Winchester: The Climber's Cabin

 Southern England, UK

Architects: AR Design Studio

Photographer © Martin Gardner

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The Climber’s Cabin is a project recently completed by award winning, Winchester based Architects AR Design Studio.

Sitting between the edge of deciduous woodland and a stream, 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 a compact, off the grid, self-build ancillary space for their house.

At just 25sqm and a brief to sleep four, space was at a premium. The cabin started out as a 6x4m box which was then manipulated in a pragmatic manner to maximise the available floor area. 

A large terrace wraps around the side of the cabin for use during the warmer months. An adaptable living space to the front takes advantage of the large picture window while at the rear there 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 cabin is constructed around four A-Frame trusses. These were fabricated off site and erected in a similar fashion to a barn raising, resting atop simple pad foundations and brick piers. Upcycled scaffold boards form the interior finishes while locally sourced cedar shingles clad the exterior.  

The result is a tranquil space that makes use of natural materials, glass and its context to create a real sense of connection to the surrounding woodlands and provide a small escape from the everyday.