This Remote Shou Sugi Ban Cabin Gets You Up Close to Iceland’s Volcanoes and Hot Springs
Studio Heima’s Aska Cabin offers a minimalist retreat surrounded by geothermal wonders near the northern shore of Lake Mývatn in Iceland.
Studio Heima’s Aska Cabin offers a minimalist retreat surrounded by geothermal wonders near the northern shore of Lake Mývatn in Iceland.
If you’ve ever dreamed of escaping to a secluded corner of Iceland, the Aska Cabin may be of interest. Designed by architects Casper Berntsen and Aldís Gísladóttir of Studio Heima, the wood-clad structure is perched along the active geothermal pocket of Mývatn—a volcanic lake in northern Iceland.
According to Studio Heima, the Danish-Icelandic firm behind the project, the cabin’s name was inspired by the idea of volcano ash and lava "lying like a blanket over the landscape."
Photo by Auðunn Nielsson & Trym Sannes, courtesy of Studio Heima
"The cabin presents a landscape with surrounding lava formations, volcanoes, and hot springs," notes the Danish-Icelandic firm. The Aska Cabin—which derives its name from the Icelandic word for "ash"—is located on the site of a 300-year-old lava field in the Hlíð Ferðaþjónusta campground complex.
The cabin’s light-plywood interior offers a stark contrast to the dark cladding of the exterior.
Photo by Auðunn Nielsson & Trym Sannes, courtesy of Studio Heima
To protect the 226-square-foot structure from extreme weather, the firm relied on charred-pine cladding made using the ancient Japanese method of shou sugi ban. "Using this technique, we were able to create a sustainable and robust facade with entirely natural materials," the architects explain.
A sliding glass door provides direct access to a large terrace from the kitchenette.
Photo by Auðunn Nielsson & Trym Sannes, courtesy of Studio Heima
See the full story on Dwell.com: This Remote Shou Sugi Ban Cabin Gets You Up Close to Iceland’s Volcanoes and Hot Springs
Related stories:
