Wynn MedingerPHOTOS BY ALISSA KOLOM
Treehouses are a fascinating blend of childhood adventure and innovative design. Although a simple structure in a backyard tree might no longer meet your needs for lodging, treehouse architecture for adults is a growing field. Who wouldn’t want to experience nature in this unique way?
It was this notion of a connection to nature that led designer Dustin Feider to start O2Treehouse in 2005. He hoped to inspire people to reconsider how we can more harmlessly co-exist with nature. His first project, a geodesic structure 50 feet up a poplar tree in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, was also his thesis project, completing his BFA in furniture design from Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Today, Dustin and his team have received national and international recognition for the unique structures, which use the latest techniques in laser scanning and photo modeling to seamlessly blend with the tree they reside in. They are made for residential or commercial spaces and fuse traditional craftsmanship with purposeful design.
Feider’s recent project, the Pinecone, sits high in the branches of the redwood forests near Oakland, California.
The geodesic pinecone-shaped structure, complete with an indoor/outdoor bathroom connected to the treehouse by a wooden catwalk, offers visitors a breathtaking view of the forest from 60 feet in the air. Two triangle-shaped floor panels make visitors feel as though they are flying through the upper redwood canopy.
The home, which is available for rent on Airbnb, though visiting is not for the faint of heart. Entry requires ascending a steep stepladder and passing through a trapdoor, complete with a harness safety system for those less sure of their footing. The adventure of the home offers lodgers thrilling yet quiet moments to refresh, relax, and connect with nature.
Here are several other treehouses.
