2025 | Professional

French Design Awards Silver Winner

Cabin of Obsidian

Entrant Company

Guanyu Tao & Zhaoxiong Han

Category

Architectural Design - Hotels & Resorts

Client's Name

Country / Region

United States

Carved into the alpine landscape like a shard of volcanic rock, Obsidian is a sculptural retreat that merges skiing, snow, and geothermal wellness into a seamless experience. Its black metal facade, angular and bold, stands in sharp contrast to the white terrain, echoing the drama of mountain ridges. Designed as a ski-in/ski-out cabin, it eliminates the transition between sport and rest, allowing skiers to step directly from the warmth of the cabin into the open slopes. The interior, lined with locally sourced wood, enhances warmth and comfort, while passive solar strategies and high-performance insulation ensure energy efficiency in extreme conditions. Inside its 25 sqm footprint, the cabin includes a sleeping area, seating, a compact workspace, and designated ski storage, accommodating essential needs within a minimal space. A geothermal-assisted hot spring provides a wellness-focused retreat, offering skiers a natural recovery space. Designed for prefabrication, it minimizes environmental impact while enabling rapid construction in remote locations. Multiple cabins form a community with shared public bath and restroom facilities, balancing private retreat space with a collective resort experience. Obsidian is more than a winter shelter—it is an alpine experience where movement, landscape, and architecture become one.

Credits

Guanyu Tao
Zhaoxiong Han
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