The chirping of the birds announces the dawn. I awake quietly to the warm rays of the sun streaming into the room. A moment later, I am standing on the platform amidst the rippling water while the morning sun slowly gives me strength for another beautiful day...
Doesn't this sound beautiful? The Dawn offers this idyllic story. The concept is based on a movable unit. This cabin has a modernist construction, the well-known plan libre. Inside, the cabin has been intentionally reduced to its essentials, allowing the visitor to be brought into intuitive contact with the elements.
It is a place where you can recharge and at the same time find peace, a place where you are physically active outside and enjoy the comfort inside the cabin so much more. Where you can go for a night or weekend in the middle of a beautiful nature reserve and go home with a whole new mind-set.
What makes this hut remarkable is that it is completely off grid. This means that the hut depends only on itself. The cabin is placed on the water so the landscape is not affected. When this wooden hut is moved to another place, no traces are left behind. The wood stove placed in the heart of the cabin is responsible for heating the entire space. By means of a ventilation system the heat is collected and sent to the bedrooms and bathrooms. By tilting the roof, it is possible not only to darken the interior but also to collect rainwater from the surface. the water is then filtered and stored in a tank under the platform.
This cabin has a modernist construction, known as the plan libre. The eight surrounding pilotis carry the tilting roof. The closed front is in great contrast with the very open back of the cabin. The concept of open-closed goes hand in hand with the complete closure of the cabin. This is done by using shutters. Above all, they offer a fantastic way to exchange night for day: waking up to your own private view of the green landscape.
The two main used materials are charred Akoya and plywood. Charred Akoya stands for carbonized wood obtained by the technique "Shou Sugi ban", this technique finds its origin in Japan. The process changes the cellular structure of wood, minimizing the need for maintenance. Charred wood is durable and has greater resistance to weathering, fire and pests. Lastly, it also protects against moisture which prevents mold. The entire interior is constructed of plywood. This hardwood has many advantages. The many perpendicularly glued layers make the material very strong and nothing of the tree is lost. These multiple layers also make the wood moisture resistant, which ensures that no creep can occur.
This cabin has a modernist construction, known as the plan libre. The eight surrounding pilotis carry the tilting roof. The closed front is in great contrast with the very open back of the cabin. The concept of open-closed goes hand in hand with the complete closure of the cabin. This is done by using shutters. Above all, they offer a fantastic way to exchange night for day: waking up to your own private view of the green landscape.
The two main used materials are charred Akoya and plywood. Charred Akoya stands for carbonized wood obtained by the technique "Shou Sugi ban", this technique finds its origin in Japan. The process changes the cellular structure of wood, minimizing the need for maintenance. Charred wood is durable and has greater resistance to weathering, fire and pests. Lastly, it also protects against moisture which prevents mold. The entire interior is constructed of plywood. This hardwood has many advantages. The many perpendicularly glued layers make the material very strong and nothing of the tree is lost. These multiple layers also make the wood moisture resistant, which ensures that no creep can occur.
The Lommelse Sahara is part of ‘Bosland’, the largest woodland and nature reserve in North Limburg. It contains a forest, a sand plain, heathland, 3 ponds and a 30 meter high watchtower. The Lommel Sahara is a result of the nearby zinc factory which made the soil infertile. Because no plant growth was possible, sand began to accumulate here, creating this specific landscape. Over time, sand mining was practiced here, which in turn created the large pits that now form the ponds. Eventually pine trees were planted which prevented the process of complete silting.
Now you do not notice anything of this history. The sahara has a desert-like landscape surrounded by pine trees and is home to many species of birds and small animals. In the center of the Sahara you will find a large pond on which the cabin is located.