Research's IaaC - Ginkgo Biloba Siesta Place Treehouse

Introductory Design Studio I - ArboReal Home (Treehouse)

Faculty: Areti Markopoulou, Luis Fraguada
Advisor: Gerard Passola
Guest Tutor: Michel Rojkind
Students: Emil Burulyanov, Fabio Andres Lopez

Ginkgo Biloba Siesta Place Treehouse

The concept of the tree house began from the idea of climbing up the tree. In the beginning the structure literally representaed a central voilume and hands and feet grabbing the branches. The concept evolved fast beacause of structurural and aesthetic considerations. It passed through climbing to hanging, from 4 strucutral strong points to 2 and then to 3 one of which a cable connection. Organic shapes were represented by rib outlines connected with carbon steel pipes. Structure affected the trunk only and tried to go around the branches as opposed to the beginning of the projecct when it was hanging on them. The volume itself consisted of a large space thought in a way to offer a relaxed hideaway. A siesta place in which one can take a nap and release the streess. In the process 2 different methods of constucting the actual structure were considered. Joining many different sections of pipes and ribs with siple bolted connections at an angle or CNC bending the whole lenght of the pipes, which is thought beyond the 15 meter mark, so it may be more continous and homogenious when seen from a close range but much more expensive and having the same effects as different sections when looked from a distance. Lower part of the horizontal ribs, which also were radiating from a central point to express the shape better, were used as stairs for climbing up, while simultaneously pointing pipe ends through smaller and smaller diameters to a concrete block anchored to the ground and covered with soil to be invinsible. In this block the pipes come together and complete the structural cycle. Outer skin of the house can be changed with cloth-like material to suit better the inhabitant and cater for different seasons, temperatures, moods and shading patterns.