Tree’s House: Building with Nature in Mind

The Tree’s House sweetly embraces what nature has to offer through its form and programming. Starting from its conceptualization, Studio Bewell prioritized preserving the greenery already present on site. What resulted is a building that gives its users a more intimate experience with nature that allows the family to live among the trees. This single-storey design reinforces the importance of aligning with the surrounding landscape.

Developing a Relationship With Nature 

As the name suggests, the design of Tree’s House takes its cues from the natural environment. It encapsulates the intricate charms of greenery, such as the movement of leaves and branches against sunlight and wind.

From the street, you’ll notice the dominant feature is the line of tress, rather than its facade. Inside, an assembly of numerous green spaces grace each corner of the property. A collection of pocket gardens and courtyards makes flora a constant. Whether it be in the kitchen cooking a meal, in the living room, or even while bathing, you’re never far from nature.

Of course, making nature’s beauty a focal point requires a tasteful ensemble of natural elements. The diversity of trees and plants brings the landscape to life. Stone and pebble ground cover tie the outdoor spaces together as it brings in a consistency that contrasts the cyclical condition of plant life . Open “hallways” bridge the foliage to each other, much like how we design our indoor spaces. 

The central courtyard is a tasteful ensemble of natural elements replicating the scenery of a tropical forest.  Making this the heart of the structure adds a deliberate vista that makes one look inward, rather than outward. 

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Additionally, this opens up the home’s layout through while also dividing the home into their respective areas. Smaller pockets of greenery are adorned with smaller trees that are staked to ensure their healthy growth. Integrating these gardening practices speaks toward a respect and appreciation for the natural world.

Synergizing With Tropical Design 

Designing in proximity with nature comes with a slew of benefits and challenges. The Tree’s House utilizes tropical design interventions, as seen in its strategic placement of openings and their functionality.

A thoughtful use of wide openings allows air and sunlight to enter the spaces to make the home more eco-friendly and energy efficient. Louvered windows add a dimension of operability. Whether it be the shifting weather throughout the day or the strength of the breeze, adding these adaptable components enables the space to respond accordingly. Breeze blocks allow for consistent air flow. Thin casement windows add more horizontality to the glazings and frame the views. 

The use of transparent and translucent glass brightens their respective spaces while creating dimension. A palette of green, gray, and brown is consistently found in the structure’s finishes throughout the structure. The textures of nature contrast with the symmetry of the stacked bricks, wooden slat walls, and the sleek black casings of the floor-to-ceiling openings.

A Balance Between Organic And Linear Forms 

A central dark-gray wall delineates public and private areas with the central courtyard connecting the building’s distinct functions. The public area contains the living room, dining room, and kitchen. As you enter the home, a sunken living room establishes itself against the open layout of social spaces. Moving along the hallway, the dining room is flanked by pocket gardens on both ends.

The U-shaped kitchen pairs with an auxiliary kitchen, featuring a plant box that functions like a clerestory. Over this entire assembly, the volume of the structure rises up towards a rectangular skylight that provides a dynamic shine to the space. Adding an angled surface around this opening further spreads out the natural light. 

The private area is entirely made up of the home’s three bedrooms. Placing a green strip along the rooms makes them always feel connected to nature. 

The Tree’s House manifests the deep relationship the owner wanted to establish with nature. It makes a case for how nature does not have to take a backseat when it comes to development. The building’s design prioritizes nature, evident in its sustainable features and its flexible layout that adapts to the existing landscape. This approach embodies the project’s eco-friendly philosophy.

Photos by Rungkit Charoenwat.

Read more: Tree House by The Lake: Revisiting a Past with Nature