In the middle of the valleys of the Normandy countryside, France, you can witness a huge Apple sitting on the ground under beautiful trees. This view seems as if the forbidden apple has fallen from the sky into the Garden of Eden. Overlooking the valley of the groves of Mesnil-Follemprise, this is actually a 16-square-meter wooden pod – the micro-hotel La Pomme which officially opened for reservations in August 2020.
This summer, two architects, Julien Decaillon and Aurélie Poirrier, have added this extra apple-shaped guest house to their brand of micro-hotels, Capsulo. This new tiny hotel room comprises a double bedroom and a bathroom made of over 90-percent wood. Wood is primarily used to allow travelers to reconnect with nature while discovering local products.
The architects used okoumé, a wood that’s commonly used in naval structures. However, the interior of this pod is painted white to recall the flesh of an apple. All the insulation has been made from the bio-sourced cellulose wadding from the brand Isocell.
The large rounded skylight is the transparent Crystal tarp, which is fabricated by a Parisian workshop Sellerie du Lys. The fabric used on the inside is EcoFlex, which is stretchable and washable.
They have also used an electric radiant heating strip beneath the floor to heat the interior from the bottom, and then the heat rises to cozy up the pod. In the winter, one does not need heating equipment because heat doesn’t escape from within due to adequate insulation.
There are two doors on either side for proper air circulation, as it gets hot during summer afternoons due to the greenhouse effect. Therefore, all the walls are also breathable and impermeable to offer ample air circulation within the guest house.
Also Read: SWEETS Hotel Amsterdam: Bridge Houses Converted into Tiny Hotel Suites
Another noteworthy thing is that this entire pod can be removed easily without leaving any adverse impact on the environment. Hence, this micro-hotel is eco-friendly and perfect for environment-conscious travelers. Two adults can check-into the pod for €160 (roughly $190) per night, breakfast included.
