Taschen - Book - Cabins

Looking for simplicity and rusticity ? Step inside Cabins , a stunning selection of minimalist, peaceful, and eco-friendly retreats built around the world. All of these basic accommodations showcase an innovative, conscious, and eco-friendly way of living .

Ever since Henry David Thoreau described his two years, two months, and two days as a hermit at Walden Pond, Massachusetts, in Walden, or Life in the Woods (1854), the fantasy of the cabin has captivated the modern imagination. Over the past decade, as the environmental footprint of our material existence has grown exponentially, architects worldwide have been exploring the possibilities of secluded, minimalist, and low-impact housing .

This edition of Cabanes brings together informative texts, magnificent photos and modern and colorful illustrations by Marie-Laure Cruschi to show the unique opportunities and stimulating creativity offered by this type of architecture . Far from any excess, the cabin forces us to limit ourselves to what is strictly necessary for our essential needs; in harmony with the rusticity of its environment, it brings eco-responsible solutions to the forefront. The cabin has thus become the experimental ground for the most inventive and forward-looking contemporary architecture, with ambassadors such as Renzo Piano, Terunobu Fujimori and Tom Kundig, all trying their hand at these sanctuaries dedicated to the essential .

The book presents a multitude of cabins of varied uses and locations. From an artist's studio on the English coast of Suffolk to bamboo bungalows in Sri Lanka, this selection is as exciting for its breadth of geographical scope as for the diversity of lifestyles, clients, and situations it reveals . The common thread remains architectural innovation, and the precious sense of contemplation and existence nurtured by these people who return to nature and to a less destructive way of being in the world .