The 600-square-foot Cabin K, also known as Saimaa Cabin, is a summer retreat in Finland designed by Seattle-based Studio Kamppari and completed around 2016. Perched on a granite ridge in a high-latitude pine forest, the cabin was built as a guest cabin and owner's retreat for an engineer who wanted to host his extended family and reconnect with the natural landscape. The design is a modern take on the traditional Finnish log cabin, blending traditional forms with contemporary details and focusing on natural light and open space. To minimize the impact on the site, which included a delicate landscape on a narrow ridge, the cabin's logs and window assemblies were prefabricated off-site and lifted into place by a crane. Built on post foundations, the cabin combines the traditional gable roof and log walls of Finnish cabins with unexpected details, volume, and quality of light. Locally sourced materials were used to complete the project on a limited budget. The exterior is protected from the elements by vertical pine screening treated with iron oxide, which accelerates the natural graying of the wood. The interior, in contrast, features untreated pine log walls and bare roof rafters, creating a warm and rustic aesthetic. The layout includes a double-height living room with oversized operable windows on the north and south sides that frame panoramic views of the forest and Lake Saimaa, blending the indoors with the outdoors. A whimsical, treehouse-like loft provides a cozy retreat, and two generous bedrooms bookend the living space. Credits Architects: Studio Kamppari (Sini Kamppari) Engineers: Matti Yli-Sissala