Bather’s Design
A luxury woodland cabin for two. With a secluded roof garden for bathing, sauna and time in nature
Every element of Bather's Cabin has been carefully designed and crafted to celebrate the restorative rituals of bathing. Handmade using locally sourced materials and natural finishes, the cabin offers a healthy, calming environment that encourages guests to slow down, reconnect with nature, and immerse themselves in the landscape.
Designed by award-winning architectural practice Built Works, whose directors founded Architects Holiday to realise and share a design ethos rooted in responsible construction, craftsmanship and a deep connection to place, Bather's Cabin is conceived as a contemporary bathhouse hidden within the woodland.
Internally, textured plaster and joinery provide warmth and character throughout. The timber has been carefully selected from slow-grown Scottish forests renowned for producing exceptionally straight and durable material. Natural hemp fibre insulation, bespoke ceramic tiles designed by Built Works in collaboration with Common Objects Studio, and handmade organic cotton curtains complete an interior that prioritises natural materials, comfort and wellbeing.
The design draws inspiration from the historic granaries and agricultural drying sheds once common across the High Weald. Elevated above the forest floor and wrapped in a permeable timber skin, the cabin sits lightly amongst the trees whilst offering complete privacy. Externally, locally sourced larch cladding has been treated with traditional Scandinavian pine tar, creating a rich black finish that will continue to weather and evolve over time.
At the heart of the cabin is a large bathing room, where a handcrafted soaking tub occupies the primary living space and frames views into the woodland beyond. Above, a private rooftop bathing terrace provides a sauna, hot tub and cold plunge pool amongst the tree canopy, allowing guests to experience the changing seasons, weather and light from dawn until dusk.
