Cabin on the Border designed by SO? Architecture&Ideas, What does the photo of the man, walking alone in an almost untouched forest to its elegantly but simply designed hut that gently sits on the soil say us? This very popular image might relate to the dream of escape from metropolis or a way to get back to nature.
Courtesy of SO?
But more than that, that photo shows the victory of architecture, how it is able to survive even without an infrastructure that is supposed to be the main supporter of building for over a century. While this photo of the isolated house in nature gives a clue about the triumph mentioned above, the sections of the building display the details and how architecture overcome being without infrastructure utilizing the nature by rainwater collectors, solar panels.
Courtesy of SO?
But nature is not always a collaborator of architecture. What those charming photos or intelligent sections do not show; giant mosquitoes, heavy storms, sizzling sunshine, muddy grounds are there, as well. Designing a contemporary off-grid building in nature is not only about collecting rainwater or utilizing solar energy or locating the building according to the sun and wind; it is rather about a more direct, unequivocal way of relating with nature.
Courtesy of SO?
There are certain cases that this relationship has its ups and downs. Sometimes, during an afternoon in spring, could be very humble and tender while it may suddenly become fierce and forceful on a winter night. This cabin is designed based on this relationship. It is manually transformed by its users, according to the climate conditions.
Courtesy of SO?
Located in a village on the Turkish-Greek border, Cabin on the Border faces weather conditions that vary dramatically depending on the season. In a warm rainy afternoon, the polycarbonate window becomes a canopy to lay under and watch the sky over the plywood façade that becomes a terrace. On a stormy night, both the window and the façade is shut down, then the cabin -totally made of the laminated wood structure with insulation- becomes like a sailboat in the ocean.
Model
All this happens manually since the cabin is off-grid. Though it is prefabricated and transported to the land, it has been embraced by nature thanks to spring and fully surrounded by mustard plants. Initially inspired by that generic photo we described above, we tried to envision the nature not only as a picturesque background but also as a protagonist of the scenes we will create.
Floor Plan 1
Project Info:
Architects: SO? Architecture&Ideas
Location: Edirne, Turkey
Lead Architects: Sevince Bayrak, Oral Göktaş
Design Team: Şeyma Erdal, Cansu Özay, Metincan Güzel, Gizem Aşçı, Alex Gahr, Baran Aybars, Tuğçe Selin Türk, Cemal Temel
Area: 18.0 m2
Project Year: 2018
Manufacturers: WISA
Project Name: Cabin on the Border
All Images Courtesy Of SO? Architecture&Ideas
Courtesy of SO?
Courtesy of SO?
Courtesy of SO?
Courtesy of SO?
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Courtesy of SO?
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Courtesy of SO?
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Model
Floor Plan 1
Floor Plan 2
Section 1
Section 2
Ruba Ahmed, a senior project editor at Arch2O and an Alexandria University graduate, has reviewed hundreds of architectural projects with precision and insight. Specializing in architecture and urban design, she excels in project curation, topic selection, and interdepartmental collaboration. Her dedication and expertise make her a pivotal asset to Arch2O.