Off Cabin - the cottage that frees you
The need to be self-sufficient, to become independent from external factors is relatively new. It grew out of climate change and the threats brought about by the pandemic and war. Again, many of us have come to love the contact with what is natural, removing from the environment what is unnecessary and what does not serve us. This is how the off grid movement was born, promoting life outside the system, in direct symbiosis with nature. Off Cabin fits perfectly into this idea - the new house of the DesignOFF studio of architect Mariusz Kuźniak.
Outside the system, or how?
Living outside the system does not mean that the umbilical cord is completely cut off from the organism of the world. Because nature itself is a system as well. Rather, this concept should be understood as giving up what is superfluous. It's freedom, breaking the leash of cable connections to the power grid, sewerage and running water. It is also, of course, the ability to cope with such limitations, in such a way that life would not be deprived of the comforts necessary for a human being.
Life outside the system also means contact with the earth and the stars. Apart from the overwhelming hustle and bustle of big cities, somewhere on the edge of the forest or in its thicket. Sometimes in the casual neighborhood of other people with similar needs. But also, without them, if they also seem redundant to us. Off grid is simply freedom from what we feel holds us in and affects us badly.
Off Cabin - a self-sufficient house with potential for solutions
In the forest, on a floating platform, on a mountain glade, on a plot of land - Off Cabin can be placed in any place that gives its users the desired freedom. In the design of the architectural studio Design OFF Mariusz Kuźniak, one of the most important modern technological achievements was used - photovoltaic panels. The PV installation involves the use of a battery and an inverter that converts the output voltage of the 12V battery (direct current, DC) into 230V mains current.
The cottage is also equipped with a rainwater collection kit. The roof is made of cellular polycarbonate, and its slope allows rainwater to drain into the barrel. The water can then be filtered and used in the kitchenette and toilet with shower. The toilet and shower (in the tourist version) lead to the outer cuba, the base of which is a plastic openwork floor.
The whole is complemented by a biofuel fireplace, which can be hung both inside and outside the house, where it can become part of a cozy patio, increasing the living space of users. To ensure safety, the house is closed with anti-burglary doors, thanks to which it is possible to leave it in the forest or other area away from buildings, without worrying about things left in it.
Design outside the system
Off Cabin is a year-round (insulated) house, 5m x 2.5m2 in size and made of a small transport container. Its construction took 3 months. In this house, function and design go hand in hand. It is dominated by timeless colors - black and shades of gray, broken by the warm color of the cork with which the ceiling is covered. The walls are carpeted, which gives the interior a cozy, homely atmosphere. The floor is covered with black loft carpeting. The monochrome surfaces are broken by a wall lined with a carpet with a pattern resembling Moroccan tiles.
The interior is equipped with a kitchenette, fold-out sofa, wardrobe and a compact table and chairs. Large glazing attracts attention - one is permanent, the so-called fix, made of insulating glass, the second sliding, muntin, which also serves as an internal door.
Off Cabin is another installation of this type designed by Mariusz Kuźniak. This year, another project by this architect also hit the roads - built on the basis of a campervan van called Vannolot.
Team:
Architects: DESIGNOFF
Photographer: Mariusz Kuźniak
Materials Used:
Facade cladding: Corrugated board Onduline Base black
Flooring: Industrial carpet with a coin pattern
Doors & Windows: patio doors
Roofing: Corrugated board Onduline Base black
Interior lighting: led lamps
Interior furniture: ikea furniture
