Olin Petzold nestles self-built treehouse in Swiss valley
Polycarbonate panels clad the exterior of this triangular treehouse in Switzerland's Locarno district, which was designed by Swiss architect Olin Petzold as a woodland writing studio.
Perched among the trees in the Onsernone Valley, Casetta Tessino was designed for a Swiss artist and climate activist who wanted a refuge surrounded by nature.
Local building regulations meant that a traditional house extension or laying foundation was not feasible, so Petzold designed a timber structure raised above the woodland floor, supported by three trees.
Situated around 150 metres from the client's existing house, Casetta Tessino contains spaces for sleeping, sitting and writing in its triangular shape. It was informed by the simple living conditions chronicled by American naturalist Henry David Thoreau in his book, Walden.
"As the main house consists of one large room that serves as a living area, kitchen and bedroom, a separate room was needed that could function as a guest room, writing cabin and retreat," Petzold told Dezeen.
"The client had always dreamed of sleeping in the middle of the forest, surrounded by animals and plants," he continued. "A tree house seemed a fitting solution to make this wish come true."
A ladder provides access to the treehouse's suspended triangular base, constructed from three larch wood beams fixed around three oak trees.
Clad in polycarbonate panels, a spruce shelter with an equilateral triangle-shaped plan was placed at a rotated angle atop the base.
Inside, a long wooden plank spans one wall of the studio to form a bench, while another forms a desk. A bed sits below the floor, revealed by removing four wooden planks.
Petzold designed the treehouse to be made from light materials with simple detailing so the client could self-build the structure.
"The remote location of the tree house and the typology itself meant that light materials and structural elements that could be handled by humans without the use of machinery had to be used," said Petzold.
"The details were designed so that they could be executed by untrained workers, as the client carried out the entire project as a self-build."
The surrounding tree canopy provides shading from the sun, and bottom-hinged windows on each facade open to help ventilate the space.
"The use of polycarbonate panels was intended to respond to the climate conditions of the forest," said Petzold.
"While the leaves of the surrounding forest protect the tree house from the sun in summer, in autumn and winter the sun can 'enter' and heat up the space," he continued. "This provides perfect conditions for contemplation, reading and writing."
Other treehouses that have been featured on Dezeen include a portable treehouse that can be transported by bicycle and a treehouse in the UK with a woven exterior.
The photography is by Peter Tillessen.
The post Olin Petzold nestles self-built treehouse in Swiss valley appeared first on Dezeen.
