Named after the Finnish word for "candle," the Kynttilä cabin by ORTRAUM Architects is a tiny, sustainable meditation retreat located on a narrow, forested peninsula in eastern Finland. Sited on Lake Saimaa, near Savonlinna, the 15-square-meter cabin was designed with a Zen philosophy of "nothingness," stripping the design to its bare minimum to create a space for spiritual and visual focus. At night, the illuminated cabin shines on the lake like a warm candle, a key part of its design concept. The cabin was designed to minimize its impact on the protected nature reserve, and the process of building it reflects this commitment. To avoid damaging the forest vegetation, a temporary road was built for a single day to assemble the prefabricated structure. The vegetation was then restored to its original state once the construction was finished. The structure is primarily composed of cross-laminated timber (CLT), which is exposed on the interior to create a warm, minimalist, and natural aesthetic. The exterior is clad in larch boards, allowing the cabin to blend harmoniously with its surroundings. The gabled ends of the cabin feature full-height glazing, maximizing the connection to nature and providing panoramic views of the water on both sides of the peninsula. The interior includes built-in furniture and a sleeping bunk accessed by a ladder, demonstrating an efficient use of the compact space. Project credits Architecture: ORTRAUM Architects Photography: Marc Goodwin-Archmospheres, Martin Lukasczyk