The idea of sheltering first emerged out of the need of protection against environmental factors and allowed humans to ensure their survival within a shelter. The purest form of this idea can be seen in cabins. Although the cabin structure designs were used in the professional design and construction disciplines, they do not have a complete description nor an accurate evaluation in the architectural literature when looked at from a theoretical perspective. As a type of architectural structure, it is necessary to define their boundaries, as well as defining their potential in the spatial creation and transformation of said spaces. The aim of the study is to investigate the historical trace of the cabins in the current literature by defining the meanings of the cabin structures and their purpose of use during the time of their emergence and to define them as a space creation tool in the field of architecture and thus to reveal the structural and spatial potential of this building type. In the study, firstly the definition of the cabin was made and the foundations and meanings of the ideas that led to the construction of these structures were examined. Afterwards, examples of cabins designed by important architects in order to create different spatial experiences were examined with a formal analysis. As a result of this research, the architectural and spatial value of the cabins in the field of architecture and the relationship between the important examples designed and the ontological features of the cabins were revealed.

Keywords: Cabin, Cabin architecture, Small-scale Architecture, Barracks, Secondary Housing