Daria Sheina Studio designed The Nest, an off-grid cabin with twisted, cedar-wrapped structures that provide panoramic views of Howe Sound off the coast of British Columbia.
The 1,000-square-foot home sits on the highest point of a 10-acre property on Keats Island, a remote retreat with just 50 full-time residents near Vancouver.
Daria Sheina Studio, a Vancouver-based design firm, designed the house to be an eco-friendly, self-sufficient and gentle home and an example of how thoughtful design can create profound connections between people and place.
“From the outset, site context played a central role in shaping the design,” Sheina told Dezeen. “Located at the highest elevation on the island, with panoramic views of Howe Sound, the location offered a rare kind of luxury – the feeling of having the entire island to yourself.”
The angular building rises above the rugged terrain with moss-covered bedrock and a dense evergreen canopy.
The name, suggested by customers, immediately resonated with Sheina because “it reflects the essential qualities we have already explored: security, intimacy and a sense of belonging.”
“We began to interpret the nest not just as a symbol, but as a spatial idea – characterized by circular movement and a deep connection to place,” she said.
“The result is a sculptural interplay of two rotated volumes that form a compact, yet playful and inspiring living experience on three levels.”
The ground floor, where the communal kitchen, dining room and living room are located, is made of solid wood and is a rectangular box, while the third floor bedroom is rotated 90 degrees horizontally and 45 degrees vertically – as if tilted on the corner – and is located under the gable roof.
The resulting second level is a small lounge with outward sloping walls and views of the public areas below.
“With its compact footprint yet expansive spatial perception, The Nest maximizes its small building footprint while maintaining a light touch to the site,” the studio said.
The fused forms are clad in Western Red Cedar to age and blend into the surrounding forest, while the minimalist interiors combine exposed wood with green marmoleum flooring.
Lift-and-slide doors open the ground floor to the outside, while ribbon windows on either side of the sloping roof provide views of the Keats Island landscape.
“The customer’s selection of distinctive homewares adds a playful, cheerful touch, balancing the distinct architectural shapes with the unique character,” the studio said.
The cabin is powered entirely by solar energy via a roof-mounted system and includes an incineration toilet and rainwater filtration system.
Daria Sheina Studio worked with BC Passive House to prefab the solid wood components, which were flown by helicopter to the inaccessible location.
“The process was a complicated puzzle of design, engineering and logistics, but the result is a home that feels both intentional and effortless,” said Sheina.
“It’s a design I’m incredibly proud of and was made possible through close collaboration with the client.”
Other off-grid cabins have recently been completed in Helsinki, Finland by Littow Architectes, in Victoria, Australia by Gardiner Architects and in the Romanian Carpathians by Marc Thorpe.
Photography is by Andrew Latreille.
Project evidence:
Design: Daria Sheina Studio
Structurally: Balance advice
Prefabrication: BC Passive House
Contractor: Lincoln Building
Energy consultant: form energy
Windows and doors: Innotech windows + doors
Siding: Wood distribution on the west coast
CLT supplier: Mercer