In Wuhan, nestled in a forest beneath the branches of surrounding metasequoia trees, is the latest project from Wiki World and Advanced Architecture Lab: Secret Camp. Though designed for the hotel group Merryda, the dozen cabins are not part of the hotel but are a place for people to come and “experience nature through architecture.” The most recent to join the camp is the Red Cabin—an angular, elevated, prefab retreat designed to preserve the ecology of its site.
Elevated design protects soil and vegetation
The cabin has been carefully positioned to preserve all existing trees on the site: its design is a response to the surrounding vegetation. Elevated on eight timber poles, each anchored to a movable concrete cube measuring 30 × 30 cm, the lightweight structure rises above the forest floor, protecting root systems and soil while allowing the building to be dismantled or relocated with minimal impact to the forest.
Renewable materials, recycleable structure
The ruby-hued cabin is made from renewable glulam, which provides structural strength while lowering the embodied carbon of the building. The exterior of the small-scale structure is finished in wooden cladding that has been treated using traditional hand-firing techniques—making the cabin durability without chemical coatings.
Modular design, prefabricated offsite
All elements of the cabin were digitally designed and prefabricated to reduce material waste and to ensure minimal disruption to the site. The timber modules are connected to one another with metal fasteners, this allows the cabin to be easily disassembled and its parts reused at end of life. Inside, a simple floorplan that measures just two metres wide provides all basic amenities: a lounge area, a bathroom and a loft bedroom. The rooms, clad in pine plywood, feature built-in furniture that demonstrate material efficiency in their sparseness.
As the architects explain: “‘Small’ brings us closer to the material,” it makes us more sensitive to our surroundings. “Now that we are in the forest, let’s go barefoot for a day and listen to the sound of dead leaves being crushed on the terrace.”
A philosophy of natural construction
The Red Cabin, and the other projects in this forest, embody Wiki World’s philosophy of natural construction, prioritising ecological preservation, low-impact interventions and sustainable ways of living with the land. Through the use of renewable materials, prefabrication and modularity, this ruby retreat shows how functional architecture can coexist harmoniously with sensitive landscapes.
