Houses in Snowy Times -- In Trees and Cities.

Houses in Snowy Times -- In Trees and Cities.

Well, here in Vancouver the snow has been falling for a couple of days. We're not used to this kind of weather here, nor well prepared for it, but it is beautiful none-the-less. I love it.

So, I thought it would be a good time to show some snowy treehouse photos for a while to keep the positive spirit of Winter going.

I'll start off with an image of that reflects the ill-preparedness of life in the snow here in Vancouver BC and then move into some fully winterized treehouses well suited to the coldest of conditions.



This image is called "Snow On The Crows Nest" by Erikire. According to the tags this treehouse is somewhere in France.

Open structures like this are great in the summer -- like a tower patio. But in the winter it is nice to have walls and insulation with a cast iron stove inside!

More snowy treehouse photos to come...

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Lessons From A Treehouse To Flood Proof Your Home

Lessons From A Treehouse To Flood Proof Your Home

Lately here in the Fraser Valley BC, Chilliwack in particular, we have been experiencing floods. Lots of rain in a short time causes rivers to swell, debris to swim, and drains to cease flowing. It's made some people's homes into a wet and muddy mess.

There are a few solutions, taken in part from treehouse culture, that can help people in flood-prone areas stay warm and dry. Here are two of my favorites:

Redneck Treehouse by biketourist.org

Treehouse Trailer by Hrmnlala

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Interactive Tree House Scene Builder

Interactive Tree House Scene Builder

Design-Your-Own Treehouse Scene!

Here is a link to a great little application that lets you interactively draw your own treehouse. Fun and simple to muddle around with and then print off the results.

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Castle or Treehouse a Matter of Perspective

Castle or Treehouse a Matter of Perspective

An image by Rob Gonsalves in a group called "Seamless Pics" (link).

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Whoops, I Had The Plans Up-Side-Down!

Whoops, I Had The Plans Up-Side-Down!

A funny shot from Wade Rockett showing an art piece at Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in Seattle 2006.

The original photo can be found on Flickr here.

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What Is This: A Shed On Stilts Or A Treehouse?

What Is This: A Shed On Stilts Or A Treehouse?

It's a mean green shed on stilts!

My newest contact on Flickr, vfm4, sent me this shot. She has a blog with some great photo journalism including pictures of cool boxes (which in my opinion is a close cousin to treehouses and worth seeing!).

So anyhow, this photo shows a green treehouse. But, it's really a shed on stilts. There is a tree though the middle of the structure, which is unlike most other sheds I've seen. But still, in the event of a neighbourly complaint and intervention by city authorities (i.e. inspector) where would this structure fall in the classification scheme?

I'm thinking the inspector would claim it is an "accessory building". The prime reason is that it is on stilts, thus contacts the ground like all other buildings. It is important to make a treehouse that is supported entirely in a tree to avoid this categorical pigeon hole.

I'd also be curious to know if there is stuff stored under and/or in the treehouse. Junk is also a good indication of the intent for use. Toys and or furniture are more in line with the purpose of a treehouse. This distinction can also be a big deciding variable for an inspector.

In addition, the design itself is that of an archetypal shed: a square box with a peaked roof and rain gutters. This would also weigh in the favor of "accessory building" because if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... its probably a shed.

Some good points: Painting a treehouse green is a very good idea. Especially if you want to minimize visual exposure. I also like the way the beam on the top of the roof peak extends out and supports a rope. This could make a good swing, or pulley system. Fun and function for a treehouse! And windows are always a good thing. Makes it so much more airy and bright (distinctly unshedlike).

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