photography is by Studio Campo.

Reference

Architecture

Les Archinautes and 3AE create Lipno Lakeside Cabin in Czech Republic

By Zarkon Group,31/10/2022

Timber interiors and larch cladding reference the surrounding Bohemian Forest at this pared-back cabin in the Czech Republic, designed by French practice Les Archinautes in collaboration with local practice 3AE.

Overlooking Lipno lake close to the Czech Republic’s border with Germany and Austria, the cross-laminated timber (CLT) cabin was designed to provide a rest stop for people who come to ski and hike in the nearby mountain ranges.

Exterior image of Lipno Lakeside Cabin surrounded by forest — Lipno Lakeside Cabin is a cabin in the Czech Republic

Informed by a wooden dwelling that once stood on the site, the cabin’s simple design drew from the architecture typical to the area, which Lyon-based Les Archinautes describes as “wooden, compact and cozy.”

“The morphology of the house stands on several principles of Bohemian Forest architecture: rectangular floor plan, compact shape, orientation along the contour line, creation of a covered porch and more pronounced articulation of the gable,” said the practice.

Exterior image of the facade of Lipno Lakeside Cabin with views of the interior — It has been clad in larch planks

Clad in thin larch planks, the cabin is raised on a low wooden platform, which extends to create a terrace along two sides of the home sheltered by the oversized eaves of the roof.

Seeking to bring the surrounding forest into the cabin as a “material, smell, and colour,” the CLT structure has been left exposed throughout the interiors, which are organised to capture views of the landscape.

The focal point of the cabin is the ground floor living and dining space, where a large table, kitchen counters and concrete fireplace sit underneath wooden beams and overlook the lake through a large square window.

Alongside this space, the main ground-floor bedroom and two smaller first-floor bedrooms tucked beneath the roof capture glimpses of the forest and mountains through skylights and small, round windows in each gable end.

Interior image of the timber-lined dining area at Lipno Lakeside Cabin and its lakeside views — The interior of the cabin was similarly clad in timber

“The view of Lipno lake, with two major peaks in the background, becomes the main point of the project, centred around the dominant gabled square window facing toward the lake,” said the practice.

“Wooden walls in the interior create a pleasant and warm atmosphere. The exposed wood is painted with hard wax oil, white pigment and a UV filter, ensuring the wood retains its fresh colour for decades to come,” it continued.

Interior image of the upper level of the wooden cabin — It was designed by Les Archinautes in collaboration with 3AE

Complementing the exposed CLT walls and ceilings, the minimal interiors are finished with oak flooring, simple light fittings and white tilework in the bathrooms.

Elsewhere in the Czech Republic, architecture studio Atelier SAD and interior designer Iveta Zachariášová recently completed a cork-clad home set in a rural landscape and local studio KLAR created a V-shaped timber house in the Czech countryside.

Photography is by Petr Polak.

Reference

cabin

Suspended bridges connect round cabin hotels in Mexico

CCY architects hides this DNA alpine cabin in the colorado rockies

a mountain hideaway for nature-lovers

ccy architects clusters a trio of cabins

dna alpine’s namesake copper cladding

Overtreders W secures hotel cabin with colourful straps

ecological wooden cabin nestles in rural finland’s lakeside setting

Villa K by Saukkonen+Partners stands on a remote Finnish island

material selection and color scheme reflect the natural setting

Dezeen Agenda features Norwegian cabin clad with 12,000 offcuts

Bureau conceals Thérèse cabin in France with boulder-like concrete finish

Llabb creates The Hermitage cabin overlooking Italian mountains

Les Archinautes and 3AE create Lipno Lakeside Cabin in Czech Republic

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