modern forest hut black balanced on rock

The importance of a peaceful getaway simply can’t be overstated. Whether it’s a quiet corner of your home, a well-loved hiking trail or the sauna at your gym, everyone needs a place to let all of their troubles melt away. For one hard-working client, architectural firm Uhlik Architekti came up with a nature-inspired fortress of solitude in the middle of the woods.

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modern forest hut black

The client’s physically demanding job in Prague necessitated a relaxing escape, and he knew of the perfect setting: a place surrounded by woods, meadows, fields, and boulders. The tiny structure built there would come to be known as the Forest Retreat.

modern forest hut black window open

The small structure is just large enough for a single person to stand upright. The bottom of the stark black cabin is a flat space enclosed by a sliding glass door. The structure then tapers upward until the other end is suspended above the ground atop a boulder.

modern forest hut black back

Another large glass pane sits in the elevated opening, letting natural light flow in from both sides and allowing the owner a splendid view of the magical surroundings.

Both of the glass surfaces can be concealed with large shutters; when closed, the Forest Retreat looks a bit like a large charred log resting in the middle of the woods.

modern forest hut black interior view
modern forest hut black interior stairs

Inside, the structure is nearly barren and free of distractions. A small wood-burning stove provides necessary heat and light for the off-grid structure. A series of steps leading up from the main platform to the top point of the cabin provide handy built-in furniture.

modern forest hut black drawing

The steps open up to act as storage spaces, but they can also be used as seating and tables. And when the owner decides that an entire evening in the woods is in order, one of the benches opens up into a bed, making this the perfect place to spend an entire lazy weekend before returning to the pressures of the real world.