Evoking the feeling of being in a tree house is exactly what the beautiful Wilkinson residence in Portland does. Located on a flag lot, the extraordinary house is brilliantly designed to perfectly blend with the natural landscape. A steep sloping grade provided the opportunity to bring the main level of the house into the tree canopy.
Catering to the desire of the client, Wilkinson Residence designed a dwelling that not only became part of the natural landscape but also addressed the flow of music. It has a natural wood ceiling that wonderfully floats on curved laminated wood beams, passing through a generous glass wall, which wraps around the main living room. The interior space of this amazing house flows seamlessly through to the exterior. Taking a walk through the house will help you see its complexities and its connection to the exterior.
Via: Boingboing
what an ATROCITY. Moreover, how this was ”brilliantly designed to perfectly blend with the natural landscape” is an utter falsity. Simply because the tectonics mimic the landscape does not infer an appropriate response to context.
Kinda fun. They maybe saw too many episodes of Star Trek when they were kids, but still pretty neat. g-t, you seem a little angry, eh? And you ought to look up the word, ”infer”.
Did they teleport the furnishing from 1972? hideous.
It’s beautifully designed and built. Take it for what it is not for what you want it to be. No one cares if you don’t like it. I hate how some people can only find the flaws in beauty...
Fuck you
Wow g-t. Vocabulary fail. Next time try using a vocabulary that is more on your level. Also, I really like these photos.
What a pretentious snob you sound like. Lighten up, dude. It’s a treehouse! Were you ever a child?
hey dipshit,,take a deep breath and shove your head up your ass
Look up the words infer and tectonics dude. And sure it doesn’t blend in, but it doesn’t exactly stand out the way a normal house would. Don’t use big words whose meaning you’re not sure of to sound smart, just use words big enough to get your points across.
Do everyone a favor... just go kill yourself, dude.
Very cool place.
These responses to it are interesting, too. The first guy, g-t, is so uptight.
He says it’s not an ”appropriate response to context.” Talk about being
stuck in some idea that one builds a home in the woods to satisfy
someone else’s idea of what is ”appropriate”. That is a sickness in itself.
It’s fun and wonderfully crafted. And the views, the woods surrounding,
are magnificent.
The furniture is boring. Frank Lloyd Wright furniture would look great in there.
Or Eames, or Starck. Lots of different styles could look good. Maybe they ran
out of money?
Yes, the furniture is not chic or too modern, but that’s the point. It’s a treehouse, first and foremost. The furniture is meant to imply childhood; see how the kitchen island looks like it’s made of those wooden blocks we all used to play with? It’s a juvenile atmosphere on purpose.
I bet you can’t write that in english xD
g-t what world did you come from. Obviously you do not have an artistic bone in your body. The Tree house (although I would not chose to live in it) is utterly superb. The lines and textures are unbelievable. This has taken a very imaginative and artistic mind to come up with this design. Truely love it. The architect is brilliant and a credit to his profession. I take my hat off to you. Thank you for adding such artistry to our world.
I don’t outright agree with g-t but he has made his point quite eloquently. Perfectly acceptable use of the English language. Why wouldn’t someone check a dictionary before handing out misinformation.
What exactly is an ”appropriate response to context” as far as landscape goes? Don’t pretend to be a master at something and be flashy with your opinions. Nobody is here to read your crap. We are here to look at this house that is better than yours. And probably responds to context better than yours too.
you mad
btw i love how you ”expanded” your vocabulary and are more than likely going to respond pissed off but regardless i won’t ever read it haha
all you g-t naysayers r wrong - i totally agree - the aesthetic miasma and post partum modernity presuppose an elegy of antiquainted quixotic contextual pincushion as apropos.
And such humilitude(ness)- with the name Genius Testes, well i’d be shouting it from the treetops
It’s beautifully designed
An atrocity? Are you kidding? I give this home a standing ovation! A BRAVO!! A+ on design. I attended the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture and I have to say that this house design follows the principles of organic architecture perfectly! The space within to be lived in is the true reality of the building, inside is also outside and truly inspiring to the mind when inside. I will have to agree though, that the furnishings really don’t flatter the house at all, especially the dining table. Just based on these few photos, I’d have to say this house design could very well rank up there in my top ten best home designs if I could see the floor plans, elevations and site design; right along with FLLW’s Falling Water.
@g-t you are right. First of all this is not really a tree house.In fact its a monster mansion (biult on ground)snugged between the poor trees and it definitly looks hideous. all those people in love with it need to get better aesthetics. This is exactly how some designers fool you by making so called tree-houses, which is supposed to imply its enviormentally friendly. all this kitsch decoration inspired vagely by some lord of the rings set is made out wood, the very material its pretending to respect.i wont be surprised if all these curves and shit took down several fully grown trees(and a few young ones too)
First of all.. Im studying architecture and Im from Mexico, Guadalajara, studying at ITESO if you know it, if not you should look it up, cool university and great architecture program... my grammar might not be so great and I wont be using elegant big words but Ill expres my point... so with that in mind... what is wrong with you Maimar?? I think there is ways of doing things; you can clear out the trees, make a mega-mansion and make a treehouse for your kids in your backyard, ooor you can represent the *concept* of a tree house in the most beautifull way as Oshatz did, so yes built-on-ground, a perfect tree house to live in not play in, respecting the nature surrounding it to the most and using the material to its fullest, not wasting it... or are you so environmentally friendly you live on an actual tree house and cover up with organic blankets made by fair and just commerce??
”the Wilkinson Residence is a pure proof that an eye-catching and comfortable house need not to cut trees or destroy our natural environment. If all of the houses are built like this, all of our trees are still and will be preserved.”
it’s incredibly beautiful. g-t needs it.
Well conceived design. I love it. I really like how the outside shingles have an overall earthy tone. g-t’s argument seems too negative based. ATROCITY, nah. Overdesigned in some places maybe
Nice art!
”Magnificent - A Masterpiece”
I find it fantastic. I find refreshing any architecture that makes me pause for a moment and ask myself, ”Do I like it? Do I not?”. By ”like it” I mean, ”would I live there, given the chance?”. We have enough boxes on the planet. I have an admission: I play computer games. Games like Myst, Riven (old now) inspire me because the architecture is so incredible. It almost PAINS me to think we could live like this and instead choose...a box. Ok, there are boxes with ”vaulted ceilings”, boxes with ”sunrooms”, etc and they help.
But this I really, really like. I particularly admire the round passage ending in a window. So temple-like and yet so, like one commenter hinted at, spaceship-like.
I’m thinking more Kubrick than Roddenberry, but I’m certainly going to side with ’awesome’. I’d live there in a heartbeat.
Anton I agree. I would live there in a heartbeat too. :)
exactly, you will never get tire looking at it!!
For a house that was designed to ”became part of the natural landscape”. I think it’s way over designed and doesn’t blend in at all. Its ruined a nice bit of forest.
”doesn’t blend it all”
Steve- I think it’s a matter of your point of comparison. Compared to the trees that were once living on the build site it doesn’t blend in at all. Try comparing it to all of the other possible modern housing that are commonly built these days (assuming equal square footage) and it blends in pretty well. They didn’t clear the lot or build a giant ranch style monstrosity. Overall, they spent a considerable amount of extra money to minimize their impact on the area around their home.
Kudos to the Wilkinsons!
i agree that it’s a bit overdone. and by a bit, i mean completely. i understand and appreciate their intention, but it’s all just in such poor taste. you can tell their design palate is unrefined because of their truly awful furniture and questionable color choices. good idea, piss poor execution. boo-urns!
da fuck?
Quick response: A wonder-full inventive environment growing nicely in its place. The Howard Alan Table would fit in that environment.
So happy to see the photos. Would love to feel the spirit there.
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I think that the house is marvelous and well designed. I would live there any day! This person lives in the forest so who cares if YOU don’t like it. Am I bringing up a good point here? If you think it’s SO ugly and an ”atrocity” as you say G.T. then why isn’t your house online for others to see and being noted for it’s extraordinary design and beauty? huh? huh? huh? yeah, I prove my point. Thanks for reading.
There’s no need for sniveling. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ... etc. My treasure is your trash. Your Mona Lisa is my atrocity.
Art and architecture is purely a matter of taste. I find the house beautiful.
eh. it has its ups and downs. i was happy with it until the 5th photo down, and that’s when it started to lose the ”beautifully blended” aspect the were going for. it’s overdesigned and retro star-trek circles fit in with neither the landscape nor what, in my opinion, is the intent of the building. the home does work, just not completely. too many ideas fighting for attention and it wrecks the true intent.
@g-t
We all appreciate your honesty and your openness. Meanwhile you enjoy your cozy square house....
Nice house!!! Need more originality in the housing market, this is a start. All those contractors just out there making strip suburbs. Talk about trash.
I’ve always thought of viewing art as a personal experience rather than a process that should be subjected to the criticisms of others. I like the craftsmanship, the materials and the setting — and this is indeed artwork. I like the idea that this structure serves a purpose as a residence. When I look at it I am transported out of my expectations about what a residence should, and could, be. So if this house doesn’t fit within some rigid guidelines for one person’s definition of a residence, or another’s definition of good design or if someone else’s priorities for evaluating this structure demand that it be sealed in bubble wrap, it doesn’t really matter to me because the issues that are important to me are met. I think it makes a bold statement in a finely crafted package without adhering to the usual demands of common people. You are free to think and feel what you think and feel and that is the way it should be.
I saw this home featured on a tv show. The owners both play instruments and the acoustics in this home are phenomenal. They said that was part of the reason for some of the design.
It isn’t my favorite style but it is beautiful and the surrounding trees are amazing.
amazing!!!
I have to side with the nay-sayers here. There are some interesting things going on but overall Id say the house itself is a little to the left of putrid. And seriously, did they spend their entire budget on the circles and then go to the thrift store for furniture? That stuff far to the right of putrid! Of course better furniture wouldn’t in the end save the house though, I think they might do better to turn this into a giant kitty hotel. Id start by turning that upholstered reflection room into one giant kitty litter box.
The house is interesting, yes. As a sculptural object it has many merits. It got my attention in the first photo, the cladding is the best part. It however as mentioned, tries far too hard, too many lines, circles, layers. Then the personality clash of furniture which is a abomination of living naturally, not to mention so last century! Why have a ”tree house” and sit on upholstered half a circle couch. I prefer a minimal mirror clad ”box” house in the forest reflecting true beauty and timeless design.
hmm.. you now whats interesting about this type of architecture, it makes you think, and question yourself.. from my point of view i would love to live their only beacause of the view and sorroundings.i think is something out of a sci-fi flick, dont think it blends to well with everything tho...it camouflage its self beacause of the materials, but i think the concept is to over the top.
I agree with someone here who said its too many things fighting for attention.Overall i think its...weird.. lol
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I love it!
Stunning tree house...but I would need to refurnish it to be able to live there...It lacks a cozy feel..too stark for my taste but interesting and superb architecture and it definately blends with the environment in my opinion...we should all live in houses like this..............
I agree that the interior design was lacking-like they moved in their old houses furniture. Probably ran out of money after the house was finished. Probably just had alot of money and wanted to spend it and now they can feel good about life until the next big purchase. Perverts!
As a builder I am very impressed. The craftsmanship is amazing. They incorporated some native designs of the North West ”culture” which makes it blend even better. I would understand if they ran out of money and put ”acceptable” furniture there like a ”summer” home. It’s not about that, it’s about a dream!! And boy oh boy can these people dream. I love it.
i really like the design and would love to spend time there but i am afraid that there are too many windows for my to want to actually live there. it is very artistic, though. well done!
Sour grapes. What can be more beautiful than living in the woods?
Modern furniture would look even uglier and ”out of context”.
It seems as though all the thought and money went to the exterior. The interior is dated and lackluster.
Although I’m not a fan of modern architecture I can see the Frank Lloyd Wright appeal of the interior - the way built-ins are used and the way light is used in the space is magnificent. The exterior isn’t as lovely as some Frank Lloyd Wright houses - but modern houses seem to rely on interior almost completely, and this one at least tries to be intriguing in its exterior design.
I’d like someone else to try to build a house in a forest that doesn’t look at least somewhat out of place. This is one of the better examples I’ve seen.
This is typical human nature! Cut down trees from one forest to build a ’tree house’ in another forest and have the AUDACITY (big word!) to call it ’going green’. I love you guys.
This house reminds me of the house from A Single Man, although I liked the one from A Single Man much better. No offense to all the ones who love this, but I think it’s pretty atrocious, especially in the setting it’s in.
About the ”blending in” part, some people said that although it doesn’t blend in completely, it blends in much better than any normal house would. I totally disagree with this. If instead of being a dated attempt at Fallingwater, this was a cutesy, slightly worse for wear, little wood house complete with color-contrasting shutters and windowframes, it would blend in a thousand times better.
Beautiful...but built in a tree ? get real!
I’d smoke a fat one and hang out there for hours.
This is realy cool. More than a home, a awesome piece of art. Love it.
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If you DONT like this house, or you think the decorating is hideous, then you’re just a conformist. Plain and simple. PSSS Let me tell you something, it’s okay to be different and don’t worry no one will send you to the looney bin for liking this!
@Mags: I would argue that forming your own opinions– whether you like or dislike this house and furniture– is the sign of a true non-conformist. There’s no ”plain and simple” about it. What are you, in high school?
It is okay to be different. Even if that ”different” does not fit within your preconceived notions of nonconformity.
Just stop attacking poor G.T!
wowww,,beautifull design...
I love the house, but I have to ask, because this is something I’ve always been interested in ... will it ever be possible someday to ”train” the limbs of a real growing tree to actually form the rooms, the stairs, etc. that would provide the basic structure for a REAL tree house? I’ve seen those bamboo plants that are trained to grow in braids ... so why not trees?
Yes and No. It could theoretically be possible- I’ve seen small trees growing at right-angles where boulders and other objects are in their way. With enough time and applied pressure, you could theoretically make several trees grow together to make a room.
However, most hardwood trees would take decades, if not a century, to grow to the desired height and breadth to form a ”real” tree house- especially when you account for structures like doorways, stairs, etc. Plus some of the trees would inevitably die from diseases or drought, setting you years back.
Awesome idea, but not one that could be realized in a lifetime.
The house is built in suburban Portland about 5 minutes from downtown. No trees were cut down for the house, it was designed around the existing trees. The form of the house was a product of the steeply sloping site. The main level of the house is at ground level at the entry, but because the site drops, by the time you walk out onto the balcony you are amongst the trees. The house cannot be seen from the street, and is a single story tall at the entry. The multiple curvilinear forms were utilized to maximize the acoustic qualities for the musician client. The building uses a simple pallet of slate, wood, copper, glass and carpet. The design is intended to allow an uninterrupted flow of space through the building to enhance the feeling of being held in the forest canopy. The furniture consists of a collection of treasured pieces from the clients previous home, and some designed by a friend, they shouldn’t be thought of as integral to the design. The house is a response to the client’s tastes, his needs, and an artistic response to the natural environment. It is a wonderfully peaceful and comfortable place to inhabit... and isn’t that the point of architecture?
You are a dipshit g-t, this house is awesome. Take your snide, douchey, attitude to a cliff and jump off. Faggot.
