With a pyramidal core and two sphinxlike extensions staring out over Bordeaux’s Lac de la Blanche, Lou Andréa Lassalle’s Prism obviously takes some of its inspiration from Ancient Egypt. But hardly all of it: The two stained glass walls call to mind France’s great cathedrals, and the timber construction signifies the actual purpose of the place as a weekend cabin. It’s a very interesting mix of elements, and that might be part of the point. The Prism is a facility of Refuges Périurbains, an organization which maintains a number of whimsical small structures for Bordelais looking to get out of the city for a night or two. The name translates easily enough as “Peri-urban Refuges,” and the peri-urban part refers to areas which have a mixture of urban and rural elements. The Prism, Lassalle explains, is “a place between two dimensions” that “evokes the esotericism of the waterbank where local fish, monsters from the depths, high voltage towers and natural fog mix.” On a more practical level, it sleeps eight, contains a composting toilet, and one-night stays are free! Reservation information is here, and our article on Les Guetteurs, another Refuges Périurbains project, is here.
h/t Tree Hugger