on a steep slope in austria, marte marte's cabin recalls post-agrarian collective memories

Masella cabin by Marte Marte Architects

On a sloping road in a rural area in Austria, Marte Marte Architects have nestled a small concrete observation cabin, offering views of the surrounding forestland. Named Massela Cabin, the structure holds symbolic meaning, recalling the collective memory of a post-agrarian society. Emerging as an art installation, memorial, and resting area, the platform smoothly curves around an old tree trunk integrating it into the design, while a set of concrete steps gently guide visitors to its core.

The road where the structure is positioned was initially constructed in the 1920s by the village of Sulz, and served as a means to transport wood down to the valley during winter, utilizing horses and hand-drawn sledges. However, after facing significant damage, it remained impassable for an extended period until restoration efforts in the 1960s brought it back to life. Now, the revitalized old loggers’ road offers access to various sections of the picturesque recreational area on the Masella Ridge.

all images © Faruk Pinjo, unless stated otherwise

Symbolism in Masella Cabin’s Design

Designed by Marte Marte, this structure is something between an artistic exhibit, a tribute, and a place of repose, embodying the shared recollections of a society that has moved past its agricultural roots. In the past, on the Masella, a wooden cabin was used to provide rest and warmth for raftsmen and timber workers, sitting on a bench around the central fireplace, enjoying food and spirits. Although the challenging trade is now history, a tangible spatial sculpture made of a single material remains as a reminder of the once-standing Masella cabin.

In this composition, the team opted for a combination of two robust and nearly indestructible materials, concrete and chrome steel, to preserve ‘the fragile memory of snowy winters, the hard physical labour of men and animals alike, and the austerity and simplicity of life’. According to the architects, the spatial arrangement of this structure evokes the memory of a winter shelter, frozen in time like the envisioned movements halted by the cold.

Various fragments combine harmoniously to form a new whole: ‘from the wall slab made of haptic tamped concrete and the trough-like fireplace to the foundation slab with cutouts to a section of the bench that ran around the fireplace. One cutout is a notch surrounding a fir tree that integrates it into the ensemble’. One of these cutouts accommodates a fir tree incorporating it into the ensemble, symbolically anchoring the object to the forest floor and harmonizing it with the Masella ridge’s landscape. a circular cutout accommodates a fir tree incorporating it into the structure

The Masella book provides hikers with insights into the site’s history and the Masella cabin. It has explanatory texts and photos engraved on thick chrome steel plates, showing the past working conditions and people’s lives during difficult times. Through its abstract form and content, the redefined site tells its own memorable story.

a small set of stairs ensures that the structure is welcoming and approachable