Text description provided by the architects. This project seeks to develop a prototype for the development of low-impact cabins on challenging and remote sites. Borrowing conceptual strategies from Metabolist architecture of the 1960s, the proposal utilizes a language of superstructure and modules to allow for adaptations over time. Recognizing the immense investment and environmental impact of remote development, the strategy employs long-term thinking, allowing the structure to remain relevant across many generations and owners.
The project is situated on a remote island within the Salish Sea, about 70 miles north of Seattle, Washington. Perched at the edge of a native fir and madrone forest, the site is defined by steep topography and southerly views across the San Juan Islands. Challenging site access and the desire to preserve the sloping natural grade resulted in a scheme that suspends the primary living enclosures above the site, among the tree canopy. This approach allows the ground plane to be given back to the natural flora and fauna of the island. Wild sheep and deer regularly graze this hillside and can often be spotted passing under the cabin.
The design was informed by three principles:
Lightly touching the land – Located on a steep hillside, the project embraces levitation rather than excavation as a general strategy. A rhythmic steel exoskeleton negotiates the sloping topography while establishing an occupiable plane hovering above the ground. The verticality of the steel frames references the surrounding tree trunks, blending and recessing into the forest.
Adaptability through time – Envisioned as a 200-year super-structure, the steel frame acts as an external armature independent of the wood-framed thermal enclosures or “modules”. As occupants and space needs change over time, the independent systems allow for reconfigurations of the modules within the steel frame. Interior spaces connect to generous exterior decks, expanding and contracting living spaces throughout the seasons.
Reducing consumption – Building less conditioned space is the real hero in the energy consumption story. Circulation spaces for the 868 SF cabin occur outside, reducing the amount of interior space to condition while establishing a daily connection between the users and the natural elements of the site. An expansive overhang on the south tempers the midday sun while providing year-round weather protection to outdoor living spaces.
Energy needs that couldn’t be addressed through passive means are offset by a modest 3.6 kW PV array, which was right-sized for the current occupant load. Expansion infrastructure for the PV system was implemented in the initial construction, anticipating that occupancy schedules will evolve through time.
