Bordeaux-based and aptly named art company Zebra3 is known for their masterful contemporary art that combines nature and architecture and turns them into breathtaking displays of ingenuity. Continuing their legacy, the company has creatively paired an animal with their creative design to create their most adorable and eye-catching work, called Les Guetteurs (“The Watchers”)-these aesthetically appealing owl-shaped cabins!
The big-eyed bungalow comprises of three wooden owls huddled together to create a naturally lit and completely off-the-grid two-story cabin. The structure is chiseled out of timber and features feather-like, plywood shingles.
Les Guetteurs has a chic yet cozy interior, while a remarkable facade in the shape of cute owls. The cabin is tied together with a nest shaped large, round bed which acts as the focal point of the second floor.
The windows are strategically placed to act as the owl’s eyes, providing a spectacular touch to the whimsical work of animal architecture. It allows the residents to enjoy breathtaking views of the dock and secluded lake where the structure is situated.
The Les Guetteurs project is the brain-child of Zebra3’s talented designer, Candice Pétrillo. Pétrillo claims that his primary motivation for the structure was an inspiration from the local landscape and the tiny owls that inhabit the Bordeaux’s marshland.
“The idea of birds came to me very quickly,” she explained. “After the last extension of the commercial zone, I saw migrants swirling around in the sky, looking for the old dried wetland. The nod of animal eye and curve of the object are a tribute to the sculptors François Pompon and François-Xavier Lalanne. Given the prevalence of these birds and the serenity of the cabin’s surroundings, I was immediately drawn to the owl aesthetic.”
Les Guetteurs is part of the latest trend of Refuges Périurbains (“peri-urban shelters”) that are adorning the outskirts of Bordeaux. You can book a hooting night in the Zebra3‘s masterful structure in off-the-grid oasis here.