Ensemble piece: the latest cabin projects

I want to be alone. Well, almost. Check out our global survey of cabin projects, where contemporary architecture becomes something akin to a sculpture park.

By 2by4-architects and Peter Smisek

April 6, 2021 | 10:00 pm CUT

The Tenir Eco Hotel, a modular glamping complex designed by architectural office Levelstudio and located In the mountains just south of the Kazakh capital Almaty. Photo: Miras Ibraimov

Most holidaymakers plan to spend more time in nature and in their home countries going forward, according to surveys carried out by TripAdvisor over the last year. Lucky for them, regional tourism has been on the rise for some time, and good quality accommodation can be found even in remote corners of the countryside. And for those who prefer modern boutique hotels to the rustic charm of old farmhouses or log-cabins, the options continue to multiply. A new generation of architects and hoteliers are creating ensembles of contemporary architecture as a sculpture park, set into the landscape in exciting ways and combining the architectural and the picturesque.

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter's 48° Nord sculptural landscape hotel combines minimal footprints with timber inside and out, creating an environmentally sustainable and welcoming cabin architecture. Photos: Florent Michel @11h45

A classic example is Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter's 48° Nord, a landscape hotel in the Alsace region of France. Built within a nature reserve, it consists of sculptural timber cabins that provide visitors with views out over the surrounding nature, combining the ambience of Scandinavian cabins with the rustic charm of the French countryside. The architects have created four different cabin types that are placed in clusters along the hillside, following the natural contours of the land and highlighting the unique architectural forms to create an inhabitable sculpture park.

The sculptural qualities of the buildings that comprise Open AD's Ziedlejas Wellness Resort are enhanced by its park-like forest setting and robust, primitive furnishings. Photos: Alvis Rozenbergs

In Latvia, practice Open AD has designed Ziedlejas Wellness Resort. Built-in phases – with more to come in the future – the resort currently comprises a traditional Latvian sauna built from timber logs, a shared wellness area buried in the hillside, and three contemporary corten steel and glass cabins for guests to stay overnight. With minimal individual facilities, guests have to walk across the forest park to reach shared areas, increasing their contact with the natural world. The sculptural qualities of the architecture – even the traditional sauna has a wide-eaved weathering steel roof – create an ensemble that is both distinct, yet completely at home in its surroundings.

Levelstudio's Tenir Eco Hotel is built high up on columns with minimal foundations, further reinforcing its sculptural architecture in one of Kazakhstan's most dramatic national parks. Photos: Miras Ibraimov

In the mountains just south of the Kazakh capital Almaty, architecture outfit Levelstudio has completed Tenir Eco Hotel, a modular glamping site in one of the country's most popular ski resorts. The resort comprises 12 individual, 30 sqm cabins set along a ridge, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the slopes. With their relatively simple rhomboid shape and shingle facades, the buildings possess a striking sculptural silhouette against the mountainous wilderness, yet the interiors are furnished to the highest level of comfort and even include an individual sauna, so that guests can unwind after a day of skiing or hiking.

Qurios Zandvoort, designed by 2by4architects, combines sculptural architecture with natural materials like timber in a park-like dune setting. Photos: Courtesy of 2by4-architects

In the seaside town of Zandvoort in the Netherlands, 2by4architects have designed Qurios Zandvoort, a holiday resort in the dunes. Consisting of a number of different cottage types – some two-storey rectangular volumes, some low-slung, more traditionally shaped cabins – the buildings are clustered in the natural landscape. A winding promenade through the park-like complex accentuates the architecture's sculptural qualities, while the themed interiors provide guests with comfort and character.

Ensemble piece: the latest cabin projects

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