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, Cabinsby 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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