The hermit’s retreat stirs the imagination with possibilities of contemplation, connection with nature and, above all, an ascetic simplicity that is denied in contemporary urban society. Floating Worlds activates this possibility across an ancient woodland site, enabling guests to switch off and disappear into the wilderness.

The project addresses a paradox in monastic architecture; namely, detaching the individual from social structures whilst sustaining access to basic needs. Historically this tension led to the cloistered monastery, which institutionalised asceticism but diluted the practice by concentrating wealth and imposing collectivity.

The proposal responds by introducing a discrete supply route to support retreats through proximity rather than formal integration, averting the overly technical demands of self-sufficiency and preventing damage to the site. Simultaneously the retreat itself is preserved as an isolated point in the wilderness.

The formal language of the vernacular pitched roof is abstracted and playfully arranged to create a rich spatial sequence. Each retreat forms a point in the flowing landscape, either in the forest or on the lake. Each invites guests to float above the earth and water, between past and future, dwelling simply in the present.