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A vintage booklet called “Second Homes for Leisure Living” by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association contains prefab cabin designs from mid-century architects including George Matsumoto, Frederick Liebhardt, David George, and Henrik Bull.
Mid-Century A-Frame Designs
Design Details
- Source: “Second Homes for Leisure Living” booklet
- Publisher: Douglas Fir Plywood Association
- Era: Mid-century modern
- Style: A-frame cabins
- Architects: George Matsumoto, Frederick Liebhardt, David George, Henrik Bull
- Notable Feature: Some designs include upstairs decks
Why A-Frames Endure
A-frame cabins remain popular for vacation homes and small dwellings because their simple geometry creates dramatic interior spaces while shedding snow and rain effectively. The steep rooflines maximize vertical space in compact footprints, often creating loft areas for sleeping.
Lessons from Mid-Century Cabin Design
- Industry Promoted Small Building: Material associations published plans to encourage construction
- A-Frames Suit Vacation Homes: Simple forms work well for occasional-use structures
- Architects Designed Accessible Plans: Professional designers created buildable small home plans
- Plywood Enabled Modern Design: Engineered wood products made new forms possible
- Vintage Plans Remain Relevant: Mid-century designs continue to inspire contemporary builders
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Alex
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There's something about A frames that I love… I can't get over the first design shown here (Double Deck). Nice big windows and a balcony, this would be my choice to build/renovate in the mountains 🙂
There's something about A frames that I love… I can't get over the first design shown here (Double Deck). Nice big windows and a balcony, this would be my choice to build/renovate in the mountains 🙂
It looks like a pyramid to me.
Here is a site where you can see the entire booklet: http://www.retronaut.com/2012/04/second-homes-for-leisure-living-1960/
Neat!
I found the site where this booklet can be downloaded in many formats.
http://archive.org/details/SecondHomesForLeisureLiving
It includes not only the pics, but also the floor plans.