From Treehouses to Treetowers?

While we’ve all come to love the whimsy of a treehouse, here’s a scheme that takes it one step further, in which the structure of the building itself is made from trees, rather than simply supporting a separate shelter. The scheme, by a group of architects from the University of Stuttgart, involves a strategic planting of trees in specific locations, which, after years of growth, could support a structure up to 9 meters high. While growing, the trees would be supported by a temporary steel scaffolding that would help direct their growth. I love the idea that trees are not just inhabitable, but functional architectural elements.