Montreal-based Atelier L’Abri has completed an experimental camping concept project in the Canadian wilderness. Named Territoire Charlevoix, and located in a forest between La Malbaie and Baie-Saint-Paul, the scheme is described as “a series of structures that are simple, yet varied; familiar, yet unusual.”

The various modules comprising the project include camping shelters, viewing platforms with communal kitchens, and a visitor center. The five shelters function as small, autonomous buildings offering “an intimate encounter with nature in complete comfort, both in summer and in winter.” Sitting on slender legs, the cabins were designed to fuse rusticity and modernity, with a single-slope roof to suit the natural topography of the site.

“This bold form is reminiscent of the shape of large dormers, or old cameras,” the designers say about the shelters. “Like these optical devices, the prisms of Territoire's small living machines peak towards a wide opening to form a true focal point on the landscape. This large glass pane spans the entire width of the interior plan and tilts lightly towards the valleys below, creating a plunging view of the territory.”

Inside, the shelters contain a kitchenette, a small dining table, a wood stove, and a large bed in front of a bay window. Bench spaces are integrated into the floor’s changing levels, while a built-in space can accommodate an additional mattress. Each shelter also includes a covered outdoor dining area on an external terrace, holding a large table and workbench. The material palette for the shelters comprises economical, standardized materials such as plywood. To soften the interior, white wood paneling offers a contrast to the exterior’s raw, natural wood cladding.

“Living in the buildings of Territoire Charlevoix inspires us to slow down and embrace degrowth,” the team adds. “These simple structures, made with limited means, bring us back to the essence of our needs while offering a tremendous opportunity to reconnect with nature. They encourage us to reconsider our relationship with construction and the reduced impact our buildings could have on our world, without sacrificing what is essential to our well-being and our complex relationship with our territories.”

The scheme is one of several recently completed projects to feature in our editorial. Last week, Indee Design unveiled a ‘playhouse for kids and adults’ in Montreal, while in January, StudioAC showcased a Toronto home with an 'unapologetically contemporary' gable form. 

Earlier this year, Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture completed a set of minimalist concrete apartments on a narrow site in Tokyo while, late last year, IOAN showcased a Joshua Tree residence using natural materials set against a desert backdrop.