The construction alludes to how man relates to nature.

Tree hotel render

Section BA render

Stockholm based Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, directed by Bolle Tham and Martin Videgård, have designed an evasive hotel in the trees, located in Harads, Sweden. Shaped as a tree house, the room unit is designed to accommodate two people.

Incorporating camouflage techniques, the Tree Hotel reflects its surroundings and magically vanishes in the forest. The relation between natural and artificial is questioned. Materiality and perception of reality are blurred. Yet, the most astonishing quality of the Tree Hotel is not its conception per se, but the exquisite simplicity and abstraction in its realization.

The following text by the architects offers a more elaborate analysis of their philosophy regarding the building’s concept.

A tree hotel in the far north of Sweden, near the small village of Harads, close to the polar circle.

A shelter up in the trees; a lightweight aluminium structure hung around a tree trunk, a 4x4x4 meters box clad in mirrored glass. The exterior reflects the surroundings and the sky, creating a camouflaged refuge. The interior is all made of plywood and the windows give a 360 degree view of the surroundings.

The construction also alludes to how man relates to nature, how we use high tech materials and products when exploring remote places in harsh climates (Gore-tex, Kevlar, composite materials, light weight tents etc).

The functions included provides for a living for two people; a double bed, a small bath room, a living room and a roof terrace. Access to the cabin is by a rope bridge connected to the next tree.

To prevent birds colliding with the reflective glass, a transparent ultraviolet colour is laminated into the glass panes which are visible for birds only.

The tree hotel in Harads focuses on wild life/eco tourism where one encounters and experiences the pristine nature of Sweden.

Entrance floor Plan

Roof Plan

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Site Plan

Section – Facade

Section – Terrace

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ARCHITECT: Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, Stockholm, Sweden. CLIENT: Brittas Pensionat, Britta Lindvall and Kent Lindvall, www.treehotel.se. LOCATION: Harads, Sweden. PROJECT TEAM: Bolle Tham and Martin Videgård, Andreas Helgesson, Julia Gudiel Urbano, Mia Nygren. AREA: 16 sqm. DATE: 2010. PHOTOES: Åke E:son Lindman. No part of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Morfae and the copyright owner.