Nathan Fisher’s Whaelghinbran Nomadic Cabin
Architect Nathan Fisher’s tiny self-sufficient cabin won first place in the International Backwoods Cabin Competition. A cross between Acadian-style architecture and the Traditional Aboriginal wigwam, the portable home promotes a nomadic and regenerative lifestyle.
ShelteRelax by Ernesto Di Giorgio and Giuseppe Di Pasqua
ShelteRelax is a two-story, eco-conscious yoga retreat that maximizes the use of locally sourced materials. Two octagonal windows puncture the sides of the wooden cabin while solar panels sit atop its south inclined roof.
Cabin Unfolded by Kenneth Ip
Designed by Kenneth Ip of JOKE Architects, Cabin Unfolded opens up its doors to the environment to strengthen its connection with the landscape and to allow cross breezes through the cabin. Partitions in the building let the user flexibly alter the configuration of the rooms and conserve energy by closing off rooms that don’t require heating.
Purple Violet by Jason Orbe-Smith
Like “a jewel in the snow,” Purple Violet is an explosion of vivid colors in the landscape. Painted with the bright colors found in Canadian wildflowers, the reimagined wigwam cabin is covered with a roof garden that provides natural insulation.
Hearth by Kyle Schumann & Katie MacDonald
Like its name implies, the Hearth cabin is structured as a chimney built with a horizontal slatted facade of stacked wooden beams. The 150-square foot house proposal uses locally sourced tires and rammed earth for the foundation to minimize its ecological footprint.
The Bureau of Architecture and Design by Greg Broerman & Obinna Elechi
This wigwam-inspired hut takes its cues from the surrounding natural landscape. Its giant curving roof wraps and insulates the interior with a dried organic layer of plant material.
Adaptable Nature’s Retreat by Jean C.I. Wang
Jean C.I. Wang’s pod-shaped tree cabins take the idea of connecting with nature one step further by physically wrapping the house around a tree. The small pod is partly encased in fiberglass to maximize natural light and to create a glowing lantern-like effect at night.
Marlice by Alice Dupin & Marion Filliatre
This cute sloping cabin by Alice Dupin & Marion Filliatre was built to blend in with the surrounding white pine forest. Clad in clapboard wood, the triangulated roof offers space for the addition of solar panels.
Bird House Retreat by Katsuya Arai & Akiko Suzuki
Though it’s not for the faint of heart, the Bird House Retreat is a quirky treehouse that provides a peaceful environment for both people and birds to call home. Designed by Atelier GO-ICHI-GO, this angular treehouse nestled high in the treetops is wrapped in weathered wood cladding.
