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Radamés “Juni” Figueroa lived in his art project tree house, made from found materials, for two fortnights, as part of his artist residency at La Practica at Beta-Local. "The Practice" is an interdisciplinary program of research and production focusing on art, architecture, and design, with an emphasis on collaboration.
Radamés “Juni” Figueroa lived in his art project tree house, made from found materials, for two fortnights, as part of his artist residency at La Practica at Beta-Local. "The Practice" is an interdisciplinary program of research and production focusing on art, architecture, and design, with an emphasis on collaboration.
Woven into a stand of redwoods on Jason Titus and Nerija Sinkevičiūtė-Titus’s property in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a tree house by San Francisco designer/artist Jay Nelson gives the couple and their three boys a new perspective on the forest.
Woven into a stand of redwoods on Jason Titus and Nerija Sinkevičiūtė-Titus’s property in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a tree house by San Francisco designer/artist Jay Nelson gives the couple and their three boys a new perspective on the forest.
Ethan Schussler built his first tree house at 12 years old. His tree house in Sandpoint, Idaho, sits 30 feet above the ground and can be accessed by an "elevator" consisting of a bicycle that, when pedaled, ascends a pulley system to the top.
Ethan Schussler built his first tree house at 12 years old. His tree house in Sandpoint, Idaho, sits 30 feet above the ground and can be accessed by an "elevator" consisting of a bicycle that, when pedaled, ascends a pulley system to the top.
Hale and Maisie peer out of one of the living-room windows, from where Edmonds (pictured at left with Pippa) dreams about installing a zip-line directly to their garden patch.
Hale and Maisie peer out of one of the living-room windows, from where Edmonds (pictured at left with Pippa) dreams about installing a zip-line directly to their garden patch.
Designed by Madeiguincho, the Columba tree house has handbuilt furniture, a roof deck, and a slide.
Designed by Madeiguincho, the Columba tree house has handbuilt furniture, a roof deck, and a slide.
The cabin's curved zinc shell exudes a rugged, industrial look.
The cabin's curved zinc shell exudes a rugged, industrial look.
The three-story Blue Lake Retreat is located in Marble Falls, Texas. The residence was designed by Lake Flato Architects to integrate naturally into the steep topography. With living spaces on the top floor and four bedrooms on the two lower floors, the timber structure is connected to the hillside by a bridge and boasts a cantilevered deck that floats just above the lake.
The three-story Blue Lake Retreat is located in Marble Falls, Texas. The residence was designed by Lake Flato Architects to integrate naturally into the steep topography. With living spaces on the top floor and four bedrooms on the two lower floors, the timber structure is connected to the hillside by a bridge and boasts a cantilevered deck that floats just above the lake.
The Colorado Camelot tree house in Manitou Springs, Colorado, is wrapped with Douglas fir and features a deck pierced by tree trunks.
The Colorado Camelot tree house in Manitou Springs, Colorado, is wrapped with Douglas fir and features a deck pierced by tree trunks.
The 260-square-foot tree house in Melides that Madeiguincho designed was inspired by a pair of centenary pine trees.
The 260-square-foot tree house in Melides that Madeiguincho designed was inspired by a pair of centenary pine trees.
Measuring 118 feet tall, the structure provides guests with forest views without ever surpassing the trees themselves.
Measuring 118 feet tall, the structure provides guests with forest views without ever surpassing the trees themselves.
The stacked volumes add a playful element to the overall design.
The stacked volumes add a playful element to the overall design.
A 17-foot-tall freestanding play structure that designer Sharon Davis designed for her family in upstate New York can only be entered by climbing taut netting and entering through a trap door. Descending requires sliding down two structural-columns-turned-fire-poles.
A 17-foot-tall freestanding play structure that designer Sharon Davis designed for her family in upstate New York can only be entered by climbing taut netting and entering through a trap door. Descending requires sliding down two structural-columns-turned-fire-poles.
Connected to the main house by a narrow bridge, a three-story cedar tower with a sauna at its base recalls a tree house. The screened-in second level includes a table and chairs for enjoying an outdoor meal, while a swing on the tower’s top level provides a perch to take in the surrounding birch trees.
Connected to the main house by a narrow bridge, a three-story cedar tower with a sauna at its base recalls a tree house. The screened-in second level includes a table and chairs for enjoying an outdoor meal, while a swing on the tower’s top level provides a perch to take in the surrounding birch trees.
Davis worked with contractor Ted Timmer to construct the playhouse on her family’s 30-acre property.
Davis worked with contractor Ted Timmer to construct the playhouse on her family’s 30-acre property.
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
At Vietnam’s forested resort Ta Nung Homestay, Ho Chi Minh City–based Mỹ An Architects designed geometric pine-clad cabins as a collaborative live-work space for resort employees. Two cabins, totaling 5,400 square feet, are connected by an expansive shared timber deck that is elevated on stilts, hovering above the forest floor.
At Vietnam’s forested resort Ta Nung Homestay, Ho Chi Minh City–based Mỹ An Architects designed geometric pine-clad cabins as a collaborative live-work space for resort employees. Two cabins, totaling 5,400 square feet, are connected by an expansive shared timber deck that is elevated on stilts, hovering above the forest floor.
Scale was an important design factor. "We wanted it to be flexible," Laurie says. "It's scaled down for a child but is also tall enough so an adult can walk in it." The height between the floor of the lower platform and its ceiling is six feet—so taller adults do still need to duck slightly, but most can make it through. "Kids are small for a very short time and then they grow up and go to college and you're left with this structure," she says. "We wanted it to have a use after they're gone." Pictured here is Laurie and Peter's daughter Emily.Photograph courtesy of Laurie Stubb.
Scale was an important design factor. "We wanted it to be flexible," Laurie says. "It's scaled down for a child but is also tall enough so an adult can walk in it." The height between the floor of the lower platform and its ceiling is six feet—so taller adults do still need to duck slightly, but most can make it through. "Kids are small for a very short time and then they grow up and go to college and you're left with this structure," she says. "We wanted it to have a use after they're gone." Pictured here is Laurie and Peter's daughter Emily.Photograph courtesy of Laurie Stubb.
The treehouse is perched on a hill that offers canyon vistas and views of downtown L. A. and the Getty Museum.
The treehouse is perched on a hill that offers canyon vistas and views of downtown L. A. and the Getty Museum.
The Sustainability tree house is home base for the National Scout Jamboree, a weeklong event that's usually held every four years. The 2013 event was the first held at the new location in the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Seattle-based firm Mithun led the multidisciplinary team that worked on the project. BNIM is the architect of record, Nelson Byrd Woltz masterminded the landscaping, the structural engineering is by by Tipping Mar, and the exhibit design is by Volume, Inc. and Studio Terpeluk.
The Sustainability tree house is home base for the National Scout Jamboree, a weeklong event that's usually held every four years. The 2013 event was the first held at the new location in the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Seattle-based firm Mithun led the multidisciplinary team that worked on the project. BNIM is the architect of record, Nelson Byrd Woltz masterminded the landscaping, the structural engineering is by by Tipping Mar, and the exhibit design is by Volume, Inc. and Studio Terpeluk.
Visitors scale a series of outdoor staircases that wind their way up the structure. Volume and Studio Terpeluk turned the risers into a teaching moment about energy use and the impact of every day activities.
Visitors scale a series of outdoor staircases that wind their way up the structure. Volume and Studio Terpeluk turned the risers into a teaching moment about energy use and the impact of every day activities.
Mithun designed the tree house so that it would tread lightly on the land. The firm originally considered prefabricating the entire structure offsite but, in the research process, concluded that craning large modules into place would potentially harm the canopy. A combination of a bolted-together prefab structure and site-built wood housing yielded the least intrusive construction option. The Summit Bechtel Reserve is located in West Virginia's coal mining country. The architects looked to the local structures—bridges, mining apparatus, and other industrial buildings—to inform the tree house's design. A 166-ton Cor-Ten steel megastructure supports the 125-foot-tall building. The use of regionally appropriate materials, like steel and black locust wood, was important to the architects.
Mithun designed the tree house so that it would tread lightly on the land. The firm originally considered prefabricating the entire structure offsite but, in the research process, concluded that craning large modules into place would potentially harm the canopy. A combination of a bolted-together prefab structure and site-built wood housing yielded the least intrusive construction option. The Summit Bechtel Reserve is located in West Virginia's coal mining country. The architects looked to the local structures—bridges, mining apparatus, and other industrial buildings—to inform the tree house's design. A 166-ton Cor-Ten steel megastructure supports the 125-foot-tall building. The use of regionally appropriate materials, like steel and black locust wood, was important to the architects.
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
Mithun wanted to engage the scouts with all elements of the forest: the floor, the canopy, and a perspective above the tree tops. In one of the viewing rooms, visitors get the feeling of being fully surrounded by leaves.
Mithun wanted to engage the scouts with all elements of the forest: the floor, the canopy, and a perspective above the tree tops. In one of the viewing rooms, visitors get the feeling of being fully surrounded by leaves.
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
The structure's mission is to teach visitors about the environment and sustainability. San Francisco–based studio Volume designed the exhibition program, which offers interactive displays about water conservation, energy use, recycling, and more.
The structure's mission is to teach visitors about the environment and sustainability. San Francisco–based studio Volume designed the exhibition program, which offers interactive displays about water conservation, energy use, recycling, and more.
The polycarbonate interior is bounded by an exterior band of reclaimed white-cedar siding, open to the sky.
The polycarbonate interior is bounded by an exterior band of reclaimed white-cedar siding, open to the sky.
John Milich fabricated the slide in the freestanding treehouse.
John Milich fabricated the slide in the freestanding treehouse.
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
The Playa Viva tree house by ArtisTree
The Lofthaven tree house by ArtisTree
The Lofthaven tree house by ArtisTree
This tree house in Sweden with a mirrored exterior by Tham and Videgård Arkitekter is just large enough to host two people.
This tree house in Sweden with a mirrored exterior by Tham and Videgård Arkitekter is just large enough to host two people.
An exterior view shows how the building wraps around the site’s existing trees.
An exterior view shows how the building wraps around the site’s existing trees.
The Willow & Juniper tree house by ArtisTree
The Willow & Juniper tree house by ArtisTree

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