Brownhill Creek Treehouse

BROWNHILL CREEK RECREATION PARK treehouse David Ebsary a1788458

contents 01 PLACE

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02 DESIGN

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03 FRAME

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04 FORM

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05 COMMUNITY

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BROWNHILL CREEK RECREATION PARK treehouse 01 PLACE 5

description Brownhill Creek Recreation Park has been a popular tourist attraction for local and international visitors. Prior to the park's establishment in 1841 by the South Australian government, the place was a hunting and gathering ground inhabited by up to 150 the indigenous Kaurna people at a time. The place was known to them as Warraparinga, meaning ‘scrub camping place’.

The park's location is ideal for people who want to experience nature in an unbuilt environment while not being too far away from the city. This caters to locals who want to relax and exercise for the day, while being a convenient location for tourists to explore the sights of Adelaide and the hills.

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location

Adelaide, South Australia

climate Generally, Brownhill Creek experiences a climate marked by seasonal variation in rainfall and temperature with cool, wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers.

Temperatures are on average, highest during the months of January and February, with hot weather continuing into March. In most years, maximum temperatures exceed 38°C on several days. These hot days are generally accompanied by hot northerly winds, often brought to an end by a south-westerly wind change.

Annual precipitation is similar to that recorded for Adelaide, being 750-900mm, but slightly higher because of the foothill location. The majority of rainfall occurs between May and September.

Brownhill Creek Recreation Park In winter, light is low around 4pm as the trajectory of the sun is low and the site area is overshadowed by Brown Hill.

Topography of site 7

vegetation

fauna

River Red Gums eucalyptus camaldulensis, Swamp Wattle acacia retinodes and Swamp Club Rush isolepis inundata occur along the creek flats amongst numerous woody weed species.

Birds There are 37 native bird species recorded for the park including the Little Wattlebird, Superb Fairy-wren, Rainbow Lorikeet, Whitefaced Heron and the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo.

Drooping Sheoaks allocasuarina verticillata are present on the hill slopes, with Grey Box eucalyptus microcarpa woodland in the north west portion of the park. South Australian Blue Gum eucalyptus leucoxylon woodland remains over much of the remaining hill slopes along with a few native shrubs, including Kangaroo Thorn acacia paradoxa and Golden Wattle acacia pycnantha.

Reptiles There are 7 species of reptile opportunistically recorded for the park, including the Eastern Brown Snake, Sleepy Lizard, Eastern Bearded Dragon, Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard, Barking Gecko, Adelaide Snakelizard and the Creamed–striped Shining Skink.

Amphibians There are 7 species of frog in the Mount Lofty Ranges, with the Common Froglet the most common. The park’s amphibian population includes the Common Froglet, the Bull Frog and Brown Tree Frog.

Ground cover plants are almost entirely confined to higher areas of the park and include Dense flowered Mat Rush lomandra densiflora, with two New Holland Daisy species vittadinia blackii and vittadinia australasica.

Grasses include, Brush Wire Grass aristida behriana, Black-head Grass enneapogon nigricans, Kangaroo Grass themeda triandra,

at least four species of Spear Grass stipa and several Wallaby Grass danthonia caespitosa species.

Several clumps of Bulrush typha domingensis exist along the creek.

Brownhill Creek Recreation Park Management Plan. 2003. Department for Environment and Heritage, Adelaide, South Australia.

Fish The introduction of exotic species of fish into watercourses has been to the detriment of native species.

The Big Headed Gudgeon Mountain Galaxias and Climbing Galaxias are the only known remaining native species.

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BROWNHILL CREEK RECREATION PARK treehouse 02 DESIGN 9

The Four Earthly Elements Moon

Sun

Earth-Moon

platonic solids Platonic solids are any of the five geometric solids whose faces are all identical, regular polygons meeting at the same three-dimensional angles, also known as the five regular polyhedra, Plato associated in his dialogue Timaeus, associated the polyhedra with the four basic elements—fire, air, water, and earth. He supposed all matter is formed through these combinations.

design concept Within nature we can observe a creative force that produces structures and elements that are suited to a particular environment.

Observations of nature highlight, the ability to adapt forms to suit a particular environment. A characteristic that humans often are unable to grasp when designing. https://www.britannica.com/science/Platonic-solid

It is nature, that has inspired artists, architects and engineers for centuries, when designing concepts. The characteristic of this creative force informs our design of form, structure, colour and aesthetics.

Above are my sketches of native animals in the form of platonic solids.

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form and spatiality The selected tree has a trunk circumference of 3800mm making it quite sturdy to withhold the weight of the treehouse. It has an open canopy that can be built around, however the branches make it difficult to have large open spaces due to be close together. The diagrams suggest the form of the treehouse around the tree.

The bedroom area on the upper level with a scenic view of the stream and the foyer is level with the open field.

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1 Bedroom area 2 Stairwell 3 Kitchen/Living area 4 Entrance foyer/ammenities and storage

treehouse concept The treehouse will be a 2 storey semi-fixed house with a space of approximately forty square metres that is suitable for 2 adults and 2 children. The upper level will be the sleeping area with a small viewing platform of the creek.

The lower level will be an open living area consisting of a lounge and kitchen area and a wood fire. The kitchen contains a large bench with a sink and an induction stove, under the bench will be a fridge and small cupboards. The water tank will be below the kitchen.

There is a long foyer that connects the living area to the footpath, a composting toilet and storage space will be off of the foyer.

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BROWNHILL CREEK RECREATION PARK treehouse 03 FRAME 13

treehouse structure There are some challenges building around the top of the selected tree. The house is designed to wrap around the tree rather than the tree take the full weight of the house. The canopy of the tree is open meaning the scenery is not impeded, however the branches are not as strong at the top as around the trunk, which has a circumference of 3800 mm. Due to this reason the treehouse will be fully supported by stumps, only one corner of the house will be supported by the trunk.

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inspiration by platonic solids.

Framing Structure The floor uses a single rigid frame which consists MGP10 pine. The joists are at a span of 450 centers and the structure rests on part of the tree but majority of the weight sits on top of seven stumps concreted into the ground.

first floor and strut framing

The second floor is cantilevered and relies heavily on the triangulated frames that prop up the structure.

The timber props withhold compressive forces, and are fastened to both the stumps and the tree trunk using a bracketed ring.

The top floor is supported by cables attached to the roof which connects to the branch above, this allows the structure to withstand tensile forces.

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second and third floor framing

Axonometric exploded

overall frame

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Laundry/ Entry WC Kitchen/ Dining

first floor

Bedroom 2

third floor

Main Bedroom

BROWNHILL CREEK RECREATION PARK treehouse

Living Room

second floor

fourth floor

04 FORM floor plans 17

Main Bedroom

sections

Bedroom 2

Kitchen/ Dining

Living Room WC

Laundry/ Entry

Living Room

Kitchen/ Dining

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western elevation

19 eastern elevation

southern elevation

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BROWNHILL CREEK RECREATION PARK treehouse 05 COMMUNITY 21

treehouse community The rejuvenated landscape allows the community to experience native Australian flora and fauna in a way that once was intended. Exotic plant species have been removed and replaced with original riparian planting, attracting wildlife to return to the area. While the adults enjoy the scenery, the children are able to enjoy the nature play garden. The garden is at the centre of the treehouse community making the location ideal for families on holiday.

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groundcover ‘Silver & Gold’ Chrysocephalum apiculatum Native Cranberry Astroloma humifusum Running Postman Kennedia prostrata ‘Blue Mist’ Tall Bluebell Wahlenbergia stricta ‘Seaspray’ Darwinia

small shrubs ‘Pink Mist’ Correa pulchella White Goodenia Goodenia albiflora Honey Pots Acrotriche serrulata ‘White Anzac’ Callistemon citrinus Rosemary Dampiera Dampiera rosmarinifolia 23

plant palette

nature play garden

treehouses sedge/rushes Broom Rush (waterbeds) Juncus sarophorus Sea Rush (waterbeds) Juncus kraussii ‘Breeze’ (nature play garden) Dianella caerulea http://plantselector.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au/

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