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Transition is the theme of the Sheldon Gatehouse in Cle Elum, Washington: transition from the city to the mountains, from structure to openness, from interior to exterior. Location an hour and a half from Seattle in the Cascade Mountains, the 1,600-square foot cabin mirrors these dualities with its structure. There’s an indoor living space and an outdoor, with fireplaces in both, and the long, linear layout contrasts with the verticality of the trees.

The shift from urban to rural even begins during the drive: The heat can be triggered remotely while traveling to the site, turning on the hydronic warming system the runs through the floors, so by the time the owner arrives the place is toasty. Sliding shutters suggest an opening to nature after the closure of the city, and the center, both symbolic and literal, is a courtyard both exposed and slightly sheltered. Few cabins articulate these interplays as well as Sheldon Gatehouse.

Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Weekend Cabin isn’t necessarily about the weekend, or cabins. It’s about the longing for a sense of place, for shelter set in a landscape…for something that speaks to refuge and distance from the everyday. Nostalgic and wistful, it’s about how people create structure in ways to consider the earth and sky and their place in them. It’s not concerned with ownership or real estate, but what people build to fulfill their dreams of escape. The very time-shortened notion of “weekend” reminds that it’s a temporary respite.

Tagged as: shelter, weekend cabin