WORDS Amelia Brown IMAGES treehotel.se
Talk about a room with a (bird’s eye) view.
Inspired by the film The Tree Lover, by Jonas Selberg Augustsen, the Treehotel is located in Harads, near the Lule river, in Sweden, about 100 km from Luleå airport. The movie is “a tale of three men from the city who want to go back to their roots by building a tree house together,” explains the site. “The Tree Lover is a philosophical story about the significance of trees for us human beings.”
The village has a population of about 600 and features a restaurant, shop and guest house, Britta’s Pensionat (or guesthouse), Britta Jonsson Lindvall being a co-founder of the Treehotel with her husband Kent.
Together with some of Scandinavia’s leading architects, the pair created seven bespoke, design-forward “treerooms”, suspended four to six metres above ground and surrounded by the forest’s canopies with spectacular views of the Lule River. An important aspect was to make a minimal impact on the environment, which meant trying to find sustainable construction and energy solutions.
1. The Cabin, a 24 m² room that accommodates two people with a double bed, bathroom and terrace, can be reached from a bridge through the trees. It’s a gravity-defying capsule suspended in the trees, designed by Cyrén & Cyrén.
2. Camouflaged by mirrored walls that reflect the forest surroundings, the 4x4x4 m, two-sleeper Mirrorcube has six windows that provide a stunning panoramic view. Designed by Tham & Videgård architects, the base consists of an aluminum frame around the tree trunk and the walls are covered with reflective glass.
3. The UFO, designed by Inrednings Gruppen, is cast in durable composite material to create a light, yet strong and sustainable design. At 30 m² it sleeps five people (two adults in a double bed and three children), with separate beds, bathroom and living area.
4. Perhaps the quirkiest of the rooms, even if simply for its misleading name: The Blue Cone is actually bright red. Architected by Sandall Sandberg, the red clapboard exterior consists of laminated birch wood and the interior of timber. Despite being only 22 m², it has four beds, separate sleeping loft, bathroom and living room.
5. Guests can enjoy a fully immersive experience in The Bird’s Nest: this treeroom’s exterior is quite literally a gigantic bird’s nest. At just 17 m², architects Inrednings Gruppen have made the most of the space, creating two bedrooms, a bathroom and living area. The interior walls are clad with wood panels and the small porthole windows assist with camouflage.
6. Built out of wood and sheet metal, at 52 m² and 22 metric tons, The Dragonfly is the biggest room. Designed by Rintala Eggertsson Architects it can function as a conference space with a lounge, two group rooms and a conference table that seats for 10; or as a private experience for four people.
7. Located 10 m up in the pines, The 7th Room is the newest treeroom, designed by Snøhetta and constructed in 2016. The entire underside of the building is covered in a life-size photograph of the treetops as they looked before the structure was built. Large panoramic windows face north, allowing guests to watch the magnificent Northern Lights. The room, which accommodates five, has been designed with various “experience levels”, one of which is the net patio. The branches of a pine grow through the net, allowing you to climb and sit in it, or lie suspended on the net and listen to the sounds of the forest.
All treerooms have Wi-Fi. Britta’s Pensionat is open for Treehotel’s guests, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in an authentic 1930-1950’s setting. There’s a restaurant, bar, sauna and relaxation area, TV, and Internet.
Visit the treehotel.se for more information and to book a holiday of a lifetime.
