Bird Watching Cabin
The owners’ program required a simple enclosure to shelter them while performing horticultural experiments and bird watching. Following the clients’ original use of this private reserve in rural Mt. Vernon, Washington, the design originated with a typological model of minimal shelter: a camping tent pitched next to a body of water. This shelter uses an outer screened porch that wraps the building, providing protection without inhibiting direct contact with cooling breezes and expansive views. An inner layer of glass and sliding panels offer further protection from cold and rain.The construction of this structure gives reference to the “hand assembled” notion of a tent. Traditional Japanese joinery is complemented by hand-planed cedar members salvaged from demolished structures. A four by four frame of Port Orford cedar is infilled with glass, tongue and grove planks and insect screens, providing various degrees of transparency and enclosure. The planned water element, while providing a serene and contemplative setting, will attract birds and other fauna, thereby contributing to the experience of living and working in the landscape.
