[from] in form Rhode Island Therapist's Cabin

The deck points to the sunrise on the summer equinox. “In researching, I found interesting ideas about how Japanese builders spent seasons on the land observing where the sun rises and sets throughout the year,” the homeowner says. “I asked Jason to include that in the equation when siting the building on the land.”

In the front of the cabin, the roof extends almost twice as deep on the east than the west.

A gravel path leads to a bench meant for slipping off one’s shoes before entering. The slatted screen above the firewood holder helps protect the north façade from snow.

The architect sited the cabin not far from a puddingstone on the property. "People sit on it," the homeowner says. "It's very inviting."

The cabin is open to the south for solar gain.

The burned Douglas fir exterior cladding reveals a lighter grain as the seasons pass.

The desk window is positioned downwards to frame the field.

At the corner with the desk, the building is angled in two planes. The desktop is made from slightly burned Douglas fir.

The cabin, which is modeled after a lean-to, sits in a field on the edge of the woods.

The owners’ choice of a white wood stove influenced the architect’s decision to dye the cement floor electric blue.

When not in use, the ladder hangs in front of a closet that stores the family’s camping gear.

Douglas fir boards follow the angle of the roof, exaggerating the cabin’s form.

Fires can be built on either the north or south side of the rock, depending on prevailing winds.

The five-foot tall fire pit rock is buried three-feet into the ground for stability.

The shou sugi ban exterior is durable, but will lighten over time.

Exterior cladding follows the angle of the roof, exaggerating the cabin’s angular form. Like a lean-to shelter, the cabin is high in front and low in back.

Outside the desk window, a spear-like Corten steel gutter delivers rainwater to a garden swale. "It's a little moment of celebration," the architect says.

A hanging bell made from an air tank with the bottom sliced off sits on the path from the parking field.