Dezeen Magazine

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

I-Kanda places angular cabin atop granite rock in New England

American studio I-Kanda Architects has created a prefabricated cabin in the woods of New Hampshire, to provide a family getaway surrounded by evergreens.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

Measuring 900 square feet (84 square metres), the one-bedroom home Cabin on a Rock was designed as a weekend residence for a couple and their two young children by Boston-based firm I-Kanda Architects.

The home is located in New Hampshire's White Mountains, with a mound of bedrock supporting the unit as a timber porch cantilevers over its slope.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

The cabin has strong geometries, and is clad in black metal and timber to accent its varied lines. Its structure comprises concrete footings and a prefabricated frame.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

"Instead of levelling the granite ledge, the topography is embraced; the structure is lifted on nine hand-poured concrete footings – a system selected in order to tread lightly on the sloped site," said the architecture studio.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

To construct the remote house more easily, the studio worked with Bensonwood to create a pre-manufactured timber frame and deliver it to the site.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

"All wood framing members were engineered and CNC-cut before being delivered to site wrapped, labelled, and ready for assembly, thus shortening construction time and reducing site disturbance," said the studio.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

A rectangular outdoor deck leads to the main entrance. Inside is a sitting room and kitchen, which features items like a built-in cabinet and refrigerator, and a wood-burning fireplace.

The small footprint dictated the number of rooms, and led to a lofted area overlooking the home's main living space.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

Past the sitting area is a covered timber porch that looks out towards the valley. The room faces east, allowing in morning sunlight from a 24-foot-long (seven-metre-long) sliding glass wall.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

Behind the kitchen is a bathroom, and steps leading up to the lofted area and a mechanical closet. Additional living space is created from two triangular decks that flank the house.

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects

Interior decor is kept minimal, with wood, concrete and metal used throughout to aesthetically tie the entire space together.

Wire handrails and half-wall feature on the loft and stairs. Walls are white, with a walk-in shower covered in steel to add to the industrial feel.

Photography is by Matt Delphenich.

Project credits:

Project team: Isamu Kanda, Chris Sledziona, Steven Hien, Sangsuri Chun
Builder, phase 1: Nest Woodworking
Builder, phase 2: Randy Latulippe Carpentry
Structural engineer: Fire Town Engineered Timber
Prefabricated framing: Bensonwood
Windows and doors: Architectural Openings
Metal roof and siding: Randy Latulippe Carpentry
Steel exterior railings, awning and firepit: Seidman Brothers
Sitework: Jim Sanborn
Plumbing: Squam Lake Plumbing & Heating
Electrical: Leroy Bixby Electric

More images

Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
First floor plan
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Diagrams
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects
Cabin on a Rock by I-Kanda Architects