Fantasy Designs for the 21st Century
David Greenberg
Abrams, New York (2006)
When I was a child, girls could climb trees, but tree houses were unfortunately a boy's domain where I grew up. The fortunate girls received invitations to hang out in tree houses which to me was the equivalent of a mystical hangout in the trees. Who would have ever thought back then that adults would build tree houses to actually reside, but for many people around the planet this is reality and we're not just talking tree hugger conservationists either.
In 2000, anti-architect David Greenberg held a tree house design contest representing fantasy tree houses for the tropical climate of Hawaii, Fiji, Taiwan, Vietnam and other regions. Nearly 500 architects representing 38 countries entered the contest for the challenge or fun of it since no monetary prizes were awarded and the Grand Prize was a stay in one of David Greenberg's tree houses in Hawaii. A jury of architects and art critiques narrowed the field down to 100 designs in which they chose 10 finalists. And none of the designs that appear in the coffee table book lack imagination--from flights of fancy to more practical models with materials ranging from bamboo and rattan to fishing nets and nylon and of course tropical trees, usually palm trees. Some of the designs were chosen for prefab houses while others just enjoyed posterity in the pages of the book.
I found the book both informative and fun watching the designers innovate as they worked with both the paradise and stormy aspects of the tropics. The architects enjoyed a great deal of freedom by avoiding codes and regulations, and while also designing structures without electricity or standard plumbing. Some of the tree house designs featured compost or chemical toilets and propane stoves in the kitchens. Some designs however, remained so sparse and spartan that a person could only drag in a futon or hang a hammock while hanging out near a beach.
Some of my favorites include: Alvaro J. Fernandez-Velasco (Argentina) Hibiscus Tree House, Augusfin M. Ceballos Ruiz's (Mexico) shell shaped structure, Marcus Bach's bamboo fortress, Mike Russen (USA) 3-story tree house, and Robert Garneau (Canada) breezy tree house. I didn't care for the futuristic or minimalist designs, unless these designs were intended for retreats or short-term vacations. All the designers gave great consideration to the environment, working closely with nature and designing houses that are aesthetically pleasing or easy on the eyes.