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Set in the forested countryside outside Barcelona, this relaxed and airy cabin may look casual, but it's been carefully designed to live in sympathy with its natural surroundings. Josep Puig i Auguet Architects was commissioned to build a house that the client described as 'organic' in its materials. The result is a cabin made entirely of pine wood from sustainable forests in Finland, solar panels that provide renewable energy for the low consumption household appliances, and the white paint that stains the interior of the house is a mineral-based pigment from Germany that reacts with light and whitens the surface naturally — a citrus oil was applied before it was painted, so it wasn't necessary to strip the wood. Cross ventilation throughout means that air conditioning has been dispensed with, while two porches — one north and one west, are used according to the time of year. Outside, the organic garden and orchard provide both produce for the table and a delight for the senses, too. For the owner, though, the true luxury of this lovely retreat is the wide open space and huge windows — a complete contrast to the cramped Barcelona apartment he has happily left behind. More here (in Spanish) at Woman magazine.