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"A unique lodging concept designed by architect Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig, the Rolling Huts are a series of six mobile, prefabricated cabins located in a flood plain meadow in Washington's Methow Valley. Conceived as a modern and low-impact alternative to camping, the huts were designed for a client who wanted to provide guest accommodations on the site of a former RV campground while allowing the landscape to return to its natural state. The cabins sit on oversized steel wheels, a creative solution to local zoning regulations that prohibited permanent structures but permitted RVs. This wheeled foundation elevates the huts a short distance above the meadow, allowing native grasses to grow underneath and minimizing the human footprint on the sensitive environment. The 200-square-foot cabins, completed in 2008, are essentially minimalist, steel-clad boxes on a steel and wood platform. Large, double-paned sliding glass doors at one end of each hut open onto a covered deck, extending the usable space into the outdoors. Inside, the material palette is simple, raw, and inexpensive, featuring cork and plywood left as natural as possible. A lopsided, inverted V-shaped roof with clerestory windows floats above the walls, bringing ample natural light into the compact interior. While the cabins offer a warm, sheltered, and low-tech space, showers and other communal facilities are located in a central barn, reinforcing the project's connection to camping. Project credits Architecture: Olson Kundig Design Principal: Tom Kundig, FAIA Project Manager: Jerry Garcia Staff Architect: Kenny Wilson Structural Consultants: MCE Structural Consultants Photography: Tim Bies, Chad Kirkpatrick, Derek Pirozzi Manufacturers: Milgard, Rais, Recla Metals, Stonco"
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Rolling Huts
Methow Valley School District, WA, USA
the Architects
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Olson Kundig
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"Situated on a wooded hillside in Stowe, Vermont, the Vermont Cabin by Olson Kundig is a three-level retreat designed to maximize a small footprint while offering an immersive experience of its natural surroundings. The 750-square-foot cabin was designed by Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig for a family that has owned land in the area for generations. The compact, vertical design was intended to foster intimacy and connection, both with each other and with the surrounding forests of central Vermont. The cabin’s material palette is an elemental mix of steel, wood, and concrete, chosen to reflect the character of the wilderness. The exterior features panels of weathering steel, while the interior showcases exposed timber and poured concrete. This rugged, utilitarian aesthetic is balanced by the warmth of natural materials and strategic use of glazing. The layout places the main living spaces on the top floor to maximize views of the surrounding landscape, including the Green Mountains and Worcester Range. Large windows open up the living area, allowing residents to feel a sense of being among the trees. The vertical arrangement of the cabin’s 2,250 square feet is divided across three levels connected by a maple and steel staircase. The lowest level is nestled into the hillside and contains a garage that can double as a game room, as well as a single bedroom and powder room. The middle level includes two additional bedrooms and a bathroom, while the top floor features the main living area, kitchen, and dining space. This design creates a cozy and efficient framework for family life while maintaining a strong visual connection to the wilderness. Project credits Architecture: Olson Kundig Design Principal: Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA General Contractor: Gristmill Builders Project Manager and Project Architect: Dawn McConaghy Photography: Aaron Leitz Structural Engineer: Silman Civil Engineer: Grenier Engineering Landscape Architect: Ambler Design Kinetic Design: Phil Turner Interior Design Staff: Amanda Chenoweth Architectural Staff: Ekram Hassen"
Stowe, VT 05672, USA
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Rolling Huts
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