Gone are the childhood days of simple backyard tree forts—and, for one civil engineering professor at least, in are the ones featuring a more sophisticated, expensive and environmentally friendly version.
And by more expensive, picture what kind of treehouse $24.5 million buys.
Dr. Anthony Leung of the University of Dundee in Scotland has put together a concept design for a sustainable, eco-friendly treehouse, according to The South China Morning Post, at least one civil engineering professor has his sights set on that new model.
The main wooden structure of the house would be integrated into the nature surrounding it, with an evergreen (or comparable) tree snaking through the structure as a support beam.
The tree’s canopy would make for a particularly sheltering “roof,” though the house itself would also have a closed-in structure at the top. There would also be a grass roof planted on it in order to catch rainwater and dew. (Any water caught on the roof would be treated via the treehouse’s small wastewater treatment plant for use inside.)
Organic waste produced within the house would be cycled back into nature to help feed the tree and its natural surroundings. And for heat, the house would basically insulate itself, with climbing ivies on the outer walls adding a blanket of warmth and thick wooden floorboards on the inside providing insulation.
Of the design, Dr. Leung told the newspaper that it is “an example of how we could borrow the power of nature to create natural shelter for human beings in a modern, yet environmentally and ecologically friendly way.”
In terms of total cost, a concept like this one could cost as much as $24.5 million. Below, take a look at additional sketches of the proposed structure by artist Anzo Wong.
—RealClearLife
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