Woodland Cabin | Mike Ford

AR Design Studio has received planning permission for the Woodland Cabin. Sited on the edge of deciduous woodland its purpose is to serve as guest accommodation and as an independent space for the children as they grow older. The brief was to create compact, off the grid, self-build ancillary space for their house. With the client having little experience of construction, part of the brief was to design the cabin such that it could be built using simple techniques. This would enable much of the work to be carried out by the client with support from friends.

With just 25m2 and a brief to sleep four, space was at a premium. The cabin started out as 6x4m box which was then manipulated in a pragmatic manner to maximise the available floor area. To begin with the roof was pitched in order to make space for a mezzanine. Then the volume was increased on one side to incorporate a storage without compromising floor space. Finally, the front truss was rotated towards the north west in order to create a trap for the late evening sun and allow for a small sheltered terrace.

In plan a large terrace wraps around the side of the cabin for use during the warmer months. A modest kitchenette, living and dining space to the front takes advantage of the large picture window. At the rear are two children’s bunks with a double bed over at mezzanine level. Smaller windows provide framed views of the woodland from the sleeping spaces. The children’s bunks have direct access onto the terrace connecting their own personal spaces with the garden.

The cabin will be constructed using four A-Frame trusses. These can be fabricated off site and erected in a similar fashion to a barn raising. This frame can then be braced and clad using the skillset of the client and his friends.

The project will start on site before the close of 2018 with completion in time for the summer of 2019.