Forest Refuge

The forest refuge offers a shelter for the hikers in the Grand Risoux forest in the Jura mountains. With rustic comfort, it is furnished with only a table and wood stove. The initial brief proposed the development of a constructive principle allowing the forestry agents to pre-construct the different elements during the winter, while waiting for the return of spring for their assembly. The whole was built in fir- a material traditionally used in the region- including the roof’s shingles. Starting from the traditional cabin type and keeping its basic elements, the project operates a series of geometrical transformations: the corners are unblocked and the wall slides out following the strategy of the modern plan; the rotation created is followed by a shift of the roof system; and the eaves articulate the two geometries. The result is a rather organic volume in tune with the landscape.