Architecture
Outbuildings
See 5 Architecturally Driven Outbuildings and Weekend Cabins
Smart design and innovative details take backyard reading nooks, home offices and weekend cabins to new heights
For a bit of backyard design inspiration, check out these five outstanding outbuildings and cabins, all of which showcase forward-thinking designs and cool architectural details. Each structure serves a defined purpose and offers smart design solutions for small buildings. Read on, and see how one building features a roof that’s part glass and part living roof, while another has walls that fold up against the elements when not in use.
The three sides of the ipe deck fold up to cover the large windows, closing up the structure and providing protection from winter storms that can toss up debris. “The system works through a series of pulleys that are calibrated to lift both sides of each deck or shutter simultaneously,” says Paul Schlachter, who served as project manager for the new build. “Through a series of electric winches located under the cabin, the decks are controlled by standard wall switches inside.”
While the folding nature of the cabin steals the show, other cool architectural features include the extra-large roof overhang, inspired by architect Pierre Koenig’s 1960 Stahl House in Los Angeles, and a pared-down, contemporary interior. The roof, made of PVC, channels rainwater for storage and use for irrigation.
Inside, the cabin is serene and snug — featuring built-in shelving and a sofa, writing desk, fold-up guest bed, small kitchenette and Danish-designed wood-burning stove. Even with the decking drawn up to cover the windows, slats between the boards allow light to shine through.
See more of this studio in the Pacific Northwest
See more of this studio in the Pacific Northwest
2. Modern Glass House in Massachusetts
Location: Massachusetts
Purpose: A backyard greenhouse and tearoom
Size: 714 square feet (66 square meters)
Designers: Flavin Architects (design principal: Colin Flavin; project architect: Howard Raley); design landscape architect: Ron Herman; executive landscape architect: Zen Associates
After not being able to find a suitable prefab greenhouse to fit their modern aesthetic, a couple in Massachusetts hired architect Colin Flavin to design a stunning garden room that serves as both a greenhouse and a tearoom.
“The more the owners pushed us to simplify the design, the better it became, distilled down to the elements of structural steel and glass,” says Flavin, who cites Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s use of glass and steel as inspiration for the design.
Location: Massachusetts
Purpose: A backyard greenhouse and tearoom
Size: 714 square feet (66 square meters)
Designers: Flavin Architects (design principal: Colin Flavin; project architect: Howard Raley); design landscape architect: Ron Herman; executive landscape architect: Zen Associates
After not being able to find a suitable prefab greenhouse to fit their modern aesthetic, a couple in Massachusetts hired architect Colin Flavin to design a stunning garden room that serves as both a greenhouse and a tearoom.
“The more the owners pushed us to simplify the design, the better it became, distilled down to the elements of structural steel and glass,” says Flavin, who cites Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s use of glass and steel as inspiration for the design.
The structure is made up of two rooms: a gravel-floor greenhouse and a concrete-floor tearoom. A partial wall in the center of the building elegantly divides the two spaces, forming the backdrop for a prized bonsai on the greenhouse side and a wall for a built-in gas fireplace on the teahouse side. In winter, the fireplace keeps the teahouse side warm and cozy, while the greenhouse section is temperature-regulated with a Modine heat system.
Find your shed inspiration
Find your shed inspiration
The living roof, which is planted with native grasses, is attractive and helps mitigate solar heat gain in the summer, cooling down the teahouse portion of the building. The glass-roof greenhouse section can be cooled by opening the large sliding glass doors to let in a cross breeze or, if the owners are away and structure is closed, with the help of a heat exhaust fan.
See more of this modern glass house
See more of this modern glass house
3. Backyard Reading Retreat in Seattle
Location: Montlake neighborhood of Seattle
Purpose: A garden reading nook and guest room
Size: 170 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Board & Vellum
When bookstore owners Danielle and David Hulton set out to renovate their backyard, creating a space for reading and connecting with nature year-round was a top priority.
Location: Montlake neighborhood of Seattle
Purpose: A garden reading nook and guest room
Size: 170 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Board & Vellum
When bookstore owners Danielle and David Hulton set out to renovate their backyard, creating a space for reading and connecting with nature year-round was a top priority.
They hired architecture and design firm Board & Vellum to reimagine their backyard and build a 170-square-foot structure with multiple reading nooks, a sleeping loft and large windows.
In the front room, a comfortable reading chair enjoys plenty of natural light and invites the homeowners to put their feet up and relax with a good book. In winter the place feels snug and cozy, thanks to an electric radiant heat system installed beneath the floor tiles.
In the front room, a comfortable reading chair enjoys plenty of natural light and invites the homeowners to put their feet up and relax with a good book. In winter the place feels snug and cozy, thanks to an electric radiant heat system installed beneath the floor tiles.
The lofted bed, which sits above a reading alcove with built-in bookshelves, doubles as a guest room when the couple hosts overnight visitors.
The sloped ceiling was key to opening up enough space to allow for the loft. Windows extended all the way up to the ceiling, plus a pair of skylights set into the tongue-and-groove ceiling, let in maximum light.
See more of this backyard reading room
The sloped ceiling was key to opening up enough space to allow for the loft. Windows extended all the way up to the ceiling, plus a pair of skylights set into the tongue-and-groove ceiling, let in maximum light.
See more of this backyard reading room
4. Cozy Home Office in Kansas
Location: Prairie Village, Kansas (near Kansas City)
Purpose: A home office for an architect
Size: 120 square feet (11 square meters)
Designer: Christopher Fein of Forward Design/Architecture
Homeowner and architect Christopher Fein designed this simple, minimalist structure in his backyard to help launch his architecture firm. The firm has now outgrown the original space, but Fein still uses the studio as a place for working from home, either for clients or on courses he teaches at Kansas State’s architecture school. “People love the idea of escaping their house to work while still being at home,” Fein says. “That’s exactly why I like it.”
Location: Prairie Village, Kansas (near Kansas City)
Purpose: A home office for an architect
Size: 120 square feet (11 square meters)
Designer: Christopher Fein of Forward Design/Architecture
Homeowner and architect Christopher Fein designed this simple, minimalist structure in his backyard to help launch his architecture firm. The firm has now outgrown the original space, but Fein still uses the studio as a place for working from home, either for clients or on courses he teaches at Kansas State’s architecture school. “People love the idea of escaping their house to work while still being at home,” Fein says. “That’s exactly why I like it.”
The home office measures just 10 by 12 feet — the size of a “shed” as dictated by local building codes — and Fein made design choices to keep the style modern and the costs within budget. Those two goals often were able to go hand in hand. For example, the simplified rectangular shape and location of both the door and large window on a single side of the structure set a modern style and kept costs down. Bright red-orange paint was an easy and cost-effective way to give the structure more design pizzaz. (The red-orange color also ties in with doorways in the main house.)
Inside, 7-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling George Nelson Omni shelving houses Fein’s collection of books on architecture and design. The desk, which Fein designed, hooks into the shelving system. Cork flooring, laid straight on the slab foundation, visually warms the space and provides a smooth surface for desk chairs.
See more of this detached home office
See more of this detached home office
5. Off-the-Grid Getaway Cabin in the Finnish Forest
Location: Lavia, southwest Finland
Purpose: A weekend cabin and design dissertation for two students, one studying architecture and the other studying urban design
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters) plus an outhouse
Designers: Timm Bergmann and Jonas Becker of studio politaire
With a dream of creating an off-the-grid cabin, and the eagerness to put their architecture and design studies into practice, two German students combined their life savings to purchase a plot of land on a lake in Finland. The students, Timm Bergmann and Jonas Becker, had a few philosophical goals for the project: “We wanted to show that a house does not have to be big,” Bergmann says. “Building something beautiful does not have to be expensive,” Becker adds.
Location: Lavia, southwest Finland
Purpose: A weekend cabin and design dissertation for two students, one studying architecture and the other studying urban design
Size: 280 square feet (26 square meters) plus an outhouse
Designers: Timm Bergmann and Jonas Becker of studio politaire
With a dream of creating an off-the-grid cabin, and the eagerness to put their architecture and design studies into practice, two German students combined their life savings to purchase a plot of land on a lake in Finland. The students, Timm Bergmann and Jonas Becker, had a few philosophical goals for the project: “We wanted to show that a house does not have to be big,” Bergmann says. “Building something beautiful does not have to be expensive,” Becker adds.
The land that the students purchased was entirely undeveloped — no roads, water or electricity lines. Bringing in building supplies and materials meant transporting each component about 2 miles by tractor on a forest tract before each would be unloaded and brought 650 feet on foot. The students did the majority of the work themselves to keep costs within their $14,000 budget.
The cabin is arranged as a series of staggered rooms. To simplify the design, Bergmann and Becker kept the rooms the same size — arranged in different configurations in relation to one another — and kept design consistency throughout the structure. For example, “there is always a wall on the tallest side and a double window on another side,” Becker says.
The cabin is arranged as a series of staggered rooms. To simplify the design, Bergmann and Becker kept the rooms the same size — arranged in different configurations in relation to one another — and kept design consistency throughout the structure. For example, “there is always a wall on the tallest side and a double window on another side,” Becker says.
Inside, Bergmann and Becker maintained the simple and cost-effective design with plywood-covered walls and a combination of handmade and hand-me-down furniture.
There is no electricity or running water in the cabin, but the pair plans to set up a water filtration system to pipe in and filter water from the lake nearby. For now, warmth comes from a small wood-burning stove and a sauna stove. Combined, they keep the space warm and provide heat for cooking.
See more of this handmade home
There is no electricity or running water in the cabin, but the pair plans to set up a water filtration system to pipe in and filter water from the lake nearby. For now, warmth comes from a small wood-burning stove and a sauna stove. Combined, they keep the space warm and provide heat for cooking.
See more of this handmade home
Your turn: Do you dream of a backyard studio or weekend cabin? Are you lucky enough to have one already? Share your stories and photos in the Comments.
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How to Add a Backyard Shed for Storage or Living
Work with a design-build firm in your area
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How to Add a Backyard Shed for Storage or Living
Work with a design-build firm in your area
Location: False Bay, San Juan Islands, Washington
Purpose: Primarily a writer’s studio; doubles as a guest room
Size: 500 square feet (46 square meters)
Designer: Olson Kundig Architects
This cabin is located about 100 yards from the main house on False Bay in Washington’s San Juan Islands. It acts as a serene writer’s studio and — thanks to a Murphy-style bed — doubles as a guest room. The building, designed by Olson Kundig Architects, has one outstanding architectural feature: It folds up when not in use.
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