helen & hard fastens woodnest treehouse to living pine tree in norway

norwegian architecture practice helen & hard has completed an extraordinary treehouse located on the steep forested hillsides of odda, norway. dubbed woodnest, the design of this cabin took into consideration the topography and conditions of the site where it’s positioned. the team suspended the cabin 5-6 meters above the forest floor and fastened it with a steel collar to the individual trunk of a living pine tree. this has created a unique spatial experience that recalls that of climbing and exploring trees while embodying a real sense of what it means to dwell in nature.

images courtesy of helen & hard

to reach the woodnest cabin by helen & hard, visitors first need to take a 20-minute walk from the town of odda through the forest via a steep winding path. once you reach them, the tree houses are accessed via a small timber bridge that leads the visitor off the ground, into the structure and up in to the tree. featuring just 15 square meters, the structure is organized around the central trunk where four sleeping places, a bathroom, and a kitchen area sit. from here one can lookout and experience the vast view out through the trees, down to the fjord below and across towards the mountains beyond.

the whole project revolves around timber as a building material. referencing norwegian cultural traditions of vernacular timber architecture, the project exudes a desire to experiment with the material potential of wood. the architecture is structurally supported by the tree trunk itself, and formed from a series of radial glu-laminated timber ribs. the untreated natural timber shingles encase the volume creating a protective skin around the building, which will weather over time to merge and blend with the natural patina of the surrounding forest.

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project info:

name: woodnest

designers: helen & hard

location: odda, norway
client: sally & kjartan aano, woodnest
status: completed (2020)
typology: cabin
area: 15m2

team: siv helene stangeland, reinhard kropf, dag strass, simon baumann, odin olesen
structural engineer: oddvin myklebust, nordplan
timber construction: røynstrand