Saimaa Cabin
This 600 square foot summer cottage is a guest cabin and owner's retreat. Perched high on a granite ridge, the cabin has panoramic views of the high latitude forest and lake Saimaa. The double height living room pulls the outside in with over-sized operable windows on the north and south. This main space connects to a loft that is bathed in filtered light. The whimsical loft feels like a tree house; it is a perfect place to hide and read a book. Generously sized bedrooms bookend the living space, each with a picture window to the site. The materials palette blends with the natural surroundings. The window assemblies and logs were manufactured off site and lofted into place with a crane. The vertical screening filters light and echoes the tall nature of the forest. Wooden walkways follow the contours of the landscape, providing a path to the cabin while keeping the surrounding nature untouched. The cabin combines traditional forms and materials with contemporary systems and details to create an instantly recognisable summer cabin that is functionally and aesthetically modern. The main structure is made of pine logs, like many traditional structures in Finland. The exterior is treated with iron oxide, a traditional treatment which accelerates the natural graying process of wood. The vertical screening protects the logs from sun and wind exposure. The screening is like a protective coat, it is removable and replaceable. The interior of the cabin reveals the untreated pine log walls and bare roof rafters. The gable roof form and log walls are common in Finnish cabins, while the details, volume, and quality of light are unexpected.
Saimaa Cabin information
type: Residential
area: 56 m2 / 600 sf
year completed: 2016
location: Varkaus, Finland
client: Private
design: Studio Kamppari
builder: Pekka Kämäräinen
structural engineer: Matti Yli-Sissala
log manufacturer: Honkarakenne
window manufacturer: Profin Oy
photography: Studio Kamppari
Saimaa Cabin publications
Jodidio, Philip. “Studio Kamppari: Cabin K, Lake Saimaa.” Into the Woods: Retreats and Dream Houses, Rizolli, 2020, 40-43. Book.
"Cabin K on Architizer." Architizer, 30 August 2016. Web.
"Cabin K / Studio Kamppari." Arch Daily, 18 August 2016. Web.
"600 Square Feet of Finnish Cabin Joy." Adventure Journal, 15 August 2016. Web.