Behold: A Quarantine Cabin Made From Pine Trees, Nestled in a Natural Park

A team of students and experts from the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona, Spain have designed a quarantine cabin rooted in sustainability. Nestled in the Parc de Collserola, the largest natural park in Barcelona with scenic mountain ranges and historical sites, The Voxel is a 12 square meter cabin made entirely from timber from Aleppo Pine trees and other raw, environmentally-friendly material, including solar panels and a water system that relies on rainwater collection and grey-water recycling.

More specifically, 40 pine trees were harvested, cut into boards, and stacked to dry for three months for The Voxel. After this process, the wooden panels were put together metal-free with lap joints and wooden dowels, highlighting a commitment to minimize the use of carbon-intensive materials. Cork insulation and burnt wooden skin is then layered on the panels, using the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban method to preserve the wood and protect it from the rain, according to The Voxel’s media release. 

The quarantine cabin can accommodate one person for 14 days. Built in the span of just five months during quarantine, The Voxel is an architectural response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It’s also a direct response to a generation that prioritizes green building and construction methods that do not exacerbate the climate change crisis.

Step inside The Voxel below, which has an open living space outfitted with counter space, a toilet, a miniature kitchen space, and a second story loft complete with a bed — all outfitted in the same light wooden hue. 

On the exterior of The Voxel, there is an outdoor shower and a roof that accommodates garden boxes filled with plants. 

Ah, to be quarantined in a pine cabin nestled in a grandiose natural park in Barcelona — surrounded by nothing but green mountain ranges and blue skies.