Rooted in traditional Swiss chalet architecture with influences from the British and American Arts and Crafts Movements, the iconic American cabin we know today is an eclectic mix of styles. Perfected by the great Robber Barons of the Gilded Age, the development of several camps located in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York at the turn of the twentieth century spawned a uniquely American style of architecture now referred to as Great Camp Architecture. Designed to harmonize with their natural surroundings, these remote camps utilized indigenous materials such as birch bark, granite boulders, and rustic timbers giving them their unique primitive characteristics. While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there is something innately romantic and alluring about this style that has kept designers and architects inspired for over a century. One thing is for certain, however, when it comes to cabin design it doesn’t get any more cabin-y than this…
1. A contemporary Adirondack house, Peter Pennoyer Architects
2. Canoe Pack, Duluth Pack
3. Great Camp Sagamore, Adirondacks, c. 1897
4. Cavendish Jacket, Barbour
1. Marjorie Merriweather Post's Camp Topridge, Adirondacks, c. 1923
2. Hammered copper Roycroft pendant, c. 1910
5. Camp Eagle Island, Adirondacks, c. 1899
3. Pewter tray with leaf handles, Vagabond House
4. Joseph Heinrich hammered copper tankard with applied silver handle , c. 1910
1. Ralph Lauren's Double R Ranch, Ridgway, Colorado
2. Stickley Brothers hammered coppered vase, c. 1905
3. Acadia National Park Blanket, Pendelton
