A tree house is a structure built among the branches of a tree or several trees, typically elevated above the ground. Often designed as a secluded retreat, it blends seamlessly with the natural environment, providing a unique and immersive experience in the treetops. Tree houses have been utilized for various purposes, from recreational escapes to practical spaces like storage or even fully functional homes. The design can range from rustic and minimalistic to luxurious, featuring modern amenities like electricity, plumbing, and large windows for panoramic views.
Building a tree house involves careful planning, ensuring that the tree can support the weight of the structure without causing harm to the tree itself. The most common trees chosen for tree houses are strong, tall species like oaks, pines, and redwoods. The construction often incorporates materials such as wood, rope, and metal, aiming to blend in with the surrounding landscape while offering a safe and sturdy foundation.
Tree houses have gained popularity as a symbol of childhood nostalgia and adventure, providing an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They are used for leisure activities such as reading, sleeping, or simply enjoying nature from above. For many, a tree house is a sanctuary where they can reconnect with nature and enjoy solitude.
British architect Antony Gibbon has recently completed a modern and innovative treehouse located in upstate New York. Dubbed Inhabit Treehouse, the multi-level elevated home was built by local and eco-conscious builder, William Johnson Construction. The Inhabit module can be adapted for different settings, with Gibbon also completing a ground version which requires less engineering and thus reduces the cost of construction.
2-Woodnest Mountaintops
Back in 2020, Helen & Hard impressed us with its Woodnest treehouse in rural Norway. The firm has now returned with a pair of similar dwellings that are raised high above the forest floor on pine trees. Each features a space-saving tiny-house-style interior layout that’s centered around a flexible living area with an elevating bed that lowers down from the ceiling.
The Woodnest Mountaintops consists of two identical treehouses situated close to each other in a forest near the Hardangerfjord in Odda, Norway. Each consists of a glulam (glued-laminated timber) frame that’s fastened to the trunk of a pine tree via a steel collar that allows the tree to continue to grow. The tree runs right through each cabin’s interior and out the top. Their exteriors are finished in 18,000 individual timber shingles each and they are both raised 6 m (19.6 ft) above the ground.
3-The Piil Treehouse
Created by Estonian architectural firm Studio Arsenit, this nine-meter-high (29.5-ft) cabin offers an unusual living space that’s designed to blend with the natural surroundings. Dubbed Piil Treehouse, the accommodation stands as a masterpiece of tiny house architecture that breaks the mold for small living and design.
Located in the heart of the lush Estonian forest, the Piil Treehouse takes cues from the observation towers that dot the Estonian countryside, providing visitors with an elevated experience akin to those offered by these iconic structures while offering a unique vantage point from which to observe and immerse themselves in the surrounding wilderness.
4- House Dokka Treehouse
Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta has collaborated with engineer Tor Helge Dokka for a residential project located in Kongsberg, Norway. Dubbed House Dokka, the 190-sq-m (2,045-sq-ft) dwelling is an off-grid three-bedroom family home that’s inspired by treehouse architecture and embraces a connection with nature.
House Dokka is suspended over the beautiful Norwegian landscape, perched on massive wooden columns anchored firmly into the rock to minimize interference with the surrounding environment. The home is constructed using locally produced cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (GLT). This choice of materials ensures that the house can be deconstructed with minimal climate costs when its life-cycle concludes. Notably, not a single nail was used during the construction process, allowing for easier sorting and recycling of materials in the future.
5- Niliaitta Tree House
Helsinki-based architectural firm Studio Puisto has recently completed the first of 25 tiny tree-top cabins. Located in the highlands of Kivijärvi, close to the Salamajärvi National Park in Finland, the striking cabin is the first addition to a new eco-resort. The 30-sq-m (323-sq-ft) Niliaitta prototype is raised above the ground and balances on a single central pillar. The modern cabin was inspired by traditional Niliaitta huts, which were historically used by the local Samí as a type of food storage to prevent animals from accessing it.
6- Quaint treetop cabins
Berlin-based architect Sigurd Larsen has finished the first of a charming cluster of cabins set amid a forest canopy in his homeland of Denmark. Located on a peninsula that juts out into the country’s longest fjord, the freshly opened Løvtag Hotel lifts its guests high up into the trees, and offers uninterrupted views of the surrounds by way of a rooftop terrace.
The cabins making up the Løvtag Hotel will number nine in all, and are to be built on a hilltop amongst deciduous-evergreen mixed forest with views over a nearby meadow. Larsen opted for locally sourced larch when selecting timber for the exterior, mindful of creating an aesthetic that blended in naturally with the environment.
7-Yellow House
Located in the beautiful forest setting of Pucón, Chile, Yellow House from architect Alejandro Soffia is a treehouse-inspired prefab home that proposes a comfortable and economic housing model for the future, with minimal impact on nature.
Built from a series of prefabricated modules, Yellow House, was conceived to address the rapid demand for housing within growing populations, while also keeping sustainability and cost in mind.
8-Yoki House Tree House
We always appreciate a well-made treehouse and this recently-completed example in Texas by ArtisTree definitely fits the bill. Built using reclaimed materials and featuring off-grid technology, it also boasts its own luxurious bathroom reached by suspension bridge.
The Yoki House is located on an “eco-retreat” in Central Texas and derives its name from a Native American word for rain. The 500 sq ft (46.4 sq m) dwelling is supported 25 ft (7.6 m)-high above a creek by two trees, which it is attached to with a metal framework.
9-Geometric Treehouse
Paris-based architectural and design studio Atelier LAVIT has recently completed its stunning Origin Treehouse. Located in Raray, France, and nestled around a 100-year-old oak tree, the bird’s nest-inspired treehouse is the newest addition to the Les Cabanes des Grands Chênes treehouse hotel.
The 23-sqm (248-sq ft) geometric treehouse cabin was built using locally sourced timber fromPFC-certified forests and is designed to reflect its gorgeous habitat, leaving guests with the impression that the cabin is natural extension of its treetop location.
The Origin treehouse is also designed so it can be completely dismantled without impacting the tree and re-built on another site. Natural fiber insulation, comprised of sheep wool, wood fiber and hemp materials, was used throughout the dwelling.
10-Snohetta Treehouse Sweden
It’s rare to see a top-tier firm like Snøhetta design a project as whimsical as a treehouse, but if the 7th Room treehouse is anything to go by, perhaps it should happen more often. Raised 10 m (32 ft) above a forest floor in Swedish Lapland on 12 thin columns, the luxury treehouse lets visitors sleep out under the stars on a netted terrace.
Access to the treehouse is gained by a long staircase, but there’s also a handy luggage elevator. Inside, a total floorspace of 55 sq m (592 sq ft) is split between two bedrooms, a bathroom and a lounge area. The latter boasts floor-to-ceiling glazing facing the north, and is referred to as the “Northern Light Lounge” because of the views of the aurora borealis that can be enjoyed when conditions are right.
11-Safari-Style Treehouse
Something of the savannah came to London’s South Bank last week, with the installation of a large treehouse. Inspired by a real South African safari lodge, the treehouse was created by Virgin Holidays in a bid to promote interest in its vacations.
Rising some 35 ft (10.6 m)-high off the ground, the treehouse draws design cues from the Lion Sands Game Reserve treehouse accommodation in South Africa, and is built primarily from wood, with access gained via an adjacent staircase.
12-Nesting Treehouse
British luxury treehouse builder Blue Forest, the same firm responsible for the Quiet Treehouse and Eco-PERCH, recently unveiled its plan to construct a low-impact vacation home development in the UK. Dubbed Nesting, the project features bird nest-shaped treehouses that include energy-efficient lighting, heating, and insulation.
Nesting is due to be located in Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight, and in addition to 22 bird nest-shaped treehouses, will also feature 28 timber lodges and 40 glamping tents. Each is designed with a view to minimizing the impact on the existing landscape.
13-Buckett Treehouse
When we visited Australia’s Blue Mountains earlier this year to feature this extraordinary clifftop cave, we had no idea that the cave itself might not be the most amazing piece of architecture on the property. Almost as an afterthought, Blue Mountains Cabins owner and master builder Lionel Buckett invited us down to yet another secluded pocket of the gigantic wilderness area to discover another gem: his treehouse cabin. Built around a turpentine tree and fireproofed against the harsh Australian bushfire season, it’s a magical space with profoundly stunning views.
Click through into the gallery from any of the photos below to enjoy master builder Lionel Buckett’s thoughts on his most popular work to date: the treehouse cabin.
14- Loft TreeHouse
The plan to construct a tiny treehouse was some time in the making. Inspired by the small living movement and interested in living sustainably, de Ruiter also liked the idea of owning a bolthole suitable for vacations or even full-time living if circumstances required. The thinking being that, if he ever fell on hard times, he wouldn’t be in dire straits as long as he had a roof over his head. To turn this vision into a viable home, de Ruiter first bought a 0.2 hectare (0.5 acre) plot of rural land on Pender Island, British Columbia, for the bargain price of $35,000. Then the real hard work began.
15-Domup Camping TreeHouse
Dutch arboriculturist Bruno de Grunne and architect Nicolas d’Ursel from Trees and People have invented a new suspension style cabin called Dom’Up. This innovative treehouse draws inspiration from tree camping and traditional treehouse structures. The end result is a tree shelter that’s reported easy to install and leaves no trace or impact on its surrounding environment and trees.
Dom’Up features a lightweight 16 sq m (172 sq ft) octagonal platform which is suspended between two trees, utilizing Trees and People’s No Trace arboreal fixing system.
16-Baobed Tree House
We’ve seen many structures that offer shelter while hanging from tree branches over the years, but the Baobed treehouse adds some extra versatility to the equation. The portable capsule is designed to allow one person, or two very close friends, to hang from a tree or camp on the ground.
Though its shape may bring to mind classic TV series Mork & Mindy, the Baobed treehouse is actually inspired by the exotic fruit that dangles from the branches of baobab trees, native to Africa. The small pod-shaped capsule measures roughly 4 x 2 m (13 x 6.5 ft) and weighs 450 kg (992 lbs), so though it’s billed as easily transportable, you’ll still want a trailer to move it.
17- The Quiet Treehouse
Luxury treehouse manufacturer Blue Forest has teamed up with noise abatement specialist Quiet Mark and UK retailer John Lewis to produce the Quiet Treehouse. Constructed for this year’s Ideal Home Show, the cosy retreat packed with noise-reduction technology and low-noise home appliances. Once the show is over, it will be installed in the Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice, West Sussex.
The Quiet Treehouse project was brought about when Quiet Mark, the non-profit trading arm of the Noise Abatement Society charity, approached Blue Forest to design a treehouse for this year’s Ideal Home Show currently being held in Earl’s Court, London.
18- Play Perch TreeHouse
Play Perch is a treehouse-cum-classroom designed by Syracuse University School of Architecture students and installed in the grounds of Jowonio School, Syracuse, New York. It was built in order to provide Jowonio’s pupils – almost one third of whom have special needs – a safe and tranquil environment to interact with nature.
The grounds of Jowonio preschool contain a nature trail which the school’s staff feel is therapeutic for children with ADD and related conditions. It was decided that a classroom located in the vicinity of the nature trail could offer a beneficial environment for the young pupils. Therefore, Syracuse University School of Architectures’ AIAS Freedom By Design group was tasked to help bring this about.
19-Tower Tree House
The treehouse-inspired Tower House by New York based architectural studio GLUCK+ is a unique weekend property, which takes the idea of living in the trees to an entirely new level. Located in upstate New York, the single-family home stretches over four levels and takes on the appearance of a small urban skyscraper. The slick structure is almost out of place amidst its natural forest landscape, however its glass facade does offer its occupants a great advantage point from which to enjoy treetop living.
Earlier this year, the Tower House was the recipient of the Architecture Merit Award at the 2013 AIA New York Design Awards and taking a closer look at the project, it’s not hard to see why.
20- Biodiversity Nest Treehouse
UK architectural firm Blue Forest, which has a background in the design and construction of luxury treehouses and lodges, has revealed its plans to build a large nest-like treehouse in the Eden Project’s Humid Tropics Biome. Located in Cornwall, UK, the Eden Project is the world’s largest conservatory, and the planned Biodiversity Nest will sit high amidst its treetops as part of a new Rainforest Canopy Walk.
21- Roost and Inhabit Treehouse
An increasing number of homes are being built to blend in with their location more fully and offer a way of life in tune with nature. However, two concept homes designed by Antony Gibbon go further than this, by promising a comfortable and elegant dwelling which doesn’t just blend in, but almost becomes part of the local surroundings.
Roost comprises several pod-like capsules. These capsules are harnessed to the trunk of each tree using a nondestructive bracing technique, which still allows the trees to live and grow.
22- ErlebNest Treehouse
The ErlebNest is a design of Germany’s Cambium GmBH, a company that specializes in rope and bridge courses. It can be integrated into such a course or installed as a standalone treetop retreat. Cambium designed the ErlebNest to blend into the natural forested environment and says that it uses natural materials in its construction.
The ErlebNest is a multi-part treehouse design. The barrel-in-the-sky that immediately draws your attention is the Cocoon sleeping quarters. The Cocoon’s airy, slatted walls provide views into the surrounding landscape, and a sliding roof offers protection from the elements. The Cocoon sleeps visitors atop a king-sized bed.
23-Hemloft Treehouse
Described by its creator as “a secret treehouse hiding in the woods of Whistler,” in the Canadian province of British Columbia, the HemLoft is, unlike many buildings that describe themselves such, a treehouse in the truest sense: the entire weight of the egg-shaped structure is supported by the tree around which it is built. Though welcome to visitors – the right sort of visitors, at least – one first has to find it. And the ongoing story of the HemLoft’s ever-widening profile is as compelling as the story of its construction – and it’s a story with an uncertain ending.
24- Oshatz wilkison Treehouse
Everyone loves a treehouse – they seem to inspire a universal feeling of childlike wonder, and done right they really tickle the old ‘living in harmony with nature’ glands too. We’ve covered some beauties over the years here at New Atlas, but this one has to be the grand-daddy of them all. The work of architect Robert Harvey Oshatz, the Wilkinson Residence makes use of a steeply sloped block to put the house’s main level right up in the tree canopy. Stunning from every angle, it uses curves and waves to echo the owner’s love of the natural landscape with a slightly musical theme.
