The Great Outdoors

2017

These sketches illustrate various possibilities of accommodation in nature, starting with small scale shelters and progressing into a more conventional summer retreat.

The first designs offer solutions for one night stops in the wild, to be used by hikers or trekkers that are interested in an immersive experience with the surroundings. They are meant to be duplicated on different sorts of terrain, above stone cliffs or between tree trunks of a thick forest. Large windows frame the landscape from high above, or sliding glass walls enable the shelter to become fully open. They are designed to be lightweight, easy to transport and assemble, and may include extending passerelles to connect them to flat areas of access. A modular approach was taken into consideration, with several units that may form a cluster, providing extra space for storage, cooking and restrooms. Wood and burned shingles were used as cladding materials, together with aluminum, for extreme conditions. 

A more generous program was also studied, for longer accommodation. Meant to function as summer house or mini hotel, the building features two bedrooms and a common living and dining area. The small house extends outside with a large covered deck. Opened to the outdoors, and in close proximity to the kitchen, this space may become the main center of activity. The house offers various levels of privacy and can be used by one or several distinct groups. As another possible variation, the whole house was duplicated to shelter up to eight people.