Unique “Cliff House” Offers Unforgettable Experience Perched Over a Winding River

Cliffside Architecture by LAAV Architects

If you're looking for a thrilling vacation escape, the conceptual cabin design called Maralah is just the place. Conceived of as a tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner, LAAV Architects created the unique 484-square-foot abode with plans to submerge it in the ground and overlook a cliff in Calgary, Canada. This project is similar to one of their earlier plans, the Casa Brutale, which we marveled over in 2015. Like Maralah, Casa Brutale is embedded in a cliff.

The modern cliffside architecture is minimalistic in its aesthetic. Built in raw concrete, glass, and matte black steel, it’s sleek with a chameleon effect. As you approach the cabin, it practically blends into the surrounding rock, making it seem like it was always part of the landscape. Unless you were to approach it from underneath, only then would you see the glazing jutting from the side of the cliff.

With a industrial look and feel, the finishings are as sparse as the structure itself. But it’s just as well—there’s no need for opulence with this location and vantage point. Instead, LAAV Architects focus on experience, like Maralah’s sunken bedroom—easily its best feature. Fully encased in glass, it allows you to gaze into the Bow River below for a getaway you wouldn’t soon forget.

LAAV Architects has created a stunning concept cabin for Calgary, Canada.

Cliffside Architecture by LAAV Architects

Called Maralah, this exquisite example of cliffside architecture blends in with the surrounding landscape.

Cliffside Architecture by LAAV Architects

The sunken bedroom is fully encased in glass and provides an unforgettable view of the Bow River below.

Modern Architecture

Modern Architecture

Cliffside Architecture by LAAV Architects

Cliffside Architecture by LAAV Architects

Modern Architecture

Modern Architecture

LAAV Architects: Website | Facebook | Instagram
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All images via LAAV Architects.

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Breathtaking Architectural Concept for a Cliffside Retreat in Iceland

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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