Treehouses – the absolute freedom

by Paul Ciocoiu · May 13, 2015

We all dreamed about them when we were kids or even we had one, of course, on a much smaller scale. For children, treehouses are the perfect retreat from a world they sometimes do not understand or seems hostile to them, it is their best kept secret. Now that we are adults, we find the child within us again by looking at these splendid images emanating the idea of absolute freedom that we all crave for. The treehouses have in time gone beyond the classic design of a wooden box, becoming more sophisticated, especially since some serve as summer houses and even hotels.

The first two images depict two such houses in Sweden, with a totally different design from each other. The first one, suggestively called “The Mirrorcube” has walls made entirely of large pieces of reflective glass and therefore perfectly fits the surrounding nature. Although initially ornithologists warned that birds might hit the mirror walls, the architects explained that the exterior walls are covered in infrared film that birds can detect, unlike humans. This treehouse, located somewhere in northern Scandinavia, serves as a hotel.

Treehouses – the mirror cube in Sweden

The second treehouse is also a hotel. Although the exterior looks like a giant bird’s nest, the room behind the rod-made walls is modern and equipped with the latest technology since, as in the previous example, is also a hotel room.

Treehouses – the bird’s nest hotel

The third image perfectly illustrates the idea of freedom that treehouses symbolize. At only 26 years old, Joel Allen, a Canadian software developer, decided to retire and take up carpentry. What he built, he says it is a dream that the young man always had, you can see in the picture below.

Treehouses – the former programmer in his dream come true

Regardless of the design, each treehouse is always a pleasant surprise. The following example is a house built by a company specialized in the construction of treehouses and which “hangs” somewhere in North-Western Germany. Particular to this home is that it lies between the branches of two trees, an oak and an alder.

Treehouses – the house in Germany built on an oak and an alder

The next house is built on three chestnut trees, presents a significant challenge for those who venture to step inside it. The name of the treehouse speaks for itself: a teahouse too high. It is the work of a Japanese architect, Terunobu Fujimori – known for his innovative designs.

Treehouses – the tea-house too high in Japan

The last house in our examples defies imagination and, apparently, the law of gravity. It lies in the Belgian city of Ghent and was built at a local art festival dedicated to the idea of urban conversion. The treehouse is a replica of the house seen in the background.