Delta Shelter - A transforming Cabin - Exterior

Size: 1,000 Square Feet

The 1000-square-foot cabin in Mazama, Washington is made of steel and is raised above a floodplain in a wooded valley. When the Delta Shelter's owner is in residence, four 10' x 18' wall panels, or "shutters," can be rolled back, opening the whole house to the outdoors. The mechanism for opening these shutters is human-powered. A system that includes drive shafts, u-joints, spur gears and cables allows users to simply turn a hand wheel to simultaneously open the four sides of the building, revealing floor-to-ceiling glazed walls.

Opening the shutters transforms the house from a closed box to a transparent and penetrable form.