camana – The Pop-Up Bower

Description

The project is entitled “camana”. The name is comprised of the terms “kemenate” (english bower) and “cabaña”. The “kemenate” was the only heated room in mediaeval castles and houses. In our language the expression “to retire to one's kemenate” has become established and stands for the personal retreat into a small, intimate room. The expression “cabaña” is Spanish and translates to “small hut”. So, in summary, the “camana” forms a space that is warm and shielded from its surroundings. The primary place of use here is the desk, whether at home or in public. This is implemented by building an insulating shell that uses the human as a thermal system. The body heat that the user radiates is returned to them and so no external heat source is needed to heat the room, which saves heating energy.