Treehouse

Brooklyn, NY

This is a smaller scale project I worked on with SEARCH & DESIGN. The goal of this project was to better utilize a space within a client’s apartment. They wanted a space in which they could work in as well as sleep in, hopefully adding additional storage and leaving enough space to do yoga.

The design we came up with is what we call a “treehouse”, in essence transforming the original single level space into a dual-level space. The upper level houses the bed and has space for storage, and the lower level will be used for work.
In order to make this idea into a reality we first had to give it some scale. First we measured the room, then using our measurements to make a digital model of the space in Rhino. This allowed us know what could fit in the space and give an idea of how it would look, eventually we ended on something like this:

We did not construct the whole structure ourselves, rather designed it and contracted the work out. But we did construct the stairs and shelving. It was a lot of fun to learn more about wood working; it also gave me a better understanding of structural stability and gave me more appreciation for something as “simple” as shelving.

I really loved this project, for multiple reasons. It was exciting to see the transformation of the space, breathing in new life and adding more functionality. I also thoroughly enjoyed the precision needed to construct this and the ability to change a space fairly drastically with simple materials and a bit of creativity. I am a bit jealous of this room…

I plan to work more with wood in the future, it is a fascinating medium with seemingly endless possibilities.