tiny SANU cabins to be scattered across japan as series of second homes

expressing inspiration from powerful mountain ridgelines, the prefabricated SANU cabin seeks to offer a ‘second home’ retreat in japan. architect kotaro anzai of ADX together with founder takahiro homma plan the cabin type as a larger series offered to guests in the form of a subscription system. each cabin is open for its guests to reserve at any time as a second home, perhaps offering a remote workplace in solitude and away from the city. the concept was born of the shifting workplace dynamic resulting from COVID-19. many city dwellers in japan have come to appreciate the joy of retreating into the mountains and countryside, no longer tied to their urban apartments. SANU will introduce a design-minded collection of rural cabins for just this purpose.

images by ADX | @___adx___

‘SANU second home’ will introduce a new system of living in japan. designed by architecture studio ADX, one of the first sites to see a group of these cabins will be lake shirakaba in japan’s nagano prefecture. the team at SANU hopes to complete 40 cabins across five sites bases by the end of 2021 and 90 cabins across ten sites by the summer of 2022. each month, members will pay ¥55,000, or around 500 USD, and are welcome to reserve and enjoy any cabin at any time. the planned sites occupy magnificently beautiful regions bordering national park lands, looking out onto lakes and surrounded by forested mountains.

the SANU cabin is expressed with a minimalist architectural design that integrates respectfully within its natural surroundings. the compact space is curated with an atmosphere of openness, with its 13-foot high ceiling and large windows that capture the scenery indoors. it has an open and comfortable living room, a wooden deck where guests can have breakfast while admiring the view, a kitchen, a bathroom, a workspace, a wood stove, and a home theater screen. in an effort to minimize the environmental impact, the SANU brand team is independently developing from scratch together with the design team at ADX. the structure will comprise 100% domestic wood and recycled concrete, and can be easily dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere.