Competition completed together with Maciej Kanarkowski ​​​​​​​

CONCEPT

Act of silent mediation deserves a purpose built, focused building to fulfill the needs of visitors. The poetic location in Latvian forest inspired us to design a modest cabin which sits among the trees. The focal point is the meditation space, it is a distinct
feature, instantly recognizable from the outside. It acts as a amplifying prism which focuses your attention on the fauna and flora outside. It collects light, and more
importantly sound. This unique meditation spot allows the visitor to emerge in the natural beauty of Latvia. Tea making and relaxing are equally important factors of our proposal, which would allow its users to carry those rituals in a unique setting .

PURPOSE

The cabin is designed to help people relax and slow down their life. It’s an ideal refuge where one is choosing to step back from the everyday chaos and wind down. The rituals of meditation, tea making and detoxing are what we decided to aid with the design of the dwelling. 

Upon entrance you are greeted by herbs hanging on the opposite wall. It serves a practical and more poetic purpose. The herbs can be used to brew traditional Ozolin tea, which is a part of local heritage. Also, the smell of herbs creates a symbolic threshold. Your are instantly removed from the outside world and set in a peaceful space where you can meditate in the sounds of nature, sight of untouched forest and smell of local herbs. 
As you turn into the main living space the meditation bay becomes the focal point. It’s bathed in light and invites you to spend long hours on appreciating what is around you. 
The unity between design and purpose was very important for us. It became a mater of ethos and how tea making or meditation can be celebrated in architecture which is not too flamboyant but it feels at home in a rural setting. We feel like the form expresses those values, it’s bold enough to catch an eye but at core it draws from the vernacular, honest, timber cabins.

FORM

The form is derived from vernacular architecture present on site. Starting with a simple mass of triangular section we began to cut, twist and extrude. 

To signify the meditation space which is the focal point of the proposal we turned the triangle upside down, which allowed us to ‘collect’ light and sounds from the outside. It acts like an amplifier. 

Next stage was focused on waking the concept work. Proper zones of meditating, tea making, and living were defined and thresholds between them introduced in a gentle way to make sure each one is distinct yet flow between them is uninterrupted. At this point the building became a very unique play on existing architecture that sits across the site which makes it fit in the surrounding yet it becomes an easily recognizable part of the estate. 
In the final development phase we focused on enhancing the comfort of the dwelling. That included punching in additional apertures to flood the interior with light where necessary yet providing privacy and thermal comfort. It came together in a beautifully assembled form that feels at home in the forest and meets all of the requirements outlined in the competition brief .

RITUALS

In today’s age silent meditation becomes more popular every year but it can still be a tricky experience to fully emerge yourself in. The idea of dedicated meditation space is focused on removing any distraction and replacing those with natural landscape and sound. It makes the transition easier. Also, it retains the same purpose throughout the day, it allows the user to literally make a step to enter a secluded, comfortable space. 

The meditation is focused on restoring inner balance, to aid this we incorporated the Ozolin tea making into the rituals of our cabin. Brewing a tea using natural herbs in a peaceful process. We wanted to encourage people to take the time to pick what they fancy the most from the collection of herbs opposite the entrance and then set a fire in a vintage stove to slowly boil the water and at last infuse it with the herbs. It’s a relaxing act which goes hand in hand with meditating. 

Renouncing the rush of global connectivity and social media is crucial for the success of enjoying the rituals of quite shelter. The cabin is off-grid, there is no TV, or internet access. We wanted the user to fully commit and spend a number of days completely focused on themselves and their mental health.

STRUCTURE

Inspired by the brief of creating a small house in the woods of Latvia, we decided on choosing spruce timber frame structure for our design as it will allow the cabin to be easily constructed and replicated if needed. The building would sit on elevated  foundation platform, clad with a waterproof layer of timber, to ensure that the structure stays dry and intact. The main body is wrapped with a single layer of birch timber cladding while the roof structure consists of 3 surface to insure appropriate draining and natural ventilation. The layers of mineral and rigid insulation in the external walls and the roof help to maintain comfortable internal temperature, no matter on the season. 

MATERIALS & SUSTAINABILITY

One of the key aspects of our proposal is enhanced connection with the surrounding environment in support of sustainability. The main building materials we use are different types of wood - spruce for the timber frame and flooring, pine and internal cladding and furniture and birch for external cladding. We added a small touch of brass around the windows, on the chimney pipe and door knobs to add contrasting effect tho the wooden mass. The materials are locally available and help the building to fit well with its surroundings.

The sustainability is further enhanced with the biodegradable toilet and the vintage stove which has the capacity to heat the dwelling 
in the winter months. Firewood is readily available around the estate and should be used to maintain thermal comfort. 
Off grid approach means that proposed building can be located anywhere on site and it works completely independent of any external services. It’s a conscious design choice which fits in with the ethos of the meditation cabin.