Built on a wooded slope overlooking Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada, this 275-square-foot, one-room minimalist cabin offers just the necessities: a bed, a bathroom and a view of the surrounding lake and woods. While a main cabin sited elsewhere on the property offers more luxurious living, the owners of Sunset Cabin told architect Michael Taylor of Taylor Smyth Architects that they wanted a private retreat where they could take in the sunset and enjoy their natural surroundings.
A green roof planted with sedums and herbs helps Sunset Cabin blend into its natural surroundings and naturally cool itself. Horizontal cedar slats allow natural light to enter through the cabin’s three walls of insulated glass while protecting it from the glaring sun during the day. Inside, the bed and walls both offer built-in storage, while a wood-burning stove offers heat on chilly nights.
Because the cabin was to be built on a remote, rocky and hilly landscape, Taylor choose to prefabricate the home offsite in a Toronto parking lot then to reduce costs and disturb the natural landscape as little as possible.
Images By Ben Rahn/Courtesy Taylor Smyth Architects
