The Cocoon – A Treehouse Retreat in Dorset

Designed and built by students of London’s Architectural Association, this wooden “cocoon” is suspended from the trees of Hooke Park, Dorset, England. 

The structure was designed and built by just four students as part of the AA Design & Make programme. The students envisioned the space being used as a retreat where one can sit, relax and watch the sun set beneath the canopy of the trees.

From the design team:

“The Cocoon is a design derived from the experience of walking through the forest of Hooke Park in Dorset. Its design explores the relationship between natural light, material and occupational space. The Cocoon represents a journey through the forest, inviting and challenging the visitor to anticipate, imagine, explore and discover the natural beauty of the forest from a completely different perspective.”

To create the unusual form the students used untreated sheets of plywood and layered them with a bandaging technique. Once the structure was stiff enough the temporary supports were removed and the Cocoon was suspended from the surrounding trees. The retreat is accessed via a step ladder.

For treehouses and retreats check out the Tree Snake House, a luxurious retreat set in Pedras Salgadas Park. Or Tree Hotel’s awesome, almost surreal Bird’s Nest.

Via Dezeen