At one time or another every man has fantasised about getting away from it all, going back to basics and letting the beard grow to unhygienic lengths.
A simple, leaky hut used to be the retreat of choice but now, with the help of these extraordinary cabins in Taschen’s latest coffee table must, you can do it in something that looks like a Bond villain's hideaway.
Due to environmental considerations, the best new architects the world over are increasingly turning their easels towards the possibilities offered by the humble, low-impact, cabin. From the Suffolk countryside to the Western Ghat mountain range in India, cabins are pushing the aesthetic boundaries of modern design.
If you want one for yourself, all you need is few thousand spare euros lying around. If you're not so lucky, this beautiful book will set you back a much more reasonable £44.99.
The fantasy might have to stay a fantasy but there's no harm in looking. Here are a selection of the most startling designs in Taschen's wonderful new book, Cabins, by Philip Jodidio.
BOATHOUSE, NORWAY
Price: €4634 Material: Norwegian pine
DIANE MIDDLEBROOK STUDIOS, CALIFORNIA
Price: €550,000 Material: Steel and red cedar
DROP ECO-HOTEL, VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Price: Not for sale Material: Prefabricated wood and steel
ESTATE BUNGALOW, SRI LANKA
Price: Not for sale Material: Steel, timber and bamboo
FRAGILE SHELTER, JAPAN
Price: ¥200,000 Material: Timber
TREE SNAKE HOUSES, PORTUGAL
Price: €90,000 Material: Wood and slate
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Cabin Porn: A Celebration
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