Heva Cabin Brings Off-Grid Prefab Design to France and Beyond

French architecture studio A6A throws their hat in the prefab cabin ring with the Heva cabin, a model that resembles, among others, the Snow Peak Jyubako Tiny House and Barrington Eco Hut. Off-grid and prefabricated, the cabin is fairly customizable, especially in its interior layout.

Heva was formed after A6A designed a prefab cabin for one of their team members and leadership decided to distribute the cabin model further. Manufactured by modular design fabricator My Little Loft, Heva cabins are fully built off-site, delivered by flatbed truck, and set in place by crane. Ready for use shortly thereafter.

This method of delivery drives the extremely compact cabin’s dimensions-width varies from 2.50m to 3.50m, length from 8m to 12m, with max-height topping out at 3.40m. In total, square footage runs from 16 to 38m2 (roughly ~172 to 409 sq ft).

While customizable, a standard Heva plan centers around a central shared living, dining, and kitchen space, while sleeping, bathroom, and storage units flank the space on either side (a loft often works for sleeping space, too). Large central windows that double as sliding doors open up to an optional deck.

Additional windows and their location are an opportunity to customize, as well as number of beds and storage options. As a result of the design, the Heva cabin lends itself well to temporary lodging and even retail pop-up spaces.

Heva takes care to use local wood, including pine plywood, spruce uprights, and Douglas Fir cladding treated with heat to protect the wood against weather and pests. According to the company, the dark color harkens to traditional cabins in the region. A woodstove and wood-fiber insulation provide heat, solar panels provide electricity, and the shower and taps are run on a filtered wastewater system-a tank is used for drinking water.

While Heva states prices will vary, a basic model starts around €30,000 (or $35,500) and for the moment, is only available in Europe.