HGA Architects and Engineers

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Pete VonDeLinde

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins

HGA Architects and Engineers

LIGHTING DESIGN
Hga, Chysanthi Stockwell

MANUFACTURERS
Centria, Marvin, Sansin, Virginia Tile & Stone, Western Red Cedar, Dakota County, Douglas Fir, Maple Wood

PROJECT ARCHITECTS
Rob Good

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Hga, Ben Gutierrez, Greg Aune

PRINCIPAL IN CHARGE
Jim Goblirsch

PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Steven Dwyer , Asla

MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Hga, Leighton Deer, Julie Hagstrom

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Hga, Tony Staeger, Bryan Greger

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Erica Christenson, Asla; Trygve Hansen, Asla, Leed Ap; Nissa Tupper, Asla

PROJECT MANAGER
Erica Christenson, Asla

CIVIL ENGINEER
Hga, Kenny Horns, Bradley Roath

LANDSCAPE PROJECT TEAM
Erica Christenson, Asla; Trygve Hansen, Asla, Leed Ap; Nissa Tupper, Asla

AREA
227 ft²

YEAR
2014

LOCATION
Farmington, United States

CATEGORY
Cabins & Lodges

Text description provided by architect.

Nestled into the hillside of a new regional park within the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, three new camper cabins - built by county employees with the aid of high school students in a vocational training program.

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Pete VonDeLinde
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Paul Crosby Photography

Weave their way into a stand of pine trees. They serve as a key amenity in the first phase of the parks master plan.

The concept for the cabins riffs on the idea of a treehouse, but instead makes it accessible to all by building a “house in the trees” entered from a bridge at the crest of the hill along adjacent ski and hiking trails.

At 227 square feet with an 80 square foot deck, the cabins provide ample square footage, electricity, lighting, heat and natural ventilation with framed views into the surrounding forest bringing modern comfort to the overnight outdoor adventurer.

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Paul Crosby Photography
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Paul Crosby Photography

Two full-size bunks with built-in-storage, dining and sitting areas provide optimized cabin accommodations for four individuals while sleeper sofa and additional folding seating, hidden via built-in-storage, can comfortably accommodate six. The cabins are supported by a bathhouse farther up the hill.

Built on concrete piers to minimize the impact on the surrounding wilderness, the cabins hover between 14 and 16 feet above grade with trees almost at arms-reach, creating privacy and intimacy with the natural environment.

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Paul Crosby Photography
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Paul Crosby Photography

Above the concrete pier foundation the structure is comprised of a red cedar glulam chassis, cedar and pine framing depending on visibility and exposure, and red cedar cladding throughout.

Dark cedar shingles on the exterior blend seamlessly with the beauty of the pine forest, in which it is situated while the interior is stained naturally to create an immersive warm environment. Floor-to-ceiling glass at the deck frames the forest, creating a focal centerpiece from the interior.

Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
© Paul Crosby Photography


Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Cabin Elevation 1
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Cabin Elevation 2
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Cabin Elevation 3
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Cabin Section


Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Floor Plan
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Wall Section
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Site Plan
Whitetail Woods Regional Park Camper Cabins
Ariel View

HGA Architects and Engineers
T +1 612 7584000
HGA Architects and Engineers
420 N 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55401, United States