This one-room retreat takes up no more space than a standard two-car garage. The rural landscape of Foster, a 30 minute drive from Providence, is farmland reclaimed by trees. After the area was clear-cut a century ago, nature has slowly regenerated a sylvan blanket over its hills. It’s there that artist Allison Paschke decided to build a 530-square-foot retreat. “It’s sort of like a miniature cottage a miniature distance from the miniature city,” she says. To design the structure, Paschke enlisted the expertise of architecture firm 3six0_arch. Together, they collaborated closely to refine Paschke’s idea of a house that would offer a connection with the land while still providing a sense of intimacy. The house’s formal “front door” ushers visitors through a low-slung entry that opens to a soaring interior. With the kitchen, living-dining area, and sleeping nook all in one room, the architects played a delicate balancing act to ensure the house felt consistent. They also established an e...