In “Primitive Futures“- a book by Sou Fujimoto, it is debated how primitive living conditions can create futures. This brings up the idea of the nest. Does this mean that tree houses could be the future of architecture? The separation between Nature and Building spaces is not rigid and exact, but becomes a gradient. The disintegration of the wall into a transitional space returns to a primordial, intuitive moment in the process of design. Architecture needs to adapt itself to nature.
However, behind this concept, there is an amazing constructive process. Complex structural patterns of design need to be developed and there is not much information available. This is why designing a tree house, building it, and inhabiting it is such a challenge.
Here you have some outstanding examples. What do you think? Would you like living in one of these?
Project: “Harads” Tree Hotel
Location: Harads (Sweden)
Architect: Tham and Videgard Hansson Arkitekts
Year: 2011
Project: “Yellow” Treehouse Restaurant
Location: Auckland (New Zeland)
Architect: Pacific Environments / Peter Eising & Lucy Gauntlett
Year: 2008-2009
Project: Tree House
Location: Hechtel-Eksel (Belgium)
Architect: Baumraum
Year: 2012
Project: Tree House
Location: Hechtel-Eksel (Belgium)
Architect: Robert Potokar and Janez Brežnik
Year: 2008
Project: “HP” Tree House
Location: Cairns (Australia)
Architect: mmp Architects
Year: 2012
Project: Own Tree House
Location: Whistler Forest (Canada)
Architect: Joel Allen
Year: 2012
Project: Treehouse
Location: Nichols Canyon (USA)
Architect: RPA Architects
Year: 2009
Project: Whimsical Wooden Tree House
Location: Portland (USA)
Architect: Robert Harvey Oshatz
Year: 2004
Project: Sustainable Tree House
Location: Same Model- Several Locations
Architect: O2 Treehouse
Year: 2006
If you liked these, check 9 Floating Homes You’d Love to Live In
Virginia Duran 
tree houses! fantastic!
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Got to love these projects! There are a bunch of them in Australia 🙂
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Beautiful nests.Does the book explain the advantages of tree living? I am not sure what they would be other than a gentle approach to the environment and beautiful views.
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When we imagine the future houses we tend to think in houses of another planet, made of steel and very sophisticated. What the book suggests is that we may return to nature, to sustainability. Would you live in one of those without having all the normal amenities?
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I would find it difficult to be without normal amenities although I would be happy in a small, well designed home. Perhaps not in a tree. I don’t have a head for heights.
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I agree with Gallivanta: “Beautiful nests.” Thank you, Virginia, for next very interesting post!
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Wanda! I just saw this comment! Hope everything is well with you 🙂
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Wow that is crazy! crazy awesome!
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Thanks Karollyn 🙂
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The mirror tree-house works well to camouflage the building, rather like an architectural “Predator”.
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Yes I think this project is outstanding because of this mimesis. I agree with you 🙂
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Was so delighted to see the New Zealand tree house, I drive past it and can glimpse it from the road, and always longed to know what it was like inside!
Wonderful post… the stuff of dreams
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Really? You should take pictures and write a post about it! You are so lucky 🙂
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This is so amazing! I am curious how tree houses lend themselves to a more Eco and sustainable future and if these types of tree houses themselves are sustainable. Thank you for sharing. I love your passion for architecture.
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Hey Frank, somehow I missed your comment! I am very curious about what tree house technology will improve. It definitely has potential, especially in the field of sustainability. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I have found some amazing land at the flat bottom of a canyon in Colombia. There are four huge trees, one with a 30m smooth trunk. There is a small river running between the trees and there is a waterfall just below which could be used to generate hydro electricity. The area is the most important in the world for bird watching (the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta) so we would set up some platforms at the top. I have finance available and I am now looking to make a design and price up materials. If anyone has any useful contacts for build/design or would like to get involved please let me know. Thanks
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Harads tree hotel is genius! Impressively seamless! I love the idea of the building in disguise that tries to blend into the background. But I wonder how do they prevent birds from colliding with the reflective surface..The glass panes must be killer for them.
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Adam, that’s a very interesting point. I wonder what happens with birds, if they collide and die it would be really irrational since its design is made to be “integrated” in nature, not to destroy it. Thanks for stopping by, let’s hope somebody knows about the answer!
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