Building A Treehouse in Costa Rica – Phase 1
SUSTAINABILITY VS. DURABILITY
Sustainable design should always factor in durability, but even moreso when you are building a permanent structure amongst the trees in a jungle that has heavy weather and potential for termite destruction. After considering a number of different designs and access to materials like natural clay and scrap steel, I decided to go with a hybrid of reclaimed steel, sustainably sourced wood, and earthen design that would ensure additional support, structural integrity, safety for the tree, and incorporation of a number of natural materials and permaculture principles.
“The goal was to design a treehouse that would have a minimal impact environmentally and financially to construct, but still be a beautiful, immersive, and most importantly, a safe place for guests to stay for some years to come.”
Nature’s Design is always a great inspiration for creating living spaces in nature. Toji’s retreat center certainly utilized this technique, and our treehouse by the lake is no different!
When a tree Falls...Use the wood!
Mother nature can be fierce. A few months ago, a huge storm in our area uprooted a Guanacaste tree, just we had began the design of our treehouse project. The treehouse is being built in and around two beautiful Guanacaste trees, so this was at first a bit of a cause for concern. But after getting a forestal engineer to come and analyze the trees we are building in, and considering the erosion around the tree that fell, I started to see it as a real blessing and gift from mother nature. When we purchased this land 6 years a go, there was a fallen Guanacaste tree that we also dried for two years and used for most of the tables and furniture in Toji, and now just when deciding on materials for a natural tree house, a second Guanacaste tree fell and gave us enough wood for our flooring and much roofing. The Guanacaste is the national tree of Costa Rica and has always held a place in my heart. So to now have a treehouse that would be built around to thriving Guanacaste trees that would also be built from the material of one of their fallen kin…it’s jus such an awesome moment and gift!
Ruguz and Mao discover the fallen Guanacaste, a gift from mother nature.
We cut some slabs to use for tables and furnishings for the tree house, and then the larger trunks went out to our local wood mill to cut into floorboards and
Next steps: harvesting clay, prepping wood, and building a home up in the trees!
We have already started to fun process of harvesting and fermenting the clay, and planing and sanding the wood. I will post again in about a month to update on the progress. Stay tuned, and feel free to message us at concierge@tojinatureretreat.com with any questions about booking Toji or about the treehouse design or reserving our treehouse in 2025.
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