Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins in Farmington, Minnesota by HGA

Article source: The American Institute of Architects (AIA)

Nestled into the hillside of a new regional park, three camper cabins riff on the idea of a tree house entered from a bridge at the crest of a hill. Built on concrete piers to minimize environmental impact, the 227-square-foot cabins with an 80-square-foot deck feature red cedar glulam chassis, cedar and pine framing, and red cedar cladding. Two full-size bunks, dining and sitting areas accommodate four individuals, with a sleeper sofa and folding seating accommodating up to two more. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors frame views of the forest.

Image Courtesy © Paul Crosby

• Architects: HGA
• Project: Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
• Location: Farmington, Minnesota,USA
• Photography: Paul Crosby and Peter VonDeLinde
  
• Principal-in-Charge: Jim Goblirsch, AIA, LEED AP
• Project Lead Designer: Steven Dwyer, AIA, LEED AP
• Project Manager: Erica Christenson, ASLA
• Project Architects: Rob Good, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
• Structural Engineer: HGA (Tony Staeger, PE; Bryan Greger)
• Landscape Architect: HGA (Ross Altheimer, ASLA, LEED AP; Travis Van Liere , ASLA)
• Landscape Project Team: HGA (Erica Christenson, ASLA; Trygve Hansen, ASLA, LEED AP; Nissa Tupper, ASLA)
• Mechanical Engineer: HGA (Leighton Deer, PE, LEED AP; Julie Hagstrom, CPD, LEED AP)
• Electrical Engineer: HGA (Ben Gutierrez; Greg Aune)
• Civil Engineer: HGA (Kenny Horns, PE, LEED AP; Bradley Roath, PE, LEED AP)
• Lighting Design: HGA (Chysanthi Stockwell)

Image Courtesy © Paul Crosby

The Camper Cabins in the newly constructed Whitetail Woods Regional Park are a hallmark feature intended to create extended patron experiences within the park. The user’s brief discussed numerous options for cabins, including a tree-house. Early community engagement validated the proposed concept based on the idea of touching the earth lightly like a tree-house, but accessible to all. In the park, three camper cabins reimagine the classic tree-house as a “house in the trees” supported by a bath-house a short distance away. Constructed through a local high school construction trades program with supervision from county workers to minimize cost, the cabins are the first three of 20 to be constructed in the parks master plan. As they were planned, the cabins have become a key feature and a community highlight.

Image Courtesy © Paul Crosby

Image Courtesy © Peter VonDeLinde

As a camper cabin, the structures are simple, efficient and perfectly aligned with the camping experience. The cabins have been designed to utilize the natural environment. Because each cabin is situated in the solar sheltered woods, mechanical cooling has been eliminated and each cabin uses natural ventilation to handle building comfort. Building heating has been minimized by improved insulation for the cabin.

Image Courtesy © Paul Crosby

Image Courtesy © Paul Crosby

Image Courtesy © Paul Crosby

Image Courtesy © HGA

Image Courtesy © HGA

Image Courtesy © HGA

Image Courtesy © HGA

Image Courtesy © HGA

Image Courtesy © HGA

Tags: Minnesota, USA

Category: Cabin

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