Evans Tree House
Modus Studio
Hot Springs, Arkansas
The Evans Tree House is the first of three to be installed at the Garvan Woodland Gardens in Arkansas. With hillside views of the Ouachita Mountain range and Lake Hamilton, the dendrology-inspired tree house is geared to reconnect young people with the outdoors. ‘From design to fabrication we were able to merge our childhood-earned knowledge of the natural world with our hard-earned ‘think, make, do’ philosophy,’ says Modus studio. The slatted structure is comprised of 113 fins made of locally sourced Southern Yellow Pine, creating numerous semi-transparent levels that ‘refocus attention to the natural wonders of the forest canopy.’ Photography: Timothy Hursley
Paarman Treehouse
Malan Vorster
Constantia, South Africa
Drawing on the timber cabins of Horace Gifford, Kengo Kuma’s ‘notions of working with the void or in-between space’, Louis Khan’s ‘mastery of pure form’ and ‘the detailing ethic’ of Carlo Scarpa, Paarman Treehouse is an amalgamation of architectural inspiration. The one-bedroom treetop hideaway is located on its owners’ estate outside of Cape Town, in a small clearing on a high-up slope. Scaled to the height of the nearby trees, the three raised levels provide unrestricted views of outstanding natural beauty, accompanied by open, light interiors that resonate with the surroundings.
As originally featured in The Anatomy of Treehouses, by Jane Field-Lewis, published by Pavilion Books. Photography: Adam Letch
Paarman Treehouse
Malan Vorster
Constantia, South Africa
The square interior floor plan is framed by an exterior circle, creating a ‘pinwheel’ layout that winds up to the treetops. Each volume (constituted from branch-like columns, arms and rings) is made from Corten steel plating, with a protective oxide coating. Inside, the living room is located on the first level, accompanied by a patio, dining alcove and stairway; a bedroom and bathroom on the second level; and a roof deck and built-in seating on the third level.
As originally featured in The Anatomy of Treehouses, by Jane Field-Lewis, published by Pavilion Books. Photography: Adam Letch
4Treehouse
Lukasz Kos of Kos Architects
Walker’s Point, Canada
This vertically stacked tree house is permeated and supported by four trees, which wind through the build to create a link between the forest and the architecture. A lattice-like skin envelopes the trees, filtering sunlight into the interior spaces during the day and taking on visuals reminiscent of a lantern come nightfall, the internal lighting giving it a floating, beacon-like quality. The three levels heighten the relationship to the canopy, each providing individual and unique experiences with their surroundings.
Photography: Lukasz Kos
4Treehouse
Lukasz Kos of Kos Architects
Walker’s Point, Canada
Due to the sensitive nature of the build incorporating the plant life, it was important to ensure the health and growth of the trees was prioritised. A traditional ‘Muskoka balloon frame’ provides weight relief for the construct, allowing for only one particularly strong steel cable to be attached to each tree so as to minimise impact on the growing trunks. These cables suspended two Douglas fir beams, which create two large-scale swings from which the balloon frame sits.
Photography: Lukasz Kos
The 7th Room
Snøhetta
Harads, Sweden
Snøhetta designed one of the rentable tree houses at the Treehotel site in Sweden, raising their build 10m up into the pines to provide a panoramic view of the Lule River. The underside of the tree house is covered by a life-size photograph of the treetops prior to the installation of The 7th Room, a nod to the site’s past and a reminder of Treehotel’s commitment to sustainability and dedication to providing an environmentally friendly experience to its guests. Meanwhile, the building’s façade features a black, charred timber surface, a technique typically employed in ancient Japan to protect buidings against the elements.
Photography: Johan Jansson
