This Tiny Cabin in Spain Is Pretty Impressive for a Student Project

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Project Details:

Location: Lleida, Spain

Architect: Institut d’Arquitectura Avançada de Catalunya (IACC) / @iaacbcn

Footprint: 215 square feet

Builder: IAAC Valldaura Labs

Structural Engineer: Fustes Sebastia

Photographer: Adriá Goula / @adriagoulaphoto

From the Architect: "Forestone Cabin is an experimental wooden dwelling designed and built by the 2025 cohort of IAAC’s Master in Ecological Architecture and Advanced Construction, as part of the Bio for Piri initiative. Led by the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera and funded by the Biodiversity Foundation with European Next Generation funds, this initiative promotes regenerative forestry and the sustainable use of local timber from Pyrenean forests, specifically in Alinyà (Lleida). Located at MónNatura Sort, in the Pyrenees, the cabin sits on a sloping site just a few steps from the existing hostel, offering temporary accommodation for two people, with a sleeping area, workspace, and bathroom.

"The cabin’s sculptural form is inspired by the rocky terrain of the Pyrenees. Conceived as a block of stone that appears to have rolled down the mountain and come to rest naturally on the site, its faceted geometry is composed of inclined walls and a sloping roof that respond to programmatic needs, climatic conditions, and solar exposure. The geometry subtly adjusts ceiling heights and spatial proportions to accommodate different uses within a compact footprint, while openings frame views of the surrounding mountains and enable cross-ventilation. Operable wooden shutters ensure complete darkness at night, preventing light pollution and supporting the site’s astronomical activities.

"The exterior facade is made of pine boards with natural edges that have been charred following the yakisugi technique. These boards, cut to size and charred by the students themselves, not only increase the durability of the material but also symbolically evoke fire management and prevention—an essential aspect of regenerative forestry in the Pyrenees, the mountain range that separates Spain and France and whose name, Pyros, comes from Greek and means fire.

"Inside, the cabin becomes a fully integrated wooden space. Custom-made CLT elements—including the bed, built-in furniture, washbasin counter, and seating—were designed and fabricated by the students at Valldaura Labs, reinforcing a hands-on approach in which architecture, structure, and furniture form a single material system.

"The cycles of local materials extend beyond wood. During a nearby annual wool festival, students collaborated with local farmers to collect sheep’s wool, which was later washed, dried, and transformed into felt at Valldaura, with the support of Dutch artist Rian van Dijk. The resulting blankets, rugs, and pillowcases furnish the cabin, integrating local craftsmanship and agricultural by-products into the project. On the same visit, students brought back a stone from the surrounding landscape, which they manually carved using power tools to create a unique washbasin, further consolidating the project’s connection to its geographical and cultural context.

"From the outset, the project was conceived with an emphasis on replicability. Forestone was designed as a prototype demonstrating how small-scale architecture can be built using local timber, regional knowledge, and low-impact construction methods, while inhabiting forest landscapes without altering existing ecosystems. The use of modular CLT elements, dry-assembly techniques, and locally available materials allows the cabin to be adapted, replicated, or dismantled as needed, offering a model of sustainable forest habitation that aligns architectural production with long-term environmental stewardship."