Pipe Dreams Of A Tree House
When something is so far out of reach, you call it a 'pipe dream'. With varying origins (of which such knowledge isn't necessary for its inclusion here) the term very much corresponds to probably every child out there when it comes to princesses, castles, tree houses and world peace. Okay, maybe world peace isn't at the top of every child's agenda, but you could also argue that that is the ultimate pipe dream for everyone. All jokes aside, some children do have their dreams realised in life, and whilst some may not be as glamorous as others, it is peoples' dreams and aspirations that get help us progress toward an end goal, and also help us enjoy every moment along the way. Did your family used to own a treehouse when you were young, or perhaps own one now? If you didn't, that's okay, you're like 99.9% of the world. For one Portuguese family, however, they took to having a treehouse that one step further...and its so creative!
Designed and made by Saperlipopette Les Architectes and Martial Marquet, the duo came together and created something truly dream-worthy, with their Casa No Muro project spanning the full length of their client's family's property located in Albergaria dos Dozes, Portugal. With no trees or decorative aspects to the garden before the designers got their hands on it, the only relatively interesting aspect was this rear-wall. Using this wall for some of its structure, the treehouse was built along its full span, and the length of the treehouse meant that anyone using it would have these gorgeous panoramic views. With only a small budget to work with, and of course, favouring local craftsmen, the design brought about an artisan flair. With a ladder, polygonal cabin, seating area and a belvedere platform that rose above all else, the sight of such with children playing around is certainly a pleasant one.
he general materiality of the treehouse is the use of louvre boards, letting just about the right amount of light in, yet always preserving enough intimacy for children to play. To add to the design, the cabin can be opened up or closed for privacy reasons with the help of pneumatics, and whilst not wanting to make the treehouse sound like an over-complicated, over-engineered piece of kit that loses every essence of being a fairytale, this really does add something extra. Discover more about the designers at MartialMarquet.com.
Photography credit : MartialMarquet.com