Pining for a forest retreat? The breathtaking tree houses that run rings around homes back on solid ground

By Louise Boyle
From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Dense foliage and an abundance of species means that the Northwest of America has seen increasing numbers of tree houses popping up in its canopies. 


Far from being the projects of adventurous children, these structures are breathtaking works of architectural beauty in their own right. 

Many of the lofty homes have been created by Pete Nelson a renowned tree house builder who lives in Fall City, Washington and has written several books on the subject.

Temple of the Blue Moon: Tree house expert Pete Nelson built this structure on his land in Fall City, Washington 

Most of the tree houses are complete with running water, flushing toilets and electricity. There are also special touches including hot tubs, zip lines, spiral slides, lookout towers and even an iron bridge. 


Although tree houses often function as workshops, studios or places for entertaining, there are some people who live their lives permanently above solid ground.

 

Gus Guenther, 28, lives all year round in a one-room tree house, 12ft by 16ft, in a small community in south-central Alaska. 


It's hardly luxurious with a propane lamp and wood stove but is perfect for those who enjoy a simple lifestyle.

House of imagination: Trillium, another structure at Nelson's Treehouse Point, perches on a giant western red cedar and can be reached by a spiral staircase

Luxurious decor: The inside of a tree house near Seattle mirrors its surroundings with plenty of light and natural products

Walk this way: This tree house in Washington state has a full-scale steel bridge and is supported by two Douglas fir trees

Mr Guenther, who is originally from Pennsylvania, has said: 'Why wait until you're 65 to retire when you can live this way all your life?'

Earlier this year a film entitled Out On A Limb was made about David 'Squirrelman' Csaky, a homeless man who came to global attention after Seattle authorities evicted him from the elaborate tree house he had been living in on city property for two years. 

After he was evicted from his self-constructed, 300 sq ft home, 52-year-old Mr Csaky's neighbours were so outraged by his treatment that they clubbed together to buy him a motor home to live in.

There are several construction methods when it comes to crafting a home in the trees.
Some can be supported by stilts and don't need the tree to take any of the stress of building materials. 


Rope and cable are the most common methods of suspension tree houses but these are among the most difficult to construct and access.

Thinking outside the box: The Treehotel, which recently opened 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle in Sweden is almost invisible among the trunks

Perfect hideaway: The glass cube is constructed from sustainably harvested wood and have underfloor heating 

Not so square: The six trendy units in Sweden have been created by uber cool architects Tham & Videgard

Cute cabin: This Issaquah treehouse has a long staircase which descend to a hot tub deck and zip line platform

Alpine living: The 450 sq ft house was designed in a Swiss chalet style, with a ramp for older people, instead of the usual stairs or ladder

In Europe and the U.S., recreational tree houses, for entertaining and as workshops and studios, have become increasingly popular thanks to higher disposable incomes, better technology for builders and growing interest in eco-friendly lifestyles. 
 
In other parts of the world, tree houses are part of a more traditional way of life. Stilt houses line the banks of many tropical river valleys in South America, particularly in the Amazon and Orinoco.

Thai stilt houses are built on freshwater, for example lotus ponds. In Vietnam, the homes are built in a similar style expect with a smaller front door due to religious reasons. 

Steep climb: Flat shoes are advisable when it comes to living in the canopies

Having a ball: Free Spirit Spheres on Vancouver Island, Canada are suspended with webs of rope and can be rented by visitors 

Free as a bird: The spheres sway gently in the breeze and are suspended 10 ft above the forest floor

Cabin fever: Inside one of the Free Spirit Spheres on Vancouver Island 

Kelong, are primarily fishing huts, but can double as offshore homes in other parts of Asia like the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Although tree houses appeal to many people's childhood dreams, they have also been used effectively by protest communities.

Tree sitting is often employed by environmentalists against big corporations to prevent road building or the destruction of forests. 


Julia Butterfly Hill is a particularly well-known tree sitter who occupied a Californian Redwood for 738 days in 1997, saving the tree and others in the immediate area.