The Hut of Wellbeing, Fife

Challenge

As part of a community project with Reforesting Scotland, we were asked to help provide a low-impact foundation solution for a log cabin, The Hut of Wellbeing.

A concept pioneered by Reforesting Scotland member Tony Carter, The Hut of Wellbeing offers a quiet retreat for those with life-limiting conditions and demanding caring roles to go and have a break.

Falkland Estate’s owner, Ninian Stewart, was keen to support Reforesting Scotland and the project, knowing first-hand the benefits of having an escape into nature. Agreements were made to provide the land to support The Hut of Wellbeing, as well as a number of other small timber-built huts as part of the Hutters Community.

Duncan Roberts, a Northumberland architect, has been involved in the design and planning for the project, replicating the Scandinavian model to provide a small timber-built hut in a forest setting.

This project was built and managed by Jodie Adamson and Laura Jaap. They are carpenters who collaborate on natural building projects together and specialise in using local materials in the building of small off-grid structures, especially huts.

Everyone involved wanted to ensure that the new woodland hut would be built with minimal impact on the natural environment. Located within a secluded woodland area in Fife, it was critical the foundations caused no damage to the surrounding mature trees and their root systems.

Additionally, The Hut of Wellbeing is sited over an area of sloping and soft ground, so a foundation solution that would bring up levels without extensive excavations that would damage the natural habitat was required.