Skip to main content

This Is Not Your Typical Treehouse in the Forest

Antony Gibbon Designs

When you think “treehouse,” a rickety structure high on a limb with definite childhood clubhouse aesthetic probably comes to mind. Or perhaps you think of the over-the-top luxury treehouses that have been popular in recent years. The idea of staying in a tree has mass appeal as evidenced by shows like Treehouse Masters and hotels like Biku Treehouse Retreat.

Recommended Videos

Architect Antony Gibbon has a different idea: Helix is a whole new take on the forest retreat. Gibbon is known for designing unique structures that take their inspiration from nature. His concept for Helix is no different. Designed to blend in with the surrounding trees, the structure has a gently twisting form, similar to the double helix of DNA (there’s a metaphor in there somewhere).

Antony Gibbon Designs

The exterior of the treehouse is clad in slatted wooden beams, which provide a glimpse of the staircase that leads up to the living space. At just 100 square feet, Helix takes the idea of living tiny to the extreme.

There is just enough space for a kitchenette and small bathroom on the first floor, with the bedroom on the second floor. One entire wall is glass, allowing for tons of natural light and stunning views. Living in such a small space seems easy when you get to wake up to views of the treetops every morning.

Antony Gibbon Designs

Designed to be a stand-alone weekend retreat or a series of towers to create a small community (hello zombie apocalypse haven), Helix is also eco-friendly, using minimal resources to build. The small footprint of the tower ensures that it is low-impact on the land. Most importantly, this “treehouse” does not rely on support from surrounding trees — it is a freestanding structure, further minimizing the impact on the environment.  

Antony Gibbon Designs

Helix is part of a series of unique, visually stunning treehouses Gibbon has conceptualized. From his bulbous Trine House to the cylindrical Embryo House, the UK-based architect has been developing forward-thinking designs for forest dwelling. Each design is inspired by nature in a different way and all can be built as freestanding structures, putting no strain on the surrounding trees. This technically means they aren’t actual “treehouses,” but the designs are so damn cool, we are willing to overlook that.

Kelsey Machado
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kelsey is a professional interior designer with over a decade of experience in the design field. With a passion for…
8 actors we would love to see in an all-star season of The White Lotus
With dozens of great actors to choose from, creator Mike White can form an incredible All-Star team
The cast of The White Lotus season 1

With The White Lotus season 3's explosive finale in the history books, we fans are already looking ahead at where the show's fourth season could take us. From potential actors who will embody the next set of spoiled characters to a large list of locations the series could travel to, the possibilities are endless for the HBO hit show. Creator Mike White hinted that there is a possibility that what comes next could be an ode to the past, though.

The White Lotus forming an all-star edition season would be an awesome way to say thank you to the fans who have watched all three seasons of the anthology so far. I thought it would be a lot of fun to brainstorm a roster of superstars that would set up a dynamic season in which we'd get some answers regarding our favorite characters while also seeing these people interact in a new vacation setting. I'm also not including anyone who already appeared in multiple seasons of the show; sorry to Greg, Belinda, and Tanya (RIP to our queen Jennifer Coolidge). These are the White Lotus all-stars we need in our lives.
Carrie Coon - Laurie Duffy

Read more
Reacher season 4: Everything we know so far
Jack Reacher's TV series will be back for a fourth time on Prime Video
Alan Ritchson in Reacher season 3

Reacher is one of Amazon Prime Video's best successes of the decade. Starring Alan Ritchson and based on the books by novelist Lee Child, the adaptation of the beloved action stories has been an affordable, simple, and effective adventure series that people have fallen in love with across the first three seasons. There was a lot of skepticism when the show was first greenlit, especially because the film version with Tom Cruise wasn't as good as fans expected. Instead, Ritchson and the creative team have fantastically absorbed all of the snappy writing from the books and added to it with their own unique flair.

With the third season of the show done airing, fans are looking forward to when the fourth season will come out. We have a bunch of shows like Reacher you can watch in the meantime, but sometimes that doesn't serve as an adequate substitute for the real thing. Fortunately, we have all the answers you need about Reacher season 4 right here.
What will Reacher season 4 be about?

Read more
Can cigars go bad? Here’s when to save them — and when to say goodbye
Think your cigars last forever? Think again
Dried, old cigar on table next to mushrooms

Let's discuss cigar disasters, shall we? Ever pulled a cigar from your humidor you’re saving for that special occasion, and lo and behold, it’s unsmokable due to a moldy overhang? Yikes! The classic question, ’ Can cigars go bad?’ is not just a casual question — it’s the stuff of nightmares for collectors who have spent serious coins on their premium smokes.

Truth bomb: yes, those leafy treasures can and do spoil — but it’s hardly an overnight catastrophe like leaving milk on the counter during a summer heat wave. That's way more nuanced than that!

Read more