new caelifera cabin's angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks

new caelifera cabin's angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks

johnston architects rests family cabin in washington’s meadows

 

Set in a rural valley of ranches and orchards in Washington, New Caelifera is a family cabin named after the scientific identification of the grasshoppers that inhabit the site. Like the insect, the home sits lightly on the meadow with a low sloping profile, and draws its angular aesthetic from the contours of origami. Completed by Johnston Architects, the cabin metaphorically lifts from the landscape and folds inwards, encased in a steel shell that shelters a pavilion of glass and cedar. The result is a dynamic harmony between sculptural and tectonic elements.

new caelifera cabin by johnston architects angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks
the cabin’s angularity recalls folds in origami | image © Wiqan Ang

 

 

the cabin embraces the scenic mountainous backdrop

 

Interpreting the owners’ concepts, sensitivity to topography, and embracing vistas were key drivers throughout the design process. The team at Johnston Architects began with drawing vectors corresponding to view corridors to the dramatic peaks in the Sawtooth Mountains. These vectors formed the basis for the floor plan with the angles in the surrounding hills inspiring the slope of the roof. Moreover, New Caelifera’s final form ‘is a direct materialization of the clients’ appreciation of origami, lending the home its angular geometry.

 

The cabin is a landmark that welcomes the family upon approach. The architects created a substantial steel facade, ‘a strong threshold into the refuge beyond’, which temporarily obscures views upon entry and creates a heightened sense of anticipation. Alongside the steel materiality, the wood lined vestibule enhances the experience of crossing a portal into a new domain, lending the home a distinct look that balances between industrial and warm. Meanwhile inside, the living space faces a panoramic wall of windows revealing natural light and scenic views.

new caelifera cabin by johnston architects angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks
Johnston Architects encases the cabin in a steel shell, contrasted with cedar and glass | image © Phoebe Webb

new caelifera cabin by johnston architects angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks
the design embraces scenic vistas to the engulfing scenery | image © Phoebe Webb

new caelifera cabin by johnston architects angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks
the living space faces a panoramic window wall, infusing the space with natural light | image © Wiqan Ang

new caelifera cabin's angular geometry echoes origami folds and sawtooth mountain peaks
the cabin beholds a distinct look that balances between industrial and warm | image © Wiqan Ang

new-caelifera-johnston-architects-designboom-1

 

project info:

 

name: New Caelifera
architecture: Johnston Architects
location: Washington, USA

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

KEEP UP WITH OUR DAILY AND WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS
suscribe on designboom
- see sample
- see sample
suscribe on designboom
happening now! get a glimpse of thailand’s rich cultural tapestry through ‘slow hand design thailand’, about to lure visitors into the country’s ordered chaos of crafts during milan design week, april 16-21, in via tortona. 

CABIN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (332)

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS (3785)

STEEL ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (214)

WOOD AND TIMBER ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (896)

PRODUCT LIBRARY

a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.

designboom will always be there for you

milan, new york, beijing, tokyo,  since 1999
X
5