white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga

the triangular geometry references ancestral monoliths and primitive forms.

Camilo Silva B edited by christina vergopoulou August 29, 2025 4 min

Odyssey of the Cabin by Celva Arquitectura and Saga Architects

The Odyssey of the Cabin is a triangular, lightweight shelter designed by Chile-based Celva Arquitectura in collaboration with Belgium-based Saga Architects. Conceived as a nomadic structure, the compact cabin explores the relationship between space, time, and human presence within the landscape.

The cabin’s triangular geometry is both a structural and symbolic gesture, referencing ancestral monoliths and primitive forms. Elevated slightly above the ground on minimal supports, the shelter creates a porous volume that frames its natural surroundings without imposing on them. Its white textile skin, tensioned over a timber frame, allows light and wind to filter through, producing an open and adaptable atmosphere. The spatial experience is organized into two complementary conditions. At the front, an integrated seat provides a place of rest and intimacy, recalling the protective qualities of a cave. At the back, a minimal stair leads to the roof, transforming the structure into an elevated observation platform that opens toward the horizon. This dual arrangement supports both retreat and projection, encouraging moments of pause as well as outward reflection.

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 1 — the central stair leads to the circular opening, turning the path into a ritual of ascent and discovery | all images courtesy of Celva and Saga

Exploring relationships between space, time, and human presence

The cabin is constructed using a simple, reversible system of timber frames and stretched textile membranes. Assembled with dry joints, it can be disassembled and relocated, emphasizing minimal ground impact and a commitment to temporary, low-impact architecture. Inside, the fabric envelope softens daylight, diffuses air, and enhances awareness of the surrounding environment.

Rather than a permanent dwelling, the structure operates as a cultural device that recalls nomadic traditions of adaptation, movement, and exposure to the elements. It highlights the tension between temporary habitation and enduring presence in the landscape. The Odyssey of the Cabin, created by practice Celva Arquitectura and studio Saga Architects, was selected as a finalist at the Festival des Cabanes de Villa Médicis 2026, organized by the French Academy in Rome, Villa Medici.

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 2 — the cabin rises as a light monolith in the forest, a nomadic artifact inviting ascent and contemplation of the horizon

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 3 — a carved seat at the base offers intimate rest, evoking the cave as humanity’s first shelter within the landscape

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 4 — the oculus frames the volcano as a timeless horizon, where the nomadic journey meets the contemplation of the landscape

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 5 — the modular skin of wood and white veils filters light, creating a play of shadows that converses with the forest

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 6 — in the forest’s dim light, the cabin rises as a luminous monolith marking human presence in the landscape

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 7 — the model reveals the constructive essence of the artifact: a light framework that turns geometry into inhabitable poetry

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 8 — the scale model reveals the artifact’s dual condition: an intimate shelter and a vertical lookout toward the horizon

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 9 — the triangular framework combines wood and stretched membranes, revealing the modular logic behind the pure form

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 10 — the circular void frames the landscape, turning the structure into a device for contemplation and memory

white textile skin over timber frame forms triangular nomadic cabin by celva and saga - 11 — light pierces through the model’s skin, casting shifting shadows that evoke the passage of time on matter

double pillar-beam system structures the modular frame and links geometric precision with inhabitable flexibility

project info:

name: The Odyssey of the Cabin

architect: Celva Arquitectura | @celva.arquitectura, Saga Architects | @saga_architectes
design team: Camilo Silva Badilla (Celva), Alice Gier (Saga), Alexis Soriano (Saga)

area: 4 sqm

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