There are plenty of charming off-grid cabins tempting folks into the wilderness these days, but most tend to keep things on the simple side. The Into the Wild cabin by Ark Shelter goes to some lengths to offer its guests flexibility and luxury, most notably by way of a hidden Jacuzzi tucked into the floor.
The Into the Wild cabin was conceived as not just a nature retreat, but as a way to maximize its visitors connection with it. As such the cabin features various "openings," each designed to invite elements of nature inside in different ways.
One of the walls is essentially a huge sliding glass door that opens up that side entirely to the outside, while the glazing that covers the entire front end creates an impression that you're seated outside. A milk glass window draws natural light into the bathroom, while a clear skylight overhead does the same over the cabin's center.
What is a essentially a big black box sits in the middle of the cabin and divides it into different areas, also serving as the base for a loft that sits above. Accessed via a nifty closet door that becomes a ladder when opened, this loft is imagined as a meditation zone as well as a bedroom, allowing folks to sleep beneath an open view of the stars.
The bathroom is equipped with a shower and classy walnut basin, while the adjacent bedroom is where things get a little interesting. The double bed that rests on the floor seems perfectly ordinary at first glance, but can be hoisted up into the ceiling via a powered lifting mechanism to reveal a sunken jacuzzi underneath, repurposing the room as another space to unwind.
Covering 40 sq m (430 sq ft) in all, the Into the Wild cabin is also equipped with solar panels, batteries and a rain water collector, enabling it to function entirely off-grid.
Ark Shelter, which is a collective of architectural students in Slovakia focusing on low-tech affordable architecture, makes the Into the Wild cabin to order, along with a number of other designs. You'll need to ask about pricing, with contact information available via the source below.
Source: Ark Shelter
The problems with the Jacuzzi are:
First, filling/emptying this would use up a lot of water for an off grid system that relies on rain water.
Second, if the Jacuzzi isn't emptied after use there would be a that lovely chlorine smell in the bedroom.
Third, keeping water under the bed in a Jacuzzi would probably lead to a mold issue.