Posted: Jun 11, 2017
The word ‘treehouse’ may evoke images of badly hewn planks of wood sown strategically around a somewhat depressed looking tree, with rusted nails inspiring parental worries of tetanus. But it can also evoke feelings of excitement and adventure, of whole days spent running around the woods, clambering among branches and dreaming of constructing a no-parents-allowed wooden-home paradise.
There is certainly something magical about building a home in the trees, and some architects are taking the concept to the extreme.
From the majestic sloping eaves of the Wilkinson Residence to something that looks more like a UFO hanging from a tree, we’re taking a peek at some of the most spectacular treehouses around. Enjoy!
The Wilkinson Residence – Portland, Oregon
First we have the Wilkinson Residence, completed in 2004 and designed by Robert Oshatz. This stunning example of modern architecture is extravagant but fits tastefully into its environment through the choice of textures and use of huge curved glass windows. Featuring a Japanese garden, a spacious open plan interior and all the furnishings you could want, this example is more of a tree mansion than a tree house!
©www.luxurylodgesofaustralia.com.au
Silky Oaks Lodge - Australia
Professional, serene, luxurious. Don’t let the Apocalypse-Now looking river shot fool you. This is a stunning riverside property in one of the oldest rainforests on earth. It’s a hotel and spa, with clean elegant interiors and beautifully realised open exteriors that place you up there amongst the canopies. Essentially its complete, romantic, rainforest immersion – well, as immersive as you can get in the rainforest whilst sleeping in a luxurious double bed.
Mirror Tree House – Sweden
THE MIRRORCUBE. Whilst the name might sound like some kind of 80’s pop-sci-fi arena of death (complete with leotards and Arnold Schwarzenegger) this house is actually a modest, almost invisible shelter with mirrored walls and an aluminium frame, sitting with a tree running up through the middle. Designed by architects Bolle Tham & Martin Videgård to accommodate two guests, this tree house is compact but situated on a rolling mountainside in Sweden (making for stunning views) and is iconic for being so camouflaged.
The Hemloft – Whistler, Canada
Built by Joe Allen because he ‘… just wanted to build something cool’, this tree house is small but quite brilliant in design. To get inside you have to carefully step across suspended wooden stepping stones, but once you’re in you can feel safe and secure in your very own compact woodland abode. The story behind it is quite interesting. As Joe built it on land belonging to the Crown he doesn’t technically own it, meaning he had to keep it secret for as long as he could.
The UFO Treehouse – Sweden
Frankly this one looks a lot better on the outside than on the inside. Designed by architect Bertil Harström, this UFO abode gets extra points purely because of how it must look to passers-by. If you like the idea of being abducted by aliens, you and a lucky someone can stay in the treehouse for 4900 Kronor.
Nothofagus Hotel – Chile
Like a giant wooden bee-hive sitting in the rainforest canopy, this magnificent building is a luxury hotel and spa that features wonderful heights and an illuminated waterfall that cascades from the very top to the bottom.
©http://freespiritspheres.com.wp.easypress.ca
Free Spirit Spheres – Vancouver Island, Canada
They’re free spirited spheres, man. Modular biomimicry that hangs. Like a nut. The interiors are functional and elegant, and the giant glass ‘eye’ gives guests a stunning view of wonderful Vancouver Island from their elevated position./p>
The Redwoods Treehouse – New Zealand
Designed by architects Peter Eising and Lucy Gauntlett, this is another pod, but far, far larger than the one previously mentioned. This treehouse is a restaurant that can serve anywhere up to 30 guests, and is often used for wedding events and functions. Oddly enough, the structure was initially commissioned by the Yellow Pages in 2008, to be used in an advert about finding an off the wall restaurant.
So there you have it, our pick of some of the most incredible treehouses from across the world. While perhaps not the most practical of accommodation, living in a treehouse is certainly not an experience you’d forget.
