tomillo

Located on the non-ferry served Obstruction Island, the site was completely untouched and only occupied by a mature montane forest of Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock, and spruce. Before any construction was done on site, Carsten and his family camped on the property for two years to understand the hidden moments and seasonal changes of the place. During this time much care was taken to clear dead and fallen trees to only discover a church-like outdoor space, a mossy clearing surrounded by 150-foot-tall trees. This became the permanent location for the cabin, tucked inland so the building wouldn’t be visible from the jaggy and rocky shoreline. The design and construction of the cabin was done together as a family. Aiming to strike a balance of simplicity and basic comfort in this weekend retreat, you get a feeling as though you are immersed in the natural elements of the forest.

The materials for the cabin were carefully chosen and economized to fit onto two small lumber trucks coming in on barge. All materials were dropped at the top of the 2.5-acre site and carried down by hand, piece by piece, to the mossy clearing. The finishes are durable and simple. The 2x4 framing was left exposed on the interior with fire-resistant mineral wool insulation applied to the exterior, then clad with Alaskan yellow cedar boards with a Sho Sugi Ban finish. In the interior, a second life was given to a 1960 Danish fireplace and 100-year-old steel windows. The kitchen equipment is movable and interchangeable, just enough to cook healthy and tasty meals. The electrical and plumbing was kept as rudimentary as possible so to not rely on technicians coming in from the mainland.