This Is Not Your Typical Treehouse in the Forest

By Kelsey Machado June 29, 2018

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.

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).

Related Videos

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

The Manual | The Essential Guide for Men

Culture

One of Canada’s Most Famous Award-Winning Homes Is For Sale

Metchosin House

In the world of luxury homes, the only limit is the imagination. The more over-the-top, the better. One home in Metchosin, British Columbia, won several awards for its impressive design which combined luxury with dramatic views of both the mountains and the ocean and was defined by an infinity pool that cuts the home in half. If you’re in the market for a multi-million dollar estate, Metchosin House is now up for sale.

Canada has no shortage of spectacular vistas, but it is rare for a home to boast both mountain and ocean views. Luckily for Metchosin House, it sits on Vancouver Island and the 67-acre piece of land offers sights of both the Pacific Ocean and the Olympic Mountain Range just across the Salish Sea in the United States. But these impressive views aren’t what make Metchosin House so special. Designed with preservation in mind, the property protects one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems.

Culture

Makatita Tiny House Has All the Right Angles in All the Right Places

liberte tiny houses makatita house 3

In the early days of the movement, the appeal of tiny houses was just that — they were tiny. It was new and exciting to try to figure out how to live life in less than 300 square feet. But a decade into the trend, squeezing inside of a basic box has become boring. One tiny house company in the Netherlands has brought the excitement back to going small. The sculptural Makatita Tiny House has sharp angles and an organic design that makes it stand out in the world of small structures.

Calling it the company's “most special house to date,” the team at Liberté Tiny Houses put a lot of love into the creation of the Makatita Tiny House. Many of the brand's previous designs featured angles, usually in the form of a sloped roof. But with Makatita, the angles took on a light of their own, defining the entire project and turning the tiny house into something beyond just a place to live. It became an architectural work of art.

Culture

Unwind Like an Olympian at Shaun White’s For-Sale Malibu Retreat

point dume malibu home

Nobody is more synonymous with winter sports than Shaun White. The three-time Olympic gold medalist set the bar for extreme snowboarding and continues to break his own records each year. What many may not realize, though, is that White isn’t snowbound year-round. When not hitting the slopes, he unwinds at a beach-side retreat in beautiful Malibu, California. But it seems White is looking for a change and has now listed his second Malibu home for sale. Take a look at Point Dume, a cool coastal house fit for an Olympian.

Sitting atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific, Point Dume is a cozy 2,164-square-foot home sitting on one acre of beautifully manicured land. Built in 1948, the residence boasts many original classic California coastal elements that were popular at the time. From gorgeous hardwood flooring to mullioned clerestory windows to the tongue-and-groove white painted wood ceilings, everything about Point Dume speaks to the original design of this historic home.