
Approach View

Approach View

West Elevation

Cabin Section and Elevation

Cabin Section Axon

Building Components

Interior Skylight View

View from sleeping lofts

Cabin den
The Sod-Lam Trekking Cabin
**Winner in American Institute of Architects’ DC Chapter Unbuilt Awards, 2017**
Iceland
2016
Type: Recreational Housing
Size: 700 sf
Project Text
The Sod-Lam Trekking Tower builds on the lineage of Icelandic vernacular architecture and the intuition to use the earth as thermal protection in the colder arctic climate. This project proposes to use up to .5m sod layers to form the trekking cabin’s thermal envelope. Supporting this living, thermal skin will be a laminated reclaimed wood shell. Hence, Sod-Lam; a vertical trekking cabin made from layers of earth and trees. The cabin takes the approach of minimal footprint. Thus, it goes up rather than out and only occupies 120 sq. ft. of Iceland’s ground plane. The sleeping, bathing, and storage spaces then ascend into the air, giving hikers new views of Iceland’s memorizing landscape.
Credits
Design:
Seth McDowell
Images:
©mcdowellespinosa architects