COMPLIED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTO Micky Hoyle; Dook; treehotel.se; Jimmy Nelson; Plum Pictures
From a breathtaking Constantia retreat to an avant-garde Treehotel in Sweden, these treehouse-inspired homes and hideaways perfectly blend nature with innovative design.
These unique dwellings from the VISI Archives showcase the harmonious union of nature and creativity, providing tranquil retreats that celebrate the beauty of the natural world.
Tree House Constantia by Malan Vorster
It was time for a change, decided Graham Paarman after a few years of living in a loft apartment above the test kitchen from where the Ina Paarman empire was built. Graham is Ina’s son and business partner.
He initially wanted a treehouse, but after consulting with Malan Vorster architects Graham settled on something along the lines of a tree-inspired house on the slopes of the family’s Constantiaberg estate.
“The design process evolved to architectualise the essence of treehouses,” says architect Pieter Malan, “using lightweight materials to suspend a shelter between tree trunks and branches.”
The exterior curves and vertical cladding clearly evoke a reedy copse or a set of tree trunks, but when you step inside the house the effect is breathtakingly reversed: Instead of a man-made tree at the edge of a clearing you are in a man-made clearing set among the trees.
The house is built primarily from Western red cedar, a beetle-resistant wood that, if left untreated, weathers naturally to acquire a soft, warm patina. Criss-crossing beams and wooden panelling combine with the exterior cladding to give the interior a filigreed sense of detail.
Read the full story on the Treehouse-inspired Constantia home.
Melozhori Treehouse
Once you arrive at Melozhori, guests park their cars because only walking or cycling is allowed on the reserve. No need to panic though, there are no predators on site, only friendly Giraffes, flamboyant Ostriches and herds of Sables, Nyalas and Impalas.
“We wanted to develop a low-footprint reserve where guests can be immersed in nature but still have complete privacy,” explains Reserve Manager Lientjie Nell. “The Treehouse idea started to take shape when we decided to add one more final product offering to our reserve. We started looking at secluded and beautiful areas on the reserve and when we decided on the valley the idea just developed from there.”
The owners of Melozhori have a big love for nature and the conservation of our natural wildlife for future generations. With no previous farming experience, the Bhorat family has turned an undeveloped and overgrazed piece of land into a successful game reserve. With care and consideration to historically occurring species, the game was gradually introduced and today the 19 different mammal species and 131 identified birds bear testimony to the patience and long-term vision needed for conservation to be meaningful.
Read the full story on the Melozhori Treehouse.
Timbavati Lodge Treehouse
It’s a new way to experience the drama and majesty of the bushveld: enclosed by enormous marula trees in the Timbavati private concession in the Kruger National Park, a night in the &Beyond Ngala Tree House is designed to tickle the senses. As architect Jack Alexander for Fox Browne Creative explains, “We wanted the structure to have a light footprint, with as little impact on the natural landscape and local wildlife as possible.”
The result is a unique hideaway consisting of five vertically linked platforms, wrapped in an Escher-like series of staircases and landings that connect to a prefabricated 12-metre-tall steel core frame. Hardwood timber shiplap cladding inside and out counters the modern feel of the glass and steel, and lends the tree house a natural, more handcrafted feel. “We also clad the structure in a series of timber latte which, like the mopani poles of the ‘boma’ fence around the whole structure, were responsibly harvested from the surrounding area,” says Jack.
Read the full story on the Timbavati Lodge Treehouse.
The Treehotel
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.
Read the full story on the Treehotel.
Nay Palad Bird Nest
The bird’s nest, which is elevated above the trees alongside a river in the Laikipia region (known for its safari lodges and camps) features panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
Natural and raw materials were used to construct the nest, including farmed wood and tree branches woven together by members of the local community. While the nest has been designed for two, it is able to accommodate a family or guests keen to sleep out on the top deck.
Nay Palad collaborated on the Bird Nest with conservationist Jochen Zeitz, the founder of Segera Retreat. Another good friend, Daniel Pouzet, the architect behind Nay Palad Hideaway, created the Bird Nest’s one-of-a-kind design.
Read the full story on the Bird Nest.
George Clarke’s Treehouse
There was no doubt in my mind that my friend William Hardie, a talented master craftsman and designer, was the right person for this project. Apart from incredible workmanship, he brings remarkable conceptual elements to the design process. Our creative ramblings led to some wacky and wild ideas but although this process is key – and great fun – it has to work in tandem with practicalities. The location, for example, was challenging: a wooded site sloping steeply down to a small flood plain and a river with trees not structurally strong enough to support a treehouse.
We needed the technical expertise of a structural engineer. Our plan was to use sturdy oak posts, securely anchored to the ground, as supports. The posts would need cross-bracing with the vertical struts supporting the building; and the struts would occasionally be underwater as the site suffers from seasonal flooding.
This was no whimsical treehouse; it had to have serious design credibility as well as work with the topography, the climate and the accessibility requirements of people with disabilities.
Read the full story on George Clarke’s Treehouse.
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