This Tiny Cabin Takes Remote Work to a Whole New Level

Years of a hustle-culture mentality in London’s start-up world left Charlie Hammond struggling with debilitating stress and anxiety; the investor and entrepreneur knew he had to find a better balance in order to sustain. He long considered relocating to New York, where part of his family lived, but a move to another dense city would only mean continued overstimulation. So, he set his sights on the West Coast.

"Los Angeles offers the opportunities of a big city, but also has access to nature," says Hammond, who, since moving there in 2020, starts most of his days with a hike, surf, or swim. He camps some weekends, and every Friday, he takes a work meeting on the beach. As it turns out, the answer to improving his mental health was, naturally, to get outside. "The time spent outdoors has had a profound impact on my focus and aptitude, and my general well-being," he attests.

Inspired by his experience of reconnecting with nature, a proven method for reducing stress, Hammond developed a twist on remote work: Find Sanctuary will be a collection of 40 rentable tiny cabins set in Big Bear, California, where frazzled workers can recharge or reconsider quiet quitting. The first cabin has just been built and is now hosting guests on an invite-only basis to experiment with how to maximize its stress-reducing benefits, which has a lot to do with getting out of the city.

"The site is perched in the mountains above a cloud cover, so it evokes a sense of awe," says Hammond, who says he spends a few days each week working from the cabin. "There are pine trees, rugged mountains, and birdsong at night—it’s a special place that draws you into the present."

Far removed from any urban context, the peace and quiet found at the wood cabin is meant to set up anyone for a productive work day, as is high-speed wireless internet and a built-in desk with landscape views. But Hammond’s goal was also to create a memorable stay with creature comforts aplenty: a shower with a skylight; a loft-style reading nook; a wood-burning fireplace; a king-size bed; and a large deck with a sunken tub. "Depending on the day, the floating design of the deck creates a morning soak experience that feels as if you’re sitting above the clouds," says Hammond.

The cabin’s exterior is clad in vertical grain Douglas fir, while the interiors are Baltic birch, which is lightly stained for added texture and warmth. "I chose the wood for its aesthetic and function," Hammond says. "It’s also great in terms of strength and creating clean joinery."

Expansive windows framed with black-painted metal capture views of pine trees and sky. "Both the sleeping area and the work desk face a window that frames the backdrop, almost like a landscape painting," Hammond says. The window frames beautifully contrast with the wood finishes and tie to the matte-black cabinetry in the kitchen as well as the cabin’s black powder-coated metal roofs.

Find Sanctuary will fully launch in 2023 for individuals and cabins will rent for around $400 a night. Eventually, Hammond wants to establish a "work-from-the-woods" employee benefits program; businesses seeking to prioritize employee well-being could provide remote stays, a perk that could help with talent retention, says Hammond. However people use the cabins, his ambitions are clear: "My hope is to make time in nature a regular part of modern life."

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Project Credits:

Architecture: Find Sanctuary, Addison Godine, and Daniel Lau / @findsanctuary

Interior Design: Shannon Torrey Niehenke, Narrative Design Studio / @narrative.sf

Landscape Design: Molly Sedlacek, OR.CA / @orcaliving