Located in a calm, quiet pine forest in Frehel, France, the incredibly unique and aptly named Treehouse by design innovators at Atelier Victoria Migliore is inspired by and truly harnesses some fun and authentic elements of an actual treehouse.
The house sits on a hill in the midst of the forest, nestled among the trees in a way that is at once quiet and cozy but also full of adventure and wildness. The structure itself, despite its rustic looking presentation, is very modern and entirely contemporary in its eco-friendly systems. In these ways, the house not only blends into the nature surrounding it but also respects it.
The specific plot on which the house was built is sandy, perfectly supporting the foundation and posts on which the shockingly light house actually sits. At its highest point in the air, the house is raised three metres off the ground, with screw piles driven deep into the ground elevating it. These piles are placed extremely strategically so as to not disturb the roots of the pine trees all around.
The house itself is a single rectangular structure made of locally sourced and mostly upcycled burned wood. The rectangle is not solid on all sides all the way around; instead, it features several voids where miniature sort of courtyards indent to accommodate trees and green space. The house is also heavy on stunning floor to ceiling windows all the way around its perimeter.
The way the windows and glass walls open onto raised outdoor spaces makes the home feel as though the woodland area surrounding it extends right inside and on into the main living spaces. Balconies and raised courtyards are featured up on the treehouse like platform with the rest of the house, making the whole raised experience of staying there consistent.
The wooden theme follows you inside, making the house blend well with its surroundings, but there are several other extremely unique features that made things seem almost ethereal as well. In the centre of the house, for example, a suspended open fish tank sits in a raised, open air patio space with the rest of the house organized around it.
Above this central patio, a suspended sort of net made from knotted rope covers the space between the sections of the roof where the courtyard space was made. Visitors can climb right up onto this space and use the netted spot as a hammock, relaxing with the sky above the fish tank.
As if that feature weren’t interesting enough, the house bears another treehouse-like characteristic over the edge of the deck, where two wooden and rope swings hang down towards the ground! Here, visitors and dwellers of any age can socialize and play together, swinging in the woodland breeze like they really are out playing in the treehouse in their childhood backyard.
Inside, things are a wonderful blend of modern and rustic. The gorgeously smooth light wood keeps things grounded in that intentional woodland feel but, at the same time, large windows and up to date appliances and amenities provide nothing but the most modern living experience. Huge windows in the bathrooms and bedrooms keep the house bright and cheerful no matter where you are.
The house truly is organized entirely around that central raised courtyard; Each room has a glazed glass wall in the centre where visitors and dwellers can look out upon the fish swimming around. These windows also let natural daylight and the warmth from the sun travel through the house, rather than just into it, helping make it more efficient to light and heat.
Photos by Cyril Folliot
