UNEARTH YOUR HOME
Features 34 The Treehouse Master A special Q&A with Pete Nelson plus a sneak peak into his show, Treehouse Masters and the amazing homes that him and his team build. by Mitch Howard
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Treetop Tribes An inside look into the past of the Korowai Tribe of Indonesia, and their towering tree homes that stand high over 100 feet. by Annabelle Brown
50 Climb and Dine Dinner is served, and it’s up in the trees! A showcase of the one of a kind restaurants offering meals to climb for. by Logan Patrick
52 Super Small Spaces People live in that? You bet! See how the tiny house movement and treehouse movement are going hand in hand. by Julia Ryes
44 The Mirror Cube Don’t let your eyes fool you, see what inspired the mystical mirror cube from Sweden, and learn how you could spend the night in one! by Dan Keye ON THE COVER Treehouse Point built by Pete Nelson and his team at Nelson Treehouse
Treehouses are the ultimate return to nature.
— Pete Nelson
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Departments
contents
5 7 8 14
The Perch Letter from the Editor on our exciting tree house edition.
18
Off the Grid
21
Eco-nomical
70
Travel
72
Spotlight
Getting Started Life in the treetops isn’t easy, so learn more about going green!
Opinion You loved treehouses as a kid, but what about as an adult?
Do It Yourself Fun projects and tips to build your own treehouse.
How to go off the grid and up into the treetops, plus insight from multiple homeowners.
Treehouse living is eco-friendly, but is it economical? What is it really going to cost you?
Eight amazing tree hotels around the world, awaiting your stay. Find out more on the web.
In this edition, we ask Foster Huntington, a treehouse homeowner, about his journey and lifestyle. nest magazine | 3
UNEARTH YOUR HOME Editor Meghan Augunas Editorial Director Jenn Stank Creative Director Sarah Baluch Deputy Editor Matthew Patrick Senior Editor Michelle Brown Staff Editor Christine Dexter Copy Editor Lacey Good–Wright Senior Designer Megan Clements Photo Director Zachary Pease Art Director Elaine Cunfer
••••••• Publisher Sommer Montenegro Background Images by Pexels Email INFO@NESTMAG.COM Website NESTMAG.COM
••••••• Nest Magazine is published twice a year in April and October by Leaf Publishing, 247 Orange St, Media, PA 19063
••••••• April 2022 • Issue 7 Treehouse Edition
••••••• Printed by Leaf in Media, PA © Copyright 2022 Nest Magazine and the individual contributors
A letter from the Editor
the perch
Here at Nest, we’re no strangers to adventure and the wonderful Mother Nature; she’s all around us. So in this issue we’re climbing the treetops to showcase some truly magical homes. Growing up I’d always dreamed of having a treehouse. A place I could hide away and let my imagination run free. But due to my childhood home, there was no place fit for a treehouse. Nowadays, it excites me to learn how popular tree houses are becoming for actual homes, and not just a child’s play place. And it’s my pleasure to share my excitement with you, our reader. In this tree house issue, get ready to go behind the scenes with the Treehouse Master himself, Pete Nelson, and explore marvelous treehouses from around the globe that you can actually stay the night in. This issue is your guide to truly going green; it could be the inspiration you’ve been looking for all along. So what are you waiting for? Adventure awaits at the turn of a page.
Meghan Augunas Editor in Chief
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getting started
Going Green By Steven Weitzman
TO GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE
As children, we all dreamed of having our very own treehouse, and the lucky ones had their dreams fulfilled. As we got older this dream has waned for some, but many people haven’t given up on it. Throughout the years, living in a treehouse has become a popular choice for many homeowners. Today, some of the most sought out hotels and Airbnb’s are treehouses. In fact, the most popular listing on the entirety of Airbnb is a treehouse! Some see living in a treehouse as a way to become closer to nature and others see it as a way to get back in touch with their childhood. Although living in a treehouse may be an attractive idea, it has its pros and cons:
PROS Environmentalism
CONS Electricity
Having a treehouse is a fun, ecofriendly alternative to a traditional home. Many treehouses are built using salvaged or recycled materials and building on a tree saves it from being torn down. Additionally, treehouses can be easily upgraded with solar panels and other forms of renewable energy to add to your ease of living.
Unlike traditional homes, treehouses cannot be easily hooked up to electric power lines. Additionally, because of safety concerns, running wires through a tree might not be the best idea. You can consider using alternative energy sources, like solar or windpower, but these options can be pricey.
Privacy
Plumbing
The height of a treehouse can grant you great privacy from your neighbors. The branches can give extra concealment for you and cover your windows.
Lifestyle There’s something about a treehouse that gives off a sense of tranquility. Maybe it’s the sense of being close to nature or the movements of the tree in the wind, it’s a relaxing environment that’s easy to get lost in. Living in a treehouse can help you achieve a laid-back lifestyle, letting you relax and enjoy the view.
Plumbing is another amenity that is difficult to work into a treehouse. The height of trees impedes water pressure and alters the effectiveness of pipes, making water fight a literal uphill battle to reach your home. During the winter months, your pipes could be at an even greater risk.
Weather Conditions Living in a tree can make you especially susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Most treehouses are posted on stilts, making them not the most stable option. Sure, trees themselves can be pretty sturdy, but even they can be uprooted in an awful storm.
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Not Just
Child’s Play CASTLE-LIKE STRUCTURES. SNAKE-SHAPED DWELLINGS. SPHERICAL DOMES. ARBOREAL ABODES ARE EVOLVING INTO SHAPES AND SIZES NOBODY’S EVER DREAMED OF.
G
one are the days when treehouses were mere hideouts, forts or magical places enjoyed only by children. These days, treehouses are in vogue with adults, too, be they eco-minded off-gridders, indie-spirited yuppies, or retirement-inclined baby boomers. All around the world, luxury lodges, hotels, palatial retreats, schools and even churches can now be found nestled comfortably atop trees. In the Western world where treehouses are not customary places of dwelling, as they are for native tribes of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, treehouse-living has been rising in popularity in recent years. Eco-lodges aptly called “tree-sorts” that are sprouting up in Costa Rica, India and many developing countries have been designed to cater specifically to tourists from the first world. Indeed, most of us never really lose our sense of wonder and adventure, or that playful “inner child” in us — no matter what age. Living “high” does bring a natural “high,” so given the opportunity, many of us wouldn’t mind being Tarzans and Janes for a few hours (or a few days) and literally “live it up” in the canopies. Whether it’s a yearning to escape the crowd and get some peace and quiet, or pursue an ideal to live more sustainably, or just simply try and get closer to nature, more and more people are finding reasons to go off-grid and high above-ground.
By James D. Lara
From simple one-deck shacks made out of recycled materials, to deluxe, multi-story affairs carefully designed by professional architects — treehouses are definitely trending. On the high-end, just Google “luxury tree houses” and you’ll soon be swamped with pages upon pages of construction and design websites featuring the latest, most innovative and grandiose treehouses rising up in the far, exotic corners of the world. There is in fact a current boom in the tree house industry. Blue Forest, a renowned company specializing in sustainable designs, reported a surge in their treehouse projects these past several years. Philip Jodidio, an art historian and architectural analyst who co-authored a book on tree homes, hotels and installations around the world, says there is a growing body of interested, paying adults. “I was surprised at how few of the treehouses we came across were really intended for children,” he told the New Statesman. “By and large these are adult ventures.” Depending on the size and complexity of their designs, treehouses can cost anywhere from $10,000 for a simple platform with basic shelter and amenities, to something with six figures [article continues on page 62]
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april 2022 • treehouse edition
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Photos courtesy of Nelson Treehouse
Interview by Mitch Howard
Engraving by Meghan Augunas
People who know and work with Pete Nelson describe him as a tree whisperer. For his part, Nelson lets the trees do the talking. He’s a world-renowned treehouse designer and builder, and his series “Treehouse Masters” documents the work he and his team of craftsmen — including his son Charlie — do to create incredible homes and businesses in nature’s canopy. We had a few moments with him to ask him some of our most curious questions. Why build treehouses? I build treehouses because they move me. They get me up, excite me, and put me outdoors and in the woods. They challenge my creative side and also unite me with friends, colleagues, and, when I’m really lucky, entire communities. Speaking of the communal experience, being in a treehouse seems to fulfill some primal need; it seems to spark an instinctive joy in people of all ages. Can you tell us what you believe seems to be behind this experience, that in some way does seem primal? I feel that it goes way back. Climbing up into a tree calms us. Our heart rates actually drop when we get up into trees. It must have something to do with feeling safe — escaping the dangers of the forest floor. The joy comes from creating a space that is often all your own. I can remember the feelings of joy I had when I built my first treehouse as a grade-schooler. Now-a-days, I get joy from working with what nature provides (in tree form) to create similar places for others. It’s a joyful experience no matter how you slice it! What are some elements of your treehouses that differentiate them from the neighborhood treehouse? The two key concepts to grasp for building up in trees is that trees grow and trees move in the wind. Hardware these days allow for both. The simple and strong treehouse attachment bolt (TAB) is a basic building part that we use to connect respectfully to living trees. The bolts are big — 3" in diameter — and they withstand tremendous forces. In some cases they can hold 10,000 lbs. per bolt. We use them often, along with even more intense hardware, and they are obvious in each of our unique builds. They allow us to create just about anything we can imagine aloft, and not lose sleep at night! 36 | nest magazine
How does your company, Nelson Treehouse and Supply, use these methods and materials to minimize the impacts on the tree (or trees) that construction may have? The arborist community has been involved in the treehouse building movement since we started meeting annually in the late 1990s. We have found that the preferred hardware is being absorbed readily by healthy trees. We feel as a group that each connection to a living tree should be used to its greatest ability, and that the fewer tree penetrations, the better. Make each connection count, in other words. In many ways, treehouse construction is one of the best examples I know of site-sensitive and site-responsive architecture. Can you speak about this? Well, we don’t cut down the trees to do our work, for one. We surely use wood in the construction, however. As much as we prefer to use recycled and re-purposed wood, budgets do not always allow for us to do that. Site responsive design is imperative. The trees themselves set the parameters of every job. One of my favorite parts of this job is interpreting what the trees offer in terms of platform configuration. I am completely driven by what they allow. Only from that initial understanding does a full design take shape. What do you see as one possible future for treehouse habitation? I believe we are seeing the tip of the iceberg. People are opening their eyes to the possibilities. It is truly exciting. I don’t believe that everyone is going to move to the trees, by any means, but they will build more treehouses. That is happening already. And the vast majority are being built as a place to retreat to. A place for quiet contemplation. How great is that?!
april 2022 • treehouse edition
[article continues on page 38]
Bulldog Bungalow Washington
The Ski Lodge Washington
Tonasket House Washington
T R E E O P
by Annabelle Brown
Known primarily for being one of the last active tribes of cannibals, the Korowai of Papua, in Indonesia, lived in total isolation until first contacted by Dutch missionaries in the 1970s. But while the tribal penchant for cannibalism was what got them the most press, the Korowai have another fascinating cultural trait: they are the fantastic architects of towering tree homes built as high as 114 feet above the ground! This unique architecture protects families from the swarming mosquitoes below, as well as any troublesome neighbors and evil spirits. The treehouses are constructed in clearings with large Banyan or Wanbom trees selected as the main pole. Smaller poles are then added at the corners of the house for additional support. While some are as high as 35 meters above the ground, most are typically between 8–12 meters high and reached via a single notched pole which serves as a ladder. The floor is constructed first, the walls and a roof of Sago tree are added, bound together with raffia. The flooring must be quite strong as the tree houses often accommodate as many as a dozen people. New homes are blessed by smearing animal fat at the threshold and stairs, and by cutting small holes into the roof that symbolically gives access to tasty game animals (usually ground-loving pigs). Whole family groups, along with pets and other domestic animals, live together in one tree house. The larger homes have separate living spaces for the men and women of the family, as well as separate fire pits, and sometimes stairs. Fire is the biggest danger to tree-dwellers, so the fire pits are specially designed with cut-away floor sections in case things get out of control. Even without going up in flames, the houses last about five years.
History
Traditionally, the Korowai have been hunter-gatherers with deeply held cultural and religious beliefs tied to the land and animals of the jungle. A core belief about demons, possession, and death is tied to the tradition of cannibalism, in which the bodies of those accused and killed for being witches are eaten by the families who suffered from the black magic. A self fulfilling cycle of doom exists between the belief in these demon-possessed male witches, called Khakhua, and the jungle-borne disease and infection that kills [article continues on page 66]
Top: A member of the Korowai scales a tree to escape danger Bottom: The towering treehouses of the Korowai tribe were originally built to protect them from attacks by neighboring clans
Photos by Paul Raffaele
1 3 A fully suspended home in the trees
Airbnb’s most wished for listing WORLDWIDE!
Pacific Ocean
2
Atlantic Ocean
Where in the
World? Take a look into the hotel trend that’s taken root and branched out globally with 8 tree houses you can actually sleep in. For more information about these amazing treehouses, visit our travel page on our website.
By Austa Somvichian-Clausen Photos courtesy of National Geographic
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1
REE SPIRIT SPHERES F VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA
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FINCA BELLAVISTA ZONA SUR, COSTA RICA
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AIRBNB’S SECLUDED INTOWN TREEHOUSE GEORGIA, U.S.A.
travel
4 6
They have three different types of treehouses!
7
Indian Ocean
5
8
A fully open air treehouse!
4
TREEHOTEL HARADS, SWEDEN
5
LION SANDS GAME RESERVE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA
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TRANQUIL RESORT KERALA, INDIA
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THE GIBBON EXPERIENCE PROJECT HUAY XAI, LAOS
8
HAPUKU LODGE AND TREEHOUSES KAIKOURA, NEW ZEALAND
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spotlight
This is What it’s Like to Live in a Treehouse
The finished Cinder Cone. A suspension and arched bridge 40 feet off the ground connects two treehouses.
By Meaghen Brown Photo courtesy of Foster Huntington
W
e've all fantasized about dropping everything and carving out a private paradise the wilderness. Foster Huntington did exactly that. Four years ago, Foster Huntington took the leap we all dream about: He quit his job as a designer for Ralph Lauren in New York City, moved into a 1986 VW Syncro, and spent the next three years surfing, snowboarding, blogging, and posting photos of the dream life to Instagram. He wrote a book called Home Is Where You Park It, popularized the hashtag #vanlife, and inspired a generation of restless wanderers. But recently, 27-year-old Huntington traded his envy-inducing nomad life for equally envy-inducing permanence. He and a group of friends spent the last year on a piece of land they own in Washington's Columbia River Gorge building his dream home, a multiplatform tree house with a skate park at its base and a soaking tub with an incredible mountain view. Huntington
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consulted with an arborist to find a suitable tree — one sturdy enough to support the weight of the tree house and healthy enough so as not to tip over during a storm. He named the tree house The Cinder Cone and documented the process of building it. We interviewed Huntington and got him to tell us a little bit about what it's like living in a tree house and what's next for him. So, why live in a treehouse? The question is more like, “Why not live in a tree house?” It allows me to be fully immersed in nature. What was the most challenging part of the building process? The hardest part was figuring out all the logistics. Lots of materials were needed everyday and I had to track them down. We were hunting on Craigslist, going to salvage yards, and asking friends. We tried to find as many reclaimed things as possible for the house.
What was the initial inspiration? Films I grew up watching like Swiss Family Robinson and Hook definitely were an early inspiration for the tree house and the [skate] bowl. Also, Return of the Jedi. What’s it like, living in a tree? Well, it’s a lot like being on a sailboat. It sways in the wind like a boat would out in the open sea. What’s the best part? The best part of the experience was the first night we spent in the treehouse in late July. It was the first moment when I realized that this project was actually going to happen. What’s your plan for the future? Finishing this project! I don’t have any set plans to build more yet, but I do love making stuff.
april 2022 • treehouse edition
For educational purposes only. Not for publication.