Box Camp Bunkhouse

with Caitlin Dippo and Nate Ehrlich

A small lake in the north woods of Wisconsin was the summer tromping grounds for the owners in their youth. Now older, with their own children and grandchildren, they selected a nearby site with an existing dilapidated cabin on which to build a new retreat. They were interested in a low-slung design to fit with the contours of the site, while invoking a modern, yet camp-like arrangement to accommodate a large and growing family. They hired SALA to design the first phase of the retreat, Box Camp, a few years ago. The design established a plan that unfolds along a single circulation spine, visibly open from one end to the other, connecting a string of wood-clad living and sleeping boxes. The heart of the camp is a central gathering box with tall ceilings, a commanding fireplace, and expansive windows facing the lake. Sleeping spaces are located to the north and south, reached either through a screened breezeway or glassy connector.

Phase two focuses on the bunkhouse addition, which seamlessly integrates into the established design south of the main building, by being strung on the circulation path. It includes two uninsulated, seasonal sleeping boxes lofted in the trees and connected via a raised walkway. In particular, these two elements cater to the clients’ desire to have sleeping quarters that recall the sleeping porches of their childhood, 1940s-era family cabin.

Moments of porosity are inherent to the design, increasing mental and social health through a reinforced connection to nature. Occupants are exposed to continually changing views and focal points as they move throughout the camp. Physical interconnections between inside and outside were a driving consideration for the family. Migration is encouraged between and through boxes, and wood acts as a mediator between interior and exterior spaces, while also offering a psychological warmth.

Construction by Tworek Construction
Photography by Troy Thies

Awards:
2024 RAVE Award, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine