Le Paraveu Cabin: The Simple Relationship between Architecture and Nature

Three French-based architects, Quentin Barthe, Tom Patnotte, and Martin Gaufryau featured a collaborative work titled "Le Paraveu Cabin" for the international competition Le festival de Cabenes or The Cabins Festival 2022. The concept of Le Paraveu Cabin is intended as a connection between architecture and nature.

(Le Paraveu Cabin was built on the banks of the river Aix)

The three architects expressed their ideas of Le Paraveu Cabin in a simple but very fundamental form in architecture; a rectangle. The 9-square-meter building is formed on a solid structure built using local wood from the Savoyard Forest. For the walls, they chose to combine with a delicate white cloth to display a clean cabin amidst the shady nature trees around.

(The delicate white cloth on the walls of Le Paraveu Cabin displays a clean cabin amidst the shady nature trees around)

Due to its secluded location on the Aix River banks, Le Paraveu Cabin offers a peaceful environment with birds chirping and the calming sound of river flow. Its volume is deliberately designed to connect architecture with the surrounding nature with key elements such as doors and windows that open and lead to rivers. Thus, visitors are able to enjoy natural scenery that is not limited by cabin elements.

(Le Paraveu Cabin entrance)

(Interior of Le Paraveu Cabin)

Furthermore, part of the roof is designed to be open to the sky and the wooden beams in between seem to frame the beauty of the sky from the inside. This allows the cabin to blend into the landscape without the need to add excessive elements.

(Le Peraveu Cabin has two floors with wooden stairs that provide access)

(Part of the roof is designed to open to the sky)

In the inner area, this two-story cabin is allocated as a relaxing area equipped with wooden chairs. In this area, there is also a staircase that is accessible to the cabin. Le Paraveu Cabin can bring tranquility as well as being a 'bridge' between architecture and nature to its design concept that allows all elements of nature to blend with the cabin to see and feel the outdoors differently.

(View of Le Paraveu Cabin at night)