The Anatomy of Treehouses: New Buildings from an Old Tradition PDF
Preview The Anatomy of Treehouses: New Buildings from an Old Tradition
CONTENTS Introduction THE WOODSMAN Blackberry wood treehouse Family treehouse Aircastle Woodland writer’s retreat The woodsman’s treehouse Treehouse @ the wood THE DREAMER Kudhva Crane 29 The dormouse nest Free spirit spheres Hemloft THE ESCAPIST Treehouse at son net hotel Château valmer The garrison treehouse Apple headquarters Sky den THE DESIGNER Urban treehouse Healdsburg treehouse Inhabit, NY Hofer pavilion Treehouse H06 The fincube Mirror cube treehouse THE CRAFTSMAN Uplands treehouse The treehouse at the lodge on loch goil Bower treehouse Bear creek studios THE THINKER Outlandia Writer’s hut on stilts Wee studio wooden huts A separate place THE INSPIRED Paarman treehouse Half a treehouse House in the orchard Sleipnir spiken The bird’s nest Garden treehouse The dovecote Acknowledgements and credits INTRODUCTION ‘Craftsmanship names an enduring, basic human impulse, the desire to do a job well for its own sake.’ (Richard Sennett, The Craftsman) The treehouse is a seemingly contradictory structure that embodies an intoxicating freedom as well as snug security. The tangle of the quixotic and the adventurous, along with independence and safety, is compelling. Treehouses give us the luxury of our own unique vantage point but safely cocoon us, too. In reality, the dangers of predators are rare, be they woodland animals or a growling cityscape, but we still value the virtue of perceived safety that this arboreal build provides. Thrillingly, we can all possess our very own ladder, our own little journey, and the fantasy of ascending and descending in our own uniquely formed treehouse haven. And high up in our treehouse world, we can experience the feeling that we are not always earthbound. The inference is that the connection is fragile and we can pull up the ladder any time we so desire – and chameleon- like, camouflage or, indeed, physically isolate ourselves from a chaotic world below. Occupying the space in a treehouse, albeit fleetingly, feels both personal and spiritual. Perhaps we are drawn to it by those qualities that evoke our own inner journey: the private and puzzling communion between the conscious and unconscious, our own inner temple and place of refuge. By allowing this mysterious zone to surface, we may feel that we can boldly experiment with the appearance of the structure. We are the temporary custodians of a small patch of earth and, in the case of the treehouse dreamer, a little chunk of sky. A treehouse pioneer is no less ambitious – a stake is placed in the sky and a trunk is fashioned or found. The possession of an actual tree and leafy canopy is not a prerequisite for a treehouse – free-standing structures on stilts can also perfectly assimilate its qualities. A treehouse does not necessarily have to be exclusive to individuals who have the luxury of owning a sturdy enough and structurally obliging tree. In this collection of treehouses and their stories, I have not confined myself to the fairy-tale ‘woodland aesthetic’ but have tried to be open-minded. An urban treehouse with a tangled line of rooftops and stilt foundations has as much authenticity as one that’s enfolded in foliage with a trunk that will bear our weight. It is not the case that a sleek and modern build which has drawn inspiration from every facet of a treehouse, but without the foundation of a physical tree, is less deserving of our attention. In many ways, structural engineering solutions have provided satisfying environmental answers that respect the tree without necessarily welding ourselves to it and expecting it to take the strain. There is also a quiet architectural revolution happening in which exciting new builds are being photographed gleefully by amateurs and professionals alike, and ideas are disseminating rapidly. The attraction of small-scale builds has exposed a new egalitarianism; they provide a solid and credible design expression that allows all to be on the same footing. The spirit of the treehouse emboldens us further – as we psychologically harness the unique imprint of a tree skeleton, we allow ourselves to be experimental and courageous with our design and not be cajoled into mass-produced uniformity. Equally, a celebration of the bespoke and natural materials is raising the profile of the craftsman. The woodworker is leading the way forward in this respect; a treehouse project is perhaps the perfect expression, manifestation and test of his skills and knowledge. A satisfying line of enquiries emerged as I delved deeper
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