Floor Plans
About Nokken
About Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
| Project | NKN-Softshell |
| Architects | Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Nokken |
| Area | 18sqm (195sqft) |
| Outer Dimentions | 4.2m (w) x 4.2m (l) x 4.6m (h) |
| Price | From € 18,950 / $ 22,500 |
| Year | 2024 |
Nokken and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) collaborate on Softshell, a semi-permanent prefab cabin addressing the evolving needs of hospitality and residential markets. Combining architectural innovation with environmental responsibility, Softshell redefines mobile accommodations for eco-resorts, glamping sites, boutique hotels, and beyond. Softshell caters to a global shift toward experiential, eco-friendly travel, offering a low-impact structure that blends harmoniously with its surroundings. The lightweight sustainably sourced timber frame and recyclable canvas, produced in Spain, allow for easy transport and assembly in remote areas.
Nokken cofounder Nathan Aylott explains that the Softshell cabin, developed with BIG, is a direct response to the glamping market’s reliance on yurts and bell tents. “For the past fifteen to twenty years, bell tents and yurts have essentially become the default choice for new glamping sites,” he says. The Softshell offers an alternative — a structure instantly recognizable as a cabin but with a far smaller footprint than standard prefabricated buildings.
Each cabin is delivered in four compact crates, enabling operators to set it up without heavy construction equipment. Its assembly is deliberately simple: two people can erect the frame within a few hours by connecting precut timber sections and sliding them into metal fasteners. This modular approach allows the Softshell to be installed even in locations where traditional building methods are impractical.
