Architecture

Solar-powered treehouse is for the birds

Solar-powered treehouse is for the birds
The Bird house measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft) and was completed earlier this year
The Bird house measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft) and was completed earlier this year
View 9 Images
The timber-framed home rests upon several sections of tree trunk and is accessed by wooden steps
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The timber-framed home rests upon several sections of tree trunk and is accessed by wooden steps
The kitchen was created using wooden boarding reclaimed from the huts of an old parachute regiment
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The kitchen was created using wooden boarding reclaimed from the huts of an old parachute regiment
Furniture, including the bed and table, were handmade from branches and reclaimed scaffold boards
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Furniture, including the bed and table, were handmade from branches and reclaimed scaffold boards
The Bird house measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft)
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The Bird house measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft)
All required water comes from a bore hole, while electricity is mostly provided by a 50 kW solar array mounted on nearby farm buildings
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All required water comes from a bore hole, while electricity is mostly provided by a 50 kW solar array mounted on nearby farm buildings
The chrome soap tray in the shower was reclaimed from a 1950s South African cruise liner
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The chrome soap tray in the shower was reclaimed from a 1950s South African cruise liner
A large porthole window and additional windows and skylights maximize natural daylight inside
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A large porthole window and additional windows and skylights maximize natural daylight inside
The Bird house is located at the base of an ancient hill fort in Somerset, England
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The Bird house is located at the base of an ancient hill fort in Somerset, England
The Bird house measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft) and was completed earlier this year
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The Bird house measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft) and was completed earlier this year
View gallery - 9 images

Located at the base of an ancient hill fort in Somerset, England, the Yurt Retreat is an eco-retreat that includes four luxury glamping yurts and a communal lodge. Its most recent addition is the Bird house, a solar-powered treehouse-style dwelling that was part-built using local and reclaimed materials.

The Bird house, which was constructed earlier this year, measures a total of 30 sq m (322 sq ft), sleeps two, and is styled so as to resemble, well, a birdhouse. It's supported by sections of tree trunk stilts and is accessed via wooden steps. The front features a porch and large porthole window, and additional windows and skylights maximize natural daylight inside.

Where possible, local and reclaimed materials were used. The dwelling is clad in cedar and other wood, which was sourced locally in an attempt to ensure that it blends in with the surrounding forest.

The timber-framed home rests upon several sections of tree trunk and is accessed by wooden steps
The timber-framed home rests upon several sections of tree trunk and is accessed by wooden steps

Water comes from a bore hole, while electricity is provided by a 50 kW solar array mounted on nearby farm buildings, though a mains connection is also wired-in.

The kitchen was created using wooden boarding reclaimed from the huts of an old parachute regiment. Furniture, including the bed and table, were handmade using branches and reclaimed scaffold boards, and clothes storage containers derive from old painted apple crates. A chrome soap tray was reclaimed from a 1950s South African cruise liner.

Source: The Yurt Retreat

View gallery - 9 images
1 comment
1 comment
Bob Flint
Didn't actually see the "chrome soap dish" who cares! Tv is too low, the solar panels are on a barn somewhere else, and the downspout water isn't being recuperated!
Not to mention the tree stump sections will tend to rot away in a short time, what a farce...