March 24th, 2025
read on isaacjfrench.com
read time 3 minutes
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the ultimate treehouses
Today we're back with our world tour of all my favorite treehouses (if you missed part 1, get it here). And we have some bangers. Let’s jump right in…
Inhabit Treehouse – Woodstock, New York
Designed by Antony Gibbon (he has some of the most innovative treehouse designs in the world), this sculptural retreat nestles into the Catskill forests. Built with locally sourced timber, its organic geometric forms create a seamless dialogue with the landscape while framing stunning mountain views.
Post Ranch Inn – Big Sur, California
Suspended between sky and sea, this ultra-luxury retreat perched on the cliffs of Big Sur is cradled by towering redwoods and ancient oaks. Its stilted treehouses rise into the canopy, offering panoramic ocean and mountain views from floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Rate start around $4,000 per night.
Trebartha East: The Round House – Sri Lanka
Encircled by cinnamon trees, this stunning circular timber-framed retreat feels grown from the land itself, with open-air rooms, sweeping jungle views, and natural ventilation. Built almost entirely from locally sourced wood, it's a place where trees shape not just the setting—but the structure, the rhythm, and the experience. And picture those cinnamon smells...
Hubei Treehouse "Mask in the Woods" – Suizhou, China
Moguang Studio's elevated marvel, part of the Lost Villa · Ginkgo Valley Hotel, floats above the forest floor to preserve ancient ginkgo trees. Charred cedar exteriors with geometric openings frame the landscape like living paintings. The open lower level gathers community, while upper-level guest rooms immerse visitors in the treetop realm—modern design honoring ancient nature.
KOJA – Fiskars, Finland
Designed by Kristian Talvitie in collaboration with Polestar (the electric car company!), KOJA is a compact sustainable treehouse designed to minimize environmental impact while maximizing wonder. Perched among Finnish trees, its panoramic windows dissolve barriers between guest and forest, merging futuristic design with ancient woodland (looks kind of like a rendering but it’s not… this is real).
Pigna – Malga Priu, Italy
Architect Claudio Beltrame's pair of pinecone-shaped treehouses stand elevated in the Alpine forests of northern Italy. The spiral design offers guests a 360-degree embrace of mountains and treetops.
Baumhäus Steirereck – Pogusch, Austria
Nestled in the Austrian Alps, Precht-designed Steirereck am Pogusch blends old-world charm with cutting-edge design. Its tree trunk-inspired cabins offer a futuristic take on nature immersion, with circular windows framing the forest. The restaurant is a farm-to-table powerhouse, serving refined Styrian cuisine. Shoutout to reader Lukas Van Sistine for the recommendation—I hadn’t seen this place!
Treehotel – Harads, Sweden
An extraordinary collection of architectural marvels suspended in pristine boreal forest near the Lule River. Each structure represents a perfect marriage of innovation and nature:
- Mirrorcube – A mirror-clad cube that disappears into the forest (with bird-safe infrared film), accessible via rope bridge that seems to lead nowhere.
- Bird's Nest – Chaotic branches concealing sophisticated luxury, with a retractable staircase for complete immersion.
- The Cabin – A more traditional treehouse elevated by stunning design, crowned with a spacious observation deck.
- Biosphere – A spherical sanctuary covered with 350+ birdhouses, creating habitat while cocooning guests in dark, rich interiors that contrast dramatically with forest views.
- The 7th Room – Suspended 30 feet above the forest floor, featuring a netted terrace where guests can lie suspended between earth and sky.
- Dragonfly – A rust-colored steel sanctuary hovering among pines, offering panoramic forest vistas through walls of glass.
Woodnest – Odda, Norway
Suspended among pines overlooking Hardangerfjord, these modern treehouses each anchor to a single tree trunk, offering minimalist comfort with panoramic fjord views that steal your breath (their website is also fantastic). These cabins are so elegant, and the views so perfectly frame… they might just take the cake for me. It’s a close race.
Trees really do inspire me endlessly, and I had fun putting all these together. My wheels are turning with new ideas for my own next concept, and I hope yours are too!
If you know someone who’d enjoy this, please consider forwarding. Thank you so much.
As alway, let’s keep making the world more beautiful—one corner at a time!
See you next Monday.
—Isaac
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