For the birds: Nendo builds avian tree house

The interspecies tree house resembles a scaled-up bird habitation on its human side, while the avian entrance is a cluster of 78 bird-sized cubbyholes. A person can access the structure via a ladder and observe the birds through spy holes once inside.

The tree house was designed for the Ando Momofuku Center in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture. The centre aims to increase access to nature, while Nendo describes the goal of its design practice as ‘giving people a small ‘!’ moment’. Nendo has offered a whimsical take on nature in the past, for example with rug designs inspired by butterfly wings.

With its emphasis on spaces for contemplation, the bird apartment is a great example of a simple retreat in the style of New Sublimity Tourism.