Raus Is a Design-Forward Rentable Cabin in Germany

It's proven that time spent in nature is good medicine for the soul. Our modern lives are often overwhelmingly hectic, and seeking balance by seeking out quiet times in the outdoors can be a simple way to promote well-being in one's life.

For many people, one popular way to get out of the city is to simply rent a cabin for the weekend, which can be easier than the logistics of planning a full-out camping trip. Many companies are now popping up to cater to this demand, like German hospitality tech start-up Raus, which recently partnered up with Danish-born, Berlin-based architect Sigurd Larsen to create a modern cabin that guests from the city can rent.

The Raus Cabin presents a strikingly modern profile in black, in addition to its rather boxy form that recalls the dimensional envelope of most tiny houses. Surrounded by nature, and located at the edge of the Wehrmuehle cultural garden in Brandenburg, Germany. Larsen's design is the first of the new model of Raus' line of tiny house-inspired cabins, which temporarily occupy other idyllic locations around Germany.

As Larsen explains, designing for such a compact footprint can be a challenge:

"Working with only a few cubic meters is in some ways always a challenge for architects. But at the same time, I found it to be a source of inspiration because there is such a clear framework set for what is possible. My hope is that each guest will be able to make this place their own and feel at home here, even if for a limited time."

The first thing that one notices upon entering is how dark everything is—all the surfaces, from the kitchen counters and appliances to the walls—are painted in black. There is an explanation for this "radical" design decision, as Larsen wanted unobstructed views of nature, through the expansive glass windows that surround the unit:

"It was very much about avoiding reflection in the glass actually; because it would be a pity if all you saw in the window was your own reflection somehow."

Conceived as a series of small rooms within one big room, the cabin's 193-square-foot (18-square-meter) interior can fit up to four people and can be suitable for small families without pets who are looking to spend quality time together. It is solar-powered but is connected to backup power on the grid at this current location.

The design concept splits the cabin longitudinally down its center, with the front part being more open to the outdoors thanks to its large windows. The back zone is where the beds and bathroom are seemingly carved out of the overall volume, says the designer:

"The bed, sofa, bunk beds and bathroom are all niches in an inhabited wall. This way we created a cave-like situation where you can crawl in and feel protected from one side, and have the full open view in all other directions. The idea behind the mobile cabins is to frame the idyllic view, quite literally, with the help of the large floor-to-ceiling windows."

The cabin's source of heat comes from the compact wood stove that sits by the main sliding glass door.

The kitchen is ensconced in one corner of the cabin and has been strategically placed so that one can have a near-panoramic view of the outdoors while cooking.

The niche for the smaller bed bunk feels quite cozy and features a small wall shelf. When not being used as a bed, it also functions as a day bed to lounge around and read in. It may be hard to make out, but there is an integrated ladder at the end of the bed that gives access to the bunk bed above.

As one can see in this nighttime photo, above the lower bunk bed, we have another bunk bed on top, lit with its own skylight and reading lamp.

The larger bed is roomy, and with the large sliding glass door open, can offer a peaceful, lazy morning experience of reading in bed.

The shower is small but has a skylight above to let in more light, and to allow a view of the tree canopy above while washing up.

Bookings are unfortunately no longer being accepted at this location due to its popularity, but there are plans to relocate this version of the Raus cabin to another temporary site in the future.

To learn more, visit Raus.