Short of resorting to tree hugging, German architecture firm Baumraum wants to revive the simple pleasures of living and playing in tree houses.

Text by Jolene Limuco
Images courtesy of Baumraum

In the midst of the increasing urban sprawl taking place all over the world, there are people who are reacting to the phenomenon by going back to basics. And while some communities are heading towards complete lifestyle overhauls, there are others who just want morsels of a simpler way of life.

German architecture and landscape firm Baumraum is one such co-operative that is taking the simplification route with its introduction of sturdy, practical and attractive tree houses. The arboreal spaces are not merely shacks of haphazardly put together surplus timbre and nails. Members of the company, headed by award-winning architect Andreas Wenning, take time to consider the environment, landscape, health of the trees and use of the space before coming up with the blueprint of each tree house, whether they are to function as guestrooms or outdoor hideaways. With landscape artists, tree experts and experienced craftsmen all roped into a project, these tree houses are mini architectural wonders.

According to Wenning, the basis of a good tree house starts with a healthy tree. He elaborates, “The tree’s development, its movement and growth, and its function in the environment all play important roles in how the result will look and feel. The tree house itself should be in dialogue with the tree, either as contrast or in a symbiotic way. Most importantly, a well designed tree house should be safe and last a long time without much maintenance.”

Wenning and his team love working on larch and Douglas pine because of their excellent resistance to weather fluctuations and erosion, but like true creative types, they are happy to experiment with other materials such as light metals, stainless steel, textiles and synthetic materials. For a tree house constructed for a family with adult-aged children and grandchildren in northern Germany, Baumraum created a retreat three metres off the ground complete with a reinforced wooden staircase, a spacious terrace and an outdoor shower. Using oak boards as framework structures, rockwool insulation and windfoil on the interior to keep the space well-ventilated, the team constructed an intimate hideaway amongst the thicket of an old magnolia tree and a cluster of pine trees situated in the family’s large private garden. The atmosphere inside the space is kept airy with a large dormer window, a series of smaller windows running along the sides of the abode and a rooftop window, all offering spectacular views of the sprawling grounds and allowing ample light to stream through.

While the founder and principal architect of the six-year-old company doesn’t think that tree houses will become regular features in homes, he does believe that more and more people are starting to value spaces that add character to a property and provide homeowners with a special place to escape to. With his tree houses, Wenning hopes that his clients will “get a sort of intense feeling which opens up their senses and takes their breath away” when they step into the small hideaways surrounded by nature.

As it goes against the current of mass urbanisation, Baumraum is perhaps paving the way for a green movement that defies conventional wisdom. Through creating what Wenning himself calls “modern lifestyle products that respect and fit into nature”, the company’s effort in reviving tree houses might just make the world sit up and appreciate trees differently.

www.baumraum.de