We usually encourage you to buy books from your local shop. Independent bookstores matter, and we support them whenever we can. But this deal is exceptional, and we didn’t want to keep it to ourselve…

Read more

One of our major influencers just listed something special for sale.

Stewart Brand is an American writer and thinker best known for creating the Whole Earth Catalog, a guide that inspired people to li…

Read more

Read more

Somewhere deep in Glen Etive, surrounded by the ever-present hum of cold rivers, a small sauna stands steady in the storm. Built by Bobanco—a design-and-build company out of Leith, Edinburgh—it’s not…

Read more

Just outside Kansas City, architect Steve McDowell has turned a patch of woodland into a quiet family refuge. On this rural property stand two structures worth getting …

Read more

In Ontario, a bunkie typically refers to a small bunkhouse. Snuggly situated on the northern edge of Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park, the Smoke Lake bunkie runs with this i…

Read more

Tucked into the ponderosa pine forests of Mazama, Washington—one of the state’s most beloved outdoor playgrounds—stands Tiny Leaf, a small but striking concrete-and-steel cabin designed by GO’C. Desp…

Read more

Read more

This summer, the annual Cabin Fever Summer School returns to the Czech Republic from July 23–31, 2025. Hosted by Hello Wood – a design-build group we’ve previously featured in our books – Cabin Fever offers a rare hands-on architectural learning experience in the former textile factory grounds of Česká Kamenice, nestled between forested hills and the sandstone cliffs of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park.

Why This Place Matters

Česká Kamenice is a small northern Czech town rich in craft and industrial heritage. The surrounding region, Bohemian Switzerland, is known for its fairytale-like rock formations, including the iconic Pravčická Gate, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. This dramatic natural setting makes it an inspiring backdrop for a festival rooted in rethinking how we live with each other and with nature.

Once home to textile production and craft industries, the factory site in Česká Kamenice has become an open canvas for architectural experimentation. What better way to breathe new life into this post-industrial site than by building timber structures with your own hands?

What You’ll Experience

• Design + Build Workshops

  Work alongside leading architects such as Arthur Mamou-Mani (designer of Burning Man’s Temple Galaxia), Geoffrey Eberle (formerly of BIG), Mjölk architekti (celebrated Czech design studio), and Hello Wood themselves.

  You’ll learn by doing—sawing, assembling, and raising real timber structures on-site.

• Your Own Design Realized

  For those looking to take the lead, Cabin Fever invites submissions for temporary structures like saunas, gathering spaces, or scenic viewpoints. Three proposals will be selected and built by your team during the festival.

• Evenings of Connection

  Expect design talks, workshops, bonfires, and a community of creative minds from across the globe—making this not just a project, but a memory that stays with you.

Why It’s Relevant for Cabin Builders at Home

Cabin Fever demonstrates that cabins are more than shelter—they are social catalysts. What you build reflects how you live, gather, and slow down. The 2025 theme, Quality Time – Connection to Each Other, challenges you to consider your own spaces:

• Are you building for connection, not isolation?

• Are you making room for shared experiences, not just privacy?

• Are you designing with nature, not against it?

The structures built here often inspire ideas that cabin builders can apply back home: communal fire pits, shared saunas, porches that invite conversation, or window placements that frame nature rather than shut it out.

Apply Now

If you’re an architect, designer, or hands-on learner ready to turn ideas into timber, applications are open until May 18, 2025. You can apply as:

• An individual participant,

• A team ready to lead a build,

• Or a designer submitting a temporary installation idea.

Please find the open call, registration form and more info on the official site.

For folks dreaming of a cabin that can move with them, URSA, built by Portuguese firm Madeiguincho, offers some smart ideas. This tiny house on wheels is based in the coastal town of Cascais, Portuga…

Read more

In the far northeast of Finland, not far from the Russian border, there’s a remote forest area in a region called Savukoski. It’s cold, quiet, and dark for long stretches of the year. That’s where Pirinen & Salo Oy built a cabin for a filmmaker who wanted to get away from everything—no electricity, no running water, no phone signal.

The cabin is called The Filmmaker’s Hut, and it’s designed for exactly what the name suggests: someone who needs peace, privacy, and time to think.

A Simple Shape That Works

From the outside, the hut looks almost like a large tent or a steep A-frame, though it’s technically not either. The sharply sloped roof helps snow slide off in winter and also protects the entrance. The exterior is covered in dark wood, which blends into the forest. If you’re building in a snowy or heavily wooded area, this kind of roof shape and color scheme might be worth considering. It’s both practical and visually low-key.

Built to Be Off-Grid

There’s no plumbing, no power, and no internet. Everything runs on fire and daylight. The interior is finished in smooth larch wood, a material that ages well and has a warm tone even in the dark winters. Heating comes from a fireplace, and there’s a lofted sleeping area above the main living space. A small writing desk faces a window that looks out into the forest.

If you’re planning an off-grid cabin, this setup is a good example of how to prioritize what matters: warmth, shelter, and a good view. The architects kept things tight and efficient—no wasted space, but still comfortable.

A Place Worth Visiting

Savukoski is part of Finnish Lapland, which is known for its wilderness and very few people. It’s one of the least populated parts of Europe, and getting there takes some effort. But that’s the point. For people who want to truly unplug and reconnect with nature, it’s ideal.

If you’re thinking about taking a cabin trip to Finland, this area offers hiking, northern lights, and lots of solitude. In the summer, you get endless daylight; in winter, deep snow and silence.

All photos by Marc Goodwin.

Takeaways

• A steep roof works well in snowy regions

• Larch wood interiors are warm and durable

Read more

On a gently sloping site near the base of Trolltind mountain in Norway’s Romsdal Valley, the Troll’s Peak Cabin by Rever & Drage offers an extraordinary take on the traditional Norwegian cabin. It is…

Read more

This lakeside cottage designed by London-based architects De Rosee Sa, is located near a lake in Nouvelles, Belgium. The compact 35-square-meter structure serves multiple purposes: a guesthouse, workspace, and social gathering spot.

Built on the site of an old timber hut, the cabin utilizes locally sourced materials, including timber from nearby woods. The black-stained exterior, achieved using wood stain mixed with recycled tractor oil, reflects local agricultural buildings. Inside, the open space is versatile and lined with oriented strand board (OSB), featuring exposed rafters and a wood-burning stove for heating.

The cabin was hand-built by the architects themselves with a modest budget of around £25,000 (30,000€, $32,500), the cabin features concrete strip foundations, brick dwarf walls, and a suspended timber floor. Sustainability and local sourcing were central to the design approach, demonstrating thoughtful material use and construction methods.

Photos

For Subscribers

Video and Floorplans

Read more

The bothy is a distinctly Highlander concept, based in necessity and resilience. Historically, bothies were basic shelters used by farmers, laborers, and itinerant shepherds in remote parts of Scotland, northern England, and Wales. Built with local stone and positioned in isolated landscapes, these modest structures offered rudimentary protection from the elements. They were never intended for comfort, often lacking windows, insulation, or furniture, and yet they served as lifelines in unforgiving terrain.

Read more

In the heart of a Swedish nature reserve, Raven is a project designed to offer an immersive experience on the water. Floating on Lake Navardalen, this compact 47-square-meter (500-square-feet) houseb…

Read more

Adam once told an interviewer:

I think the hardest thing for our generation to do is find some sort of stillness … This is an exploration in trying to do that. I'm so guilty of it; it's impossible for me to sit still and pay attention. I was really nervous about this movie because it's 20 minutes long. I got to a point where I couldn't cut it down anymore and if people wanted to watch it they would. It's not for everybody, but if you're able to sit with it for a while then it pays off.

It’s sublime.

• Featuring Tom Bonamici and Derek Lasher.

• Photographed, and Edited by Adam Newport-Berra.

• Location Sound: JR Skola.

• Camera Assistant: Ezra Ewen.

• Sound Design and Music: Mark Henry Phillips.

• Colorist: Mikey Rossiter.

• Produced by Ghost Robot.

The Little Black Cabin in Blackheath, Australia, is a compact dwelling designed to withstand its environment. The architects focused on preservation while enhancing durability and fire protection giv…

Read more

Ostrov Písník is a secluded retreat located near Roudnice, Czech Republic – about an hour east of Prague. Accessible via a unique wooden raft, this private island offers visitors exclusive use of a cottage, sauna, tub, and an enormous plunge pool.

The cottage comfortably accommodates two adults. There both indoor and outdoor fully equipped kitchens and a wood-burning stove. There’s also a sauna, tub, and a year-round hot shower overlooking the water. This way you can visit even when the island is draped in snow.

In warmer months, guests can explore the water using paddle boards or the rowboat you paddled over on, fish or just relax in the hammock.

All stays include bed linens, towels, kitchen essentials, firewood, and parking. The cost for this private island experience is 6,500 CZK per night. That’s just $275. 😱

Photo Gallery

18 images

Read more

Photographer Peter Crosby’s photo above reminded us to tell you about this pond house in New York’s Catskill Mountains.

It began as a college collaboration between Peter Hussey and Gerrit Gibbs in 200…

Read more