Treehouses
Designing for in the Trees
When designing a school playground or commercial outdoor play structure, keep in mind that the fun doesn’t have to stay on the ground. In fact, the most creative play structures can be found hoisted up into a tree! As an experienced treehouse builder, Barbara has not only built countless backyard treehouses, but also quite a few treehouses for kids that are located in schools, parks, and shopping centers. In fact, we can even create treetop playground structures for preschoolers that are both exhilarating and safe, thanks to our ingenious use of rope netting!
As you would imagine, the unique qualities of each individual tree will require a custom design to honor and build upon the tree’s natural shape. After meeting with the client and local stakeholders, Barbara’s first order of business is to climb up in the tree and brainstorm ideas, taking into account the size and location of each limb, as well as the potential view from each side of the future tree house. She also takes photos from every angle.
Back at the shop, Barbara sits down at her desk to sketch out several possible tree house designs, drawing directly on the photos. These sketches allow General Contractors, Landscape Architects, city officials, and others to get a feel for how the finished project will look.
Once the design is approved, it’s back to the tree for a “stick-out,” which is essentially a 3D sketch. Barbara uses thin wooden pieces to create an outline of the finished tree house, allowing her to get extremely precise measurements and fine-tune the design as needed. Armed with this information, the crew can get to work fabricating each element of the project in our shop. This process allows us to efficiently deliver and install treehouses all over the country and the world.
Extreme care is given to make sure the tree is not harmed in any way and that the organism’s future growth is taken into account. Tree houses may attach exclusively to the tree or have support beams down to the ground, depending on the design, but either way, all attachments to the tree itself are arborist-approved and allow for dynamic movement, continued growth, and the long-term health of the tree.
So whether you are looking for a playhouse fort for a day care or a castle play structure for the local park, consider elevating that structure into a tree’s canopy and creating a memorable experience for the children who come through your venue. Our custom treehouses for kids are sure to delight your customers, students, or community members and get them buzzing about your location.