Bruce Engel's Woods Retreat reimagines the A-frame as a yoga sanctuary in East Hampton

Bruce Engel of BE_Design has transformed the classic A-frame cabin into a yoga retreat in Springs, East Hampton, New York. The 600-square-foot Woods Retreat features a steeply pitched roof intersecting with two cantilevered niches that expand interior space. Clad in charred, sustainably-sourced Accoya with a Shou Sugi Ban finish, the blackened exterior contrasts with warm yellow cedar and plywood interiors. The retreat hosts meditation, kundalini yoga, sauna, and ice bathing rituals, commissioned by a teacher seeking a restorative environment for breathwork and stillness. The tall interior provides excellent acoustics for gong ceremonies. Two cushioned niches with picture windows offer relaxation and forest views. A separate sauna and covered porches bookend the structure, with a rear terrace connecting to an outdoor shower and ice bath. Engel, who practices between New York and Kigali, Rwanda, drew on his experience in East Africa (Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana) to emphasize vernacular forms, local materials, and architecture as a generator of mood and purpose.