A Small Cabin With Big Aspirations

  • June 30th, 2018

For the first time BIG is going small. Tiny in fact. With just 17sqm of internal space, this sleek black cabin, designed by Bjark Ingels (from BIG) and fellow Danish designer Soren Rose, is a house concept for people who want to live close to, and comfortably in nature.

Dubbed the A45 for tiny home company Klein, the cabin is inspired by traditional pitched-roof A-frame structures. By twisting the roof 45 degrees however, the designers were able to create a soaring volume that is 3.9 meters high. The result is a building that changes depending on your viewpoint. From one angle the cabin looks like a cube, while appearing to be a spire when viewed from the other direction. 

The small footprint encourages residents to go back to basics. “A home that’s incredibly compact ensures that nature is what you end up experiencing,” explains Ingels. And because it operates fully off-the-grid and is made from 100% recyclable materials, the micro home ticks all the green building boxes.

The interior spaces reflect a minimal Nordic aesthetic, with its exposed pine timber frame, Douglas Fir floors, and natural cork walls. Each A45 Klein can be customized in materials – from frame to flooring – meaning clients can personalise their cabin to suit their individual design tastes.

Modular cabin in the woods

The A45 Klein seems of its time – it’s in line with the movement for environmentally conscious design and the trend amongst millennials toward downsizing possessions. But, it’s also refuge that allows a more holistic experience in the natural environment.

Many of today’s travellers are seeking out places untouched, Ingels explains: “I think it is just a little bit of a paradigm change. Authenticity is somehow the new luxury.”

Authenticity is something our clients know well, especially our Tintaldra client who lives in a 60sqm cabin on the banks of the Murray River. The eco-friendly off grid cabin offers a secluded yet intimate existence from which the surrounding environment can be observed and revered.

Images via ArchDaily