Welcome to the second installation of Koto’s community interview series!

In this latest interview, we're catching up with our client, Wim Stevenson, from Trees at Tughall; a series of exclusive cabins nestled within a small wood on the Northumbrian coast. Our partnership with Wim celebrates shared environmental values and passion for conscious design; a love for nature and the great outdoors is the cornerstone of the Trees at Tughall ethos.

Here, Wim discusses his vision for Trees at Tughall alongside his favourite architectural and decor elements of the eco-cabins.

Wim, what inspired you to build a sustainable retreat?

Our love of travel, the outdoors, design, and the beautiful stretch of the Northumbrian coastline we are fortunate enough to call home.  In many ways, it is the juxtaposition of these four factors that influenced/informed many of the choices during the design process. Their physicality, use of space and materials shows inspiration borrowed from bothies and mountain huts as well as the fisherman's shacks that dot our local landscape. Similarly, the spacial programme was formed as a direct response to the site and the myriad views and opportunities for environmental connections to be made.  

 How did you approach the design of your new cabins with Koto?

In a word; enthusiastically.  We share a genuine love for the outdoors, which as mentioned formed much of the design conversation. They really were the perfect fit for us, and we found it very easy to entrust the design of our vision with them because there was so much shared ground - important for any creative endeavour. Koto were able to hone in on and add materiality to the practicable aspects of our broad concepts that made the process feel very organic and evolutionary.

 Who are the cabins designed to cater for?

They were really designed for people with a keen interest in the outdoors. The site is four fields from the watersports mecca of Beadnell beach, with iconic cycle routes and driving routes such as the Nland250 passing close by, there are world-class heritage sites such as Bamburgh Castle and we are 30 minutes from the Cheviot hills.  

The cabins are really a series of curated connective moments with the outdoors. Places of reflection are linked through passive elements such as the use of volume and materiality to blur the lines between inside and outside. As such, they are as much an active extension of the outdoors as a refuge. 

What this equates to in reality are cabins that are for all manner of people - from windburn, salt-cracked, sun-kissed faces to those who just want to decompress from the hustle of modern life in peace, watching the birds and the light play through the canopy.

Your cabins are located in such a beautiful part of Northumberland, how do they complement and settle into the surrounding area?

Every design decision, from initial concept to construction, has been influenced by their cultural, geographical and environmental surroundings.  Exploring themes such as emotional minimalism, distraction-free luxury and environmental connection allowed the cabins to be incredibly expressive yet materially - and spatially - very elemental. We and Koto both believe materiality is an important factor in creating quality spaces that engage the building in its environment. The use of simple shapes, materials and volumes allows for clean lines which contrast beautifully against the vivaciousness of the surrounding micro and macro environment.  It is why what on paper appears like quite a bold silhouette of a structure sits so well. They act as individually considered interjections closing the circle of environmental contrasts.  

Subtle design choices such as the floors being from sustainably sourced Ash to reflect the Ash trees that comprise most of the wood (which were also the inspiration for our logo - an interpretation of the Anglo-Northumbrian runic alphabet symbol for the Ash) help ground these broad, lofty concepts into real intimate connections. The same goes for the principal exterior design prompt of the old fisherman’s huts; all clad with vertical shiplap timber coated in creosote.  

We truly believe they connect so well with their environment because they are so much of their environment.

What was the process like for you working with Koto?

Collaborative. As previously mentioned, we came to the table with lofty ambitions and broad concepts but no real idea of how to implement them. We have an amateur interest in design and architecture, but an intense and intimate appreciation for the site and part of the world they sit in. As such, I think we complimented each other very well.  Although I imagine we were quite exacerbating at times because of it!!

What are some of your favourite decor, design, or architectural elements in your cabins?

The big-ticket headlines are all pretty obvious; big windows, super-detailed, minimal-yet-luxurious interiors etc. What gives me the most joy are the more subtle features that link everything together…

Internal doors slide out of seemingly nowhere. This not only frees up wall space but also enhances the elemental materiality of the cabins and the spaces they create. Instead of handles, they are manipulated by simple notches cut into the wood, which is very pleasing.  There are quasi-secret storage places secreted through the cabin, and the sliding doors make each space feel like a continuation of this, making the cabins feel more like a piece of high-end furniture.

The ash floor is a really subtle inclusion. The boards are quite roughly cut and show the beautiful close, knotty grain of the wood, which contrasts beautifully with the pristine poplar ply of the walls and ceiling. It injects a bit of life into the space which floors rarely achieve!

The kitchen is a beautiful independent element that exists in an otherwise pristine, natural-wood-coloured environment.  It links the internal space to the exterior cladding - a fitting metaphor for the design aspirations of the cabins.  They are also mesmerisingly minimal and beautiful.

Do you have any activity or foodie recommendations for guests who are new to the area?

Bamburgh Castle is easily one of the most dramatic castles in the world and is only 10 minutes away.  There are lots of wonderful restaurants specialising in local produce, but highlights would be The Potted Lobster in Bamburgh or the Beadnell Towers in Beadnell.

However, we think the best way to spend an afternoon is to walk to Beadnell beach over the fields, to watch arctic turns plunge into a stormy sea. The beaches around us are easily some of the most beautiful yet secluded in the country and are at their best during winter.

Contact.

For all project and partnership enquiries please contact
poppy@kotocabins.com

Credits.

Architecture and Design - Koto Design
Interior design - Koto Living
Photography - Olco Studios

About Koto.

Modular Architecture - Sustainable by necessity.

Koto delivers beautifully crafted, architect designed, energy neutral homes and cabins. All our buildings are produced to the very highest standards and delivered whole and complete directly to your site. Every Koto home has been crafted with the utmost respect for both our environment and the people we work with. The Koto studio co-founded by Zoe, Johnathon and Theo design modular houses, cabins and sculptural small buildings, with each one drawing inspiration from Scandinavian design and culture. Co-founders, Johnathon and Zoë Little, returned from living on the shores of Norway’s fjords with a deep appreciation of the local aesthetic and environment. As the brand progressed, Koto began looking further east to the minimalist world of Japanese design and their focus on social functionality. This is something that has always fascinated co-founder and architect Theo Dales. Koto shares their emphasis on clean and simple details that provide a sense of calm. This exploration has helped Koto’s designs evolve into the carefully-considered works they are today.

“As both designers and parents, we recognise the dynamic relationship between nature, quality design and one of life’s great luxuries – spending time with friends and family. Each and every Koto home embodies this ethos.”
Zoe Little - Co-Founder Koto.