Eva Morell's 'Refugio' Traces the Cabin's Enduring Appeal from Shelter to Cultural Fantasy

In 2025, Spanish journalist Eva Morell released 'Refugio, una historia de cabañas' through Debate, exploring both the cabin as a physical entity and a representation of human longing. Morell, who founded El Club de la cabaña in 2021, traces the history of cabins from ancient shelters to Thoreau's Walden and Le Corbusier's Cabanon. The book posits that cabins symbolize comfort and security, thriving on social media as a means of visual escape from an overly connected existence. It also critiques the commercialization of cabin retreats in the post-pandemic era, introducing the term 'cabañificación' to describe the commodification of nature tourism. Morell ponders whether cabin visitors seek true disconnection or merely a curated rural lifestyle, framing cabins as nostalgic havens and models for self-sufficiency and environmental engagement.