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Camp Everhappy
San Juan Islands, WA
How do you transform a remote, off-grid cabin into a regenerative retreat while honoring the ingenuity of its past?
Originally built in the late 1970s by a Boeing engineer, Camp Everhappy was prefabricated using aircraft construction techniques and airlifted by helicopter to Washington’s San Juan Islands. Decades later, the cabin had fallen into disrepair, with no power or water and little protection from the elements.
Rather than replace it, we saw an opportunity to renew what was already there. The structure was stabilized and its original character preserved, while new systems brought comfort, resilience, and self-sufficiency to the remote site.
A complete interior renovation introduced a custom kitchen, new sleeping areas, and simple, natural finishes. Solar power, battery storage, rainwater collection, and efficient lighting replaced outdated infrastructure, allowing the cabin to operate fully off-grid.
The result is a small, deeply connected retreat that respects its history while looking ahead—a reminder that thoughtful design can extend the life of what exists and make it work harder for the future.
McLennan Family
Net Positive Energy, Net Positive Water, Simple and Elegant Interior Refresh Including Kitchen and FFE
San Juan Islands, WA
700 sf
2023
Puget Lowland - 2C
This mid-century modern gem deserved new life as a model of sustainability. Elegant interventions inside and out turn a declining asset into a beautiful off-grid seasonal cabin. The goal was to maintain the original character wherever possible, while adding new life and a cleaner, more functional interior.
“The camp asks something of us. It’s hard work to get there, get your supplies up, get it functioning. But that makes it a bit sweeter when you can sit and look out at the water and appreciate how you got there…it brings us close together.”
Tracy McLennan
