ANNA cabin by caspar schols slides apart to open itself to nature

caspar schols has designed a cabin that slides apart to open itself — and the people inhabiting it — to nature. dubbed ANNA cabin, this dynamic wooden home is an open platform that allows users to play with its configuration, depending on their needs or even moods. featuring two sliding shells — one wood, one glass — users can close the cabin for a cozy atmosphere, or open it up to connect with the natural environment.

images by tõnu tunnel and jorrit ‘t hoen

the ANNA cabin by caspar schols features three main shell configurations: closed; open center; and open center with glass roof. consequently, users can decide on the amount of space they want to have exposed, covered or just transparent. in terms of what slides and what doesn’t, the cabin has a fixed area housing the kitchen, bathroom and storage space. above it, a mezzanine generates a space large enough for a second king-sized bed.

the ANNA cabin flexibility is not only seen on its structure but also on the different uses you can give to it. schols has created three iterations of the project. the first one is ANNA stay, suitable for a family of four. the second is ANNA meet, a blank, multi-functional platform that can host a wide variety of activities. the third one is ANNA me which can be fully customized to specific requirements. ‘with ANNA me, we can tailor ANNA with each individual desire or create a radically new branded cabin concept for your company to locate in your backyard, in the wilderness or an exclusive holiday resort,’ comments the designer.

the ANNA cabin is built with sustainably-grown and untreated larch. for the interior, birch ply was employed because of its high quality and light color and has been insulated with 5 cm of sawdust. to keep the cabin warm, both a wooden stove or electric heating can be installed. to keep it cool during the summer, long horizontal windows have been positioned under the overhang of the roof, ensuring only indirect sunshine gets in.

‘the windows also give a panoramic view, but only when seated in a chair, or after waking up and experiencing the view from the bed. this way, when the wood shells are closed there is a warm, cosy, indoor atmosphere protected from the elements, for these moments in which the weather is more hostile. or simply when your mood is such that you like to hide a bit from the world. this contrasts highly with the exposure, freedom and openness that is experienced when only the glass shell is closed or everything is open.’

the ANNA stay cabin has a price of EUR 87.000 excluding taxes and construction. It can be delivered in one piece of as a flat pack — recommended for challenging locations.