Cabin Obscura

After being referred by a friend and former client, Magnin architecture was ultimately tasked to design a small cabin/retreat for a single, commercial airline pilot based in Seattle, Washington. The goal was to downsize from an existing suburban single-family home, simplify and reduce clutter in a new full-time residence in a rural setting.

There were two potential sites for the project where proximity to a local airport was key: The San Juan islands in Washington or the Sierra Nevada Mountains, near Lake Tahoe—specifically a granite outcropping at the headwaters of the Yuba river. The home was designed as a prototype or a case study that could be tailored to either environment.  

The final design was just over 1,000 square feet which included a master bedroom, a small bunk room/sleeping room for guests, a shared bath, a laundry/mud room and plenty of storage inside and out. The ample living, dining and kitchen space is intended to be at one with nature with floor-to-ceiling glazing to the exterior, deep set windows under overhangs for protection from the elements and passive solar opportunities, with walls chamfered to create a similar effect. The terraces and large, sliding glass doors allow for extended exterior living space in the warm summer months, yielding a home that seamlessly ties into the environment.