BBÖ Cabana
Modular Timber System for Seasonal Flexibility
Keywords
System Design
Modular
Ongoing
Lightweight
Location
Karaburun, Izmir, Turkey
Year
2023
Urbanites +
BBO Cabana is a modular timber structure designed for a private coastal retreat located along the rugged Aegean shoreline of Karaburun, İzmir. Conceived as an annex to a minimal stone domus, the pavillion accommodates multiple scenarios for different seasons and occasions: including a winter garden, the lounge, or a guest cabin with ensuite facilities. The structure was studied as adaptable configurations to varying installations in the acreage.
The architect Nilufer Kozikoğlu approached the project not merely as an annex but as a system, developing it into an architectonic language in timber. All structural elements — including timber frames, infill modules, and roof components — are designed for prefabrication off-site and then assembly on location, allowing for precision, efficiency, and minimal disruption to the site. The construction sequence follows a simple systematic process: anchoring the modular frame to a concrete base with steel connectors, installing roof modules, and completing the enclosure with variable wall elements.
The site is located in Kaynarpınar, on the brink of the shore in 20m height from the sea, between the Karapınar road and the sea, backed up by the Bozdağ, the 1000m high mass. This super windy bankside, is increasingly vegetated with olive trees, and is scarcely settled is known for the bucolic fisherman villages, stone houses and islandic vibes.
The cabin design with lightweight, semi-permeable wooden components, enables a graduated transition from open deck to enclosed interior. Shutters, slatted panels, and roof eaves can be deployed based on climatic and programmatic needs, creating a responsive spatial envelope.
The lightweight design emphasizes modularity as an architectural principle — offering flexibility, ease of assembly, and responsiveness to light, wind, and landscape. Each version explores spatial relationships between the Cabana, its neighboring structures, and the surrounding views, resulting in a dynamic balance between privacy, openness, and environmental integration.
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