Case Study | High-Quality, Low-Cost Prefabricated Summer Cabin
The project sits in the Pyrenees and is a summer cabin. Beyond terrain, solar orientation, and other usual factors, the design was also constrained by materials and budget. The architect chose to reduce the building footprint and create a mountain shelter with limited materials and simple techniques.
The site is a long, narrow trapezoid with a 14-meter level difference on either side and a 20% slope. A redwood grows on the lower side; four firs stand higher up. The trees are dense and the setting is beautiful. Because the house is small in scale, every space is put to full use. Ceiling voids along the corridor serve as storage boxes, and a mezzanine above the kitchen becomes a reading nook. The design shrinks the bedrooms to create a more open, comfortable shared living area.
To keep costs in check, the architect minimized excavation, used prefabrication, and limited outside help on site. Excavated soil was reused to build terraces, cutting construction waste. Retaining walls were stacked from reinforced-concrete bricks instead of cast with formwork, which saved crane costs. The design process itself was tightly controlled so the house is composed of modules that can be delivered to the site by road.
The building comprises three prefabricated units: a bedroom, a living room and kitchen, and a living-room roof canopy. Prefabrication allowed construction to proceed through winter and shortened the build schedule. Between the units, a light pine timber frame provides support, filled with double-layer rock-wool insulation and finished with a ventilated wood facade that keeps indoor air circulating. The architect had hoped to use a fireplace for hot water and heating, but the client objected, so that idea was dropped. Windows and trench openings are framed in white steel, giving the building a refined, elegant look.
Contact our company
Address: No. 2177 Shen Kun Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
Website: www.ourcompany.com
Tel: 021-60760737
Mobile: 13681880835/17721310336/13331815891
Email: marketing@ourcompany.com
