ARBOR DOMUS LUXURY TREEHOUSE COMMUNITY        Foscoe, NC       Project Initiated: 2022

Arbor Domus will comprise a collection of luxury treehouses that seek to elevate the experience of sleeping among the trees by crafting each treehouse as a unique setting to ‘nest’ for short term stays.

Swallow Haus [Luxury Treehouse Referencing a Swallow’s Nest]

The first of 10 luxury treehouses set amidst the foliage of poplars, maples, and oaks in Foscoe, NC, Swallow Haus sets an early precedent for reimagining what it means to dwell among the trees. Starting from the approach, the experience of Swallow Haus is intended to abstract the particular form and function of a swallow’s nest by challenging preconceived notions of what is, and how one enters, a treehouse. Instead of a more traditional set of steps or a ladder, one enters via a bridge, contrasting the steep topography with a nearly level procession along which the viewer is given more freedom to take in the surrounding beauty of the forest. Once at the main body of the treehouse, visitors find themselves with a panoramic view, a pristine vista. Only after this picturesque introduction does one descend a set of spiral stairs to enter the dwelling at its main level beneath, much like a swallow passes through the ocular threshold of its nest and settles down into the comfort of its basin. The treehouse features several moments of visceral connection with the forest from within, creating seamless vistas through skylights and light wells in the bedroom and bathroom. The cozy warmth of the interior materiality plays perfect compliment to the extraordinary exterior cladding - ecologically inspired recycled plastic tiles by Pretty Plastic, which embodies the ethos of swallows’ method of reconstituting soil and earth particles using their saliva into the clay/mud shell of the nest. Furthering this narrative analogue, the spiral entry stair takes on a dichotomous role, casting an articulated shadow form on the frosted shower room window during the day, while becoming a venerated silhouette visible upon approach at night as it is backlit by that same illuminated frosted plane at night.

Operations Building (Guest Lobby and Caretaker’s Residence)