Delta Shelter by Olson Kundig Architects

This cabin in Washington state, USA is really something of an impenetrable fortress, with retractable steel sheet cladding on all four facades which can be sealed to completely cover the windows when away. Delta Shelter is located near a river on a floodplain and as a result the structure has in effect been built on stilts, with only a car port and a shed-like utility room at ground level.

With a footprint of just 400 square feet (37m²), this dwelling has minimal impact on the land. But spread over 3 storeys this equates to a modest floor plan of 1,000 square feet.

The steel cladding has a stablised rust finish which helps what would be an otherwise be a highly-contrasting, industrially-styled edifice blend into its bucolic surroundings. Both the sheet metal and the structural I-beams have developed this natural rust-brown colouration.

All of the lower level windows can be sealed with these steel panels with a few turns of a simple hand-crank at the heart of Delta Shelter. We’ve seen a similar such feature on a cabin in the past on Homeli with ‘Hut on Sleds’ by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects. In both these projects, the shutters are a great way of protecting the dwellings while the inhabitants are away long term.