Eric Rochow of GardenFork recently spoke with Deek Diedrickson, microhome builder and author of the new “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks” book in an episode of GardenFork Radio.

Deek and Eric (two men cut from the same cloth) discuss the merits of publishing your own book, using recycled and curbside found materials for tiny homes, how to build and anchor a treehouse and how Deek is able to make a living with his various building, music and drawing hobbies.

They also talk about Deek’s future plans which include teaching a few of the Tumbleweed Tiny House workshops, building a houseboat, a treehouse workshop and writing and publishing another book.

You can download the episode from iTunes or you can listen to it on the GardenFork website.

Photos courtesy of Relaxshacks.com.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The company combines the creative and constructive expertise of an architect with the experience of a landscape designer, a tree expert, and other craftsmen. They transform individual ideas and wishes into ingenious and inspiring dwellings that combine versatility with craftsmanship of the highest quality and maximum safety standards. These tree houses are also installed without harming the tree. They are not anchored with bolts or nails into the tree, but rather with textile belts and adjustable steel cables. This protects the bark, trunk and branches and allows the tree flexibility and growth.

The dimensions and the height of the tree houses depends on the stability and health of the tree. Sometimes it might be better to anchor the tree house to two or more trees rather than a single one. The tree houses can have a horizontal or upright design, with two or more levels, or even consist of several interconnected constructions at different heights. Most of the tree houses are units about the size of a small trailer or caravan.

The structure can be insulated, wired and fitted with built-in furniture according to the dimensions of the treehouse. The company also offers a wide range of different interior fittings such as seating and reclining areas, storage space, a mini-kitchen, heating, lighting, stereos or a flatscreen TV, a mini bar and windows facing in all directions. The installation of plumbing depends on the height of the tree house and availability of water supply and sewage disposal features on the property.

The tiny houses are built out of larchwood, oak, Oregon pine or FSC-certified tropical wood. Light metal, textiles and synthetic materials are also used. The tree house can be insulated using natural materials such as wood fiberboard, sheep’s wool or coconut fiber. The tree houses shown on baumraum’s website cost between $25,000 and $200,000 depending on the design, materials, assembly and interior furnishing.

baumraum has recently published a book called, Treehouses – Construction and Design Manual, which is available in both German and English and profiles 25 tree house projects around the world and several fictional designs from the company.

Photos courtesy of baumraum

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

This office/guest house is built on an estate in Brentwood, California a suburb of Los Angeles and was designed by Rockefeller Partners Architects, Inc. I’m sure this was an expensive tree house but that information was not given.

The architects took about eight months to design the tree house. Construction of the inhabitable sculpture, with its studio and lounge, took another 18 months.

The tree house serves also as temporary guest quarters, with modern-day amenities like a daybed, a sink, a toilet, a small refrigerator, a fireplace and a microwave.

You can view more pictures and read more about the tree house over at the Dwell site.

Photo Credit: Eric Staudenmaier

This treehouse was designed for relaxation and contemplation, a meditative space for kids of all ages…   It was originally conceived as a place for children to play, but its equally comfortable for adults.

It is ideal for a couple, on a romantic evening, or could easily fit a family of four.  In a pinch, it could sleep up to 6 adults.

It’s fully insulated, which is a necessity in our cold mountain climate, with has a natural gas heater and electricity, and no bathroom, though the owner will be use a composting toilet in it from time to time.

The owner has requested anonymity, as well as keeping the cost a secret!  (we can tell you that it was very expensive…)

It was designed collaboratively between Green Line Architects and David Rasmussen Design.  David is a designer/project manager at Green Line and he built the treehouse, and designed and built the custom lighting fixtures.  He honed his skills building  handicapped accessible treehouses for Forever Young Treehouses.

The owner is moving from this location in the near future, and will be taking the treehouse with him!  (this will be a big job for us to figure out how to move it)

We would like to design and build more of these…   especially in locations that have large, stable trees to work with.  This treehouse is built on poles, since the trees on site were not structurally adequate to build on.
Though this one represents the high end of the spectrum, most of our treehouse designs are low-cost, and use recycled or existing on-site materials.

Speaking of which, we have been doing applied research on tensile structure designs as well. See attachment. The idea is that a “treehouse” can be carried in a bag, like a hammock, erected within minutes, and can be taken almost anywhere.  This circular form was set up as a oversized hammock / kids’ trampoline at the finish line of the Single Speed World Championships in Durango last month.  You can see David in the shot checking out the installation… It provides shade below, and a resting or play surface above.  We have yet to integrate roof forms, but see that as the next progression of the design.  (A tent-like protective covering would really round it out well)

by Kent Griswold (Tiny House Blog)

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What do Ewoks and Julie “Butterfly” Hill have in common? They have discovered the ethereal magic of living up in a tree.

Tom Chudleigh of Vancouver Island, Canada has discovered the same magic with his Free Spirit Spheres, handcrafted tree houses that bob among the trees like giant apples.

Chudleigh calls his design a bio-mimicry. Each sphere attaches to a web of rope. The web connects to whichever strong points are available. This replaces the foundation of a conventional building. A tree house sphere uses the forest for its foundation, so the occupants of a sphere then have a vested interest in the health of the trees. Each sphere has four attachments on top and another four anchor points on the boom. Each attachment is strong enough to carry the entire sphere and contents.

A suspended sphere is tethered by 3 nearly vertical ropes to each of 3 separate trees. This distributes the load evenly over the 3 trees and results in a stable hang. Like an inverted three-legged stool, there will be almost equal tension in each of the three suspension ropes. The sphere resides in the center of the triangle formed by the 3 trees. It can be slung from 5 to 100′ off the ground, depending on the size of the trees.

Photo from Kiwipulse

If something really big, like a tree, falls through the web then some strands will break and let it pass through. The sphere remains suspended by the remaining strands. A major disaster like that is not likely, but possible. Everything, including spiral stairways and suspension bridges, are hung from ropes. Trees are protected where the spiral stairways hug the trees and ropes pass around the trees. The spheres are well adapted to life in a large mature forest.

The sphere concept borrows heavily from sailboat construction and rigging practice. It’s a marriage of tree house and sailboat technology. The wooden spheres are built much like a cedar strip canoe or kayak and suspension points are similar to the chain plate attachments on a sailboat. Stairways hang from a tree much like a sailboat shroud hangs from the mast. The joinery is yacht style with much brass trim, varnished wood and cane doors. They have closets on either side of the door.

Photo from Kiwipulse

A sphere is accessed by a spiral stairway and short suspension bridge. The two lower back suspension points of the sphere are tied horizontally to the two back trees, to keep the suspension bridge from sagging when it is walked on. The door faces the “door tree” and the suspension bridge connects the two. A helical stairway spirals up or down from the suspension bridge to the ground or next level.

Two Spheres, named Eve and Eryn, are available for overnight rental year round. Eve rents for $125 a night or $199 for two nights while Eryn rents for $175 a night or $299 for two nights Eryn’s rate is based on 2 people. The motion in a sphere is a slow gentle rocking when the wind blows. The rope tethers are almost vertical which lets the treetops move considerably while hardly moving the sphere at all. When another body inside a sphere shifts his/her weight the motion is abrupt. This is because the mass of the sphere is low.

Photo from Kiwipulse

In the Eryn style, there is a double bed on the right centered under the 40″ window. A settee with table is placed in front of the 42″ window on the left. The back wall opposite the door provides a galley area with counter cupboards and a sink. A microwave and refrigerator are also installed. Above the galley area there is a loft bed with full sitting headroom at the center. Circular shelf segments connect the loft bed to the cupboards on either side of the door. An outhouse and washroom are located nearby on the ground.

Photo from Kiwipulse

Free Spirit Spheres can also be purchased as completed projects or as shells and component kits. Wood spheres are made of two laminations of wood strips over laminated wood frames. The outside is then finished and covered with clear fiberglass. The result is a beautiful and very tough skin. The cost of these are sold for about $125,000-$150,000.

Fiberglass shells are also sold at $39,000-$45,000. The skins are waterproof and strong enough to take the impacts that come with life in a dynamic environment such as the forest.

Both wooden and fiberglass spheres are insulated. Vinyl upholstery fabric is stapled to the frames (lines of longitude). Each fabric joint is then covered with a decorative wood strip. The wood strips come together at the top and give a nice cathedral ceiling effect.

Photo from Kiwipulse

By Christina Nellemann

Copyright © 2009 Tiny House Blog

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I have been wanting to cover some tree houses as they fit very well in the tiny house arena. There are some really neat ones around the world that I would like to share with you. I will start with one of my favorite finds, located in the East Kootenays of British Columbia. Mike Zamara and Debbie Lungal Zamara have built this unique tree house getaway.

Perched on a large platform 5 meters (15 feet) high and built on seven trees, “Outa-the-Woods” is a totally unique vacation retreat. 

You can relax on the deck overlooking ponds and forest. Enjoy a spectacular Rocky Mountain view and watch the wildlife from the deck. This treehouse is built entirely out of the woods with carefully selected, curved, twisted and burled wood. It features many carvings, two handmade spiral staircases, and rustic furniture.

“Outa-the-Woods” has a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere in a peaceful natural setting. Experience the magic of living in the trees. Outa-the-woods is a secluded, romantic getaway, ideally suited for couples.

Features of the tree house include:

• spacious two-sided front deck with barbeque,
• main floor with dining area, kitchen, bathroom and lounge,
• loft bedroom with walk-out balcony and double hammock,
• propane kitchen with a full set of pots, pans, dishes and cutlery,
• An attractive propane fireplace,
• solar electric outlets for low amp appliances,
• three piece bathroom with all bath, bed and kitchen linens supplied,
• running hot and cold water, and solar powered lights.

Visit the “Outa the Woods” website to see more cool pictures get more information.

Photo Credit – Outa the Woods

Living Room

Kitchen

Bedroom

Deck View

Outa the Woods Tree House

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