Tag Archives: Cabin Fever

This gem is tucked away deep in the South. Not your typical ‘cabin’ but this guest residence located on Barrier Island along Sarasota Bay would be an amazing summer or winter retreat if situated along Lake of the Woods or Muskoka. Lets be honest here, it’s basically a grown ups version of a tree house. The design, inspired by the surrounding oaks and costal west winds, features a private one bedroom loft, bath and a living area with full kitchenette. The second story loft offers an uninterrupted, breath taking view of the Bay and the inter-coastal waterway to the east. Totems Architecture finished the interior in glulam laminate pine beams which are anchored to the elevated concrete slab. The interior and exterior walls are finished in shiplap cypress siding. The final design really is an organic piece taking direct influence from the surrounding landscape. However one of the best features is the long boardwalk styled dock that ventures a few hundred feet out from the shoreline. (via)

Tucked amongst the oaks and cedar canopy of Lake Travis in Austin, Texas is this Andersson Wise gem entitled the Tower House. The Tower House initially featured one large central room, an intimate sleeping quarters, a full kitchen and porch. Two additional bedrooms with baths and a living area were incorporated in a separate addition. This addition comes in the form of a three tier tower. Although a great feature to accommodate some additional guests I would more likely spend my time on that endearing covered terrace on the third level which I imagine has an epic panoramic view of the lake and rolling hills. The third level faces Lake Travis, the longest of the Highland Lakes that terrace the hill country. I can only imagine the view this addition features.

Would like to see the humble cabin that goes along with this guy. (via. BBC)

This weeks Cabin Fever features the 2,900 square foot Bridge House. Designed by Canadian firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple, the Bridge house is short two-hour commute from Halifax. Situated on the south shore near Liverpool the home was an opportunity for the firm to experiment with the layering of living space. Integrating the unique topography of the lot, the home bridges over a small ravine joining two enormous granite boulders functioning as a large living space. A large porch exterior forms the entry to the home on one end while a small porch terminates at the other. The upstairs features a large sleeping area inspired by a previous MacKay-Lyons design Ghost Lab. The best part of this Nova Scotia residence is without a doubt the large two-story exterior that serves as the social hub for the home which meshes well with the interior layout and aesthetic. Aside from a great place to entertain, the large deck also serves as a scenic and relaxing viewpoint to take in the sights.

I don’t even want to attempt to put words to the Korora House in fear I will not do it justice. Designed by Daniel Marshall, Mike Hartley and Karamia Muller of New Zealand based firm Daniel Marshall Architects this stunner was nominated for 2010 Home of the Year and it doesn’t take long to see why. The Korora House is situated alongside the contour of a ridge that runs between the Hauraki Gulf and the pastoral landscape of Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand. The design blends into the ridge while capitalizing on the stunning view at hand. Entrance into the minimalist house is made via a southern courtyard that provides shelter from the the dominant wind. The featured landscape wall is made up of “clad local colored stones that splay out from the primary plan form, providing a point of entry to the house, and allowing for the excavation that drops the garage below the ground line.” Crafted from masonry inspired by the gun emplacements of Stoney Batter and a combination of cedar, marble and plywood the homes color palette blends into the serene landscape which is evident when just about every inch of this home opens to the outdoors. And I imagine a few hours are logged just out the back door seeing that the steps out the backdoor will put you out on a picturesque wooden deck that houses a medium sized swimming pool that appears to blend into the horizon cascading out into Hauraki Gulf off the South Pacific. (via)

A product of its cascading environment, the Sugar Bowl residence purtrudes from the picturesque town in California. A great deal of thought went into the John Maniscalco Architects designed home. The main concern presented was the way to deal with the large amounts of hard packed snow that ranged from 8-9 feet deep which presented a large concern for snow load on the roof and dangerous shear snow dropping from the typical sloped roof. The solution presented for this mountain residence is quite stunning. Taking a historical railroad avalanche shed as a precedent, the house uses a simple, bent planar roof form to gather the rooftop snow pack and shed it to the rear of the structure, away from entry and pedestrian traffic. This allowed for a large front facade to house the large windows that create a strong indoor-outdoor relation. On the upper level, a variety of living spaces and the master bedroom suite, each facing the mountain views. The interior palette of walnut, fir, concrete, and steel strikes a balance between clean, modern spatial expression with the warm, rustic feel of a mountain home. (via)