We have harped about expansive treehouse-like structures and even grand treehouse tents, but the aptly christened ‘Urban Treehouse’ takes the cake in terms of sheer design prowess. Created by the firm Baumraum, the variety of architecture combines elevated modernist blocks with a complementing setting. To that end, all of these habitats are experimentally built inside a community of actual residences and gardens (in the district of Zehlendorf, southwest of Berlin’s city center), thus giving clear context to the name ‘Urban Treehouse’, as opposed to its traditionally sylvan counterpart.

This specific design direction certainly alludes to alternative habitats within an urban zone, while also hinting at the ‘synthesis’ of architecture and nature preservation in a singular scope. The result is the conservation of almost 6,500 sq m (or almost 70,000 sq ft) of tree population that ‘supports’ the structures. In spatial terms, each these treehouse units account for 226 sq ft of livable area, while they are perched atop at heights of 13 ft (or 8.5 ft when measured from the lower terrace).

Of course, beyond the expansive scope of the site and its habitats, good architecture also relates to the details on an individual level. In that regard, Urban Treehouses do showcase their technical flair with load-bearing structures that are bolstered by galvanized steel sections (as support members and frames). The interior ambit covers up these sections with prefabricated five-layer spruce panels that boast of both high insulation and good thermal-storage capacity. Finally, the bantam habitats are externally draped with aluminum composite skins that do their effective job in concealing utilities and supply circuits.

In other words, the setting and the technology both fuse together to provide an alternative living solution that harks back to treehouse getaways where you can spend your free weekends.

Via: DesignBoom