Treehouse are uniquely evocative structures, recalling childhood dens and facilitating dreams of escape into nature. Taking your treehouse from concept to build can seem like a mammoth task, but it’s much simpler with an expert project team on your side.
With extensive experience across every aspect of treehouse design, planning, and construction, we’re here to help you achieve your vision. Our treehouse consultancy services include feasibility studies, site visits, planning advice, 3D visualisation, and comprehensive project management.
In this blog, we explore the concept of the treehouse both historically and in the modern day, then outline what we mean by concept to build.

What is a Treehouse?

Before we go through the process of concept to build in detail, we need to talk about the treehouse concept itself – where it comes from, and why it remains popular today.
Some people believe treehouses speak to our evolutionary roots in the trees; others believe treehouse structures arose out of simple necessity – protecting inhabitants from the elements, predators, and natural disasters.
Globally, treehouses appear in all sorts of cultures. People in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia are known to have lived in trees to protect themselves from floods. The Korowai people in Papua New Guinea are thought to be the world’s only tree-dwelling tribe – flying high to protect themselves from biting insects and evil spirits. Hindu monks were also known to favour tree-borne accommodation to free them from earthy concerns.
Whatever the exact origins of the concept lie, treehouses have a varied and multifaceted history – let’s dive into it!

A Short History of Treehouses

Identifying the first treehouse is tricky; so is charting the history of the treehouse in just a few words! Instead of collating every known piece of evidence on the topic, let’s explore a few notable moments in the treehouse story.
• Ancient Rome – thought to be the first record of treehouses (but who really knows!), 1st Century Roman Emperor Caligula created an extravagant multi-story structure in the trees to host a celebration. He called this floating dining room his ‘nest’.
• Renaissance – treehouses had a real moment amongst the European upper classes in this period, becoming a statement of fashion and wealth in Florentine gardens. The Medici clan even had a treehouse made out of marble!
• 1850s France – inspired by Robinson Crusoe and a collective longing for a simpler life, a small hamlet south of Paris became a hub of treehouse activity. Huts known as ‘Les Guinguettes de Robinson’ became destinations for dancing, drinking wine, and enjoying the view.
• Treehouses in Art – in Hieronymus Bosch’s St Christopher & the Christ Child dating somewhere between 1490-1500, a futuristic structure is depicted in the background, teetering in a nearby tree.
• The Oldest Treehouse – in the UK, the oldest known treehouse still standing is in the Pitchford Estate in Shropshire. This dates to at least 1692, and Queen Victoria is known to have watched a fox hunt from here.

The Modern Treehouse Concept

The modern revival of the treehouse can be put down to several different factors. Above all, treehouses represent escapism and freedom, conjuring nostalgia for childhood dens and the joy of running wild in nature. With nature known to have a positive impact on our mental wellbeing, escaping to the trees is understandably a growing trend.
People are also looking for unique experiences – which is why the glamping market in particular is having a treehouse love affair. Whether it’s a luxury escape or an off-grid, sustainable paradise, treehouse getaways are becoming increasingly popular.

Discover our contemporary treehouse structures >

Our Treehouse Process

If you want to continue humanity’s love affair with treehouses, you’ve come to the right place. Our tried and tested treehouse process has resulted in an array of stunning, low impact structures that are now being treasured as the ultimate, luxurious hideaways!
To give you more of an idea of how our treehouse consultants, designers, and builders work, let’s explore what happens during each stage.
Conception of Idea
At the start of a project, anything is possible. This stage is about exploring your ideas, understanding what you want from your treehouse, and adapting that to suit the reality of your site. During an initial consultation, our treehouse experts will help you refine your hopes and dreams into a more concrete concept to work from.
We’ll help you think through design, size, use, and what conveniences you might need like electricity and plumbing. We also conduct a site visit and feasibility study to help you truly understand the parameters you have to work with.
What is a Feasibility Study? >

Financing Solution
Most people love the first part of the process, but the financing stage can be exciting too! After all, it’s here your ideas become practicably possible. There are a range of finance options available for treehouse projects – whether you’re creating a hideaway in your back garden or launching a unique holiday let business.
We provide our clients with all the information they need to choose a financing solution for their project that works for them. We even offer advice on potential ROI, payback, and yield – calculate yours here!

Planning Permission

Most treehouse projects need planning permission – as we outlined in our comprehensive guide. We know this stage can seem stressful, time-consuming, and frustrating, which is why we do everything we can to streamline your journey.
At Tre3dom, we’re big advocates of pre-planning applications. Though it might seem like another delay, getting initial advice and feedback on your proposal will make success much more likely down the line. All the surveys, designs, and reports necessary for pre-planning can be reused, and you’re likely to avoid costly mistakes.
Read our top tips for a successful planning permission application >

Treehouse Design

Before breaking ground, computer generated visuals can bring your treehouse to life before your eyes. These can also come in handy for the final planning application.
Our structures are designed to be adaptable, available as Hexagon or Pentagon modular shapes, inspired by nature’s forms. We also offer the option of bespoke designs – enabling us to adapt our structures to your every need.
With a range of add-ons and optional extras like log burners, composting toilets, and even hot tubs, we’ll work with you to create a design that encompasses everything you imagined your treehouse would be and more.

Treehouse Construction

With everything approved and everyone happy, it’s time to start the build! Thanks to the comprehensive prep work we’ve carried out, this stage more often than not runs exceptionally smoothly.
Our platforms are constructed bespoke to each site, and will either sit on stilts that are grounded using screw-piles, or attached to nearby trees using steel cables and stilts. We use modern construction techniques and locally sourced materials to produce low impact treehouses sure to stand the test of time.
Structure complete, we turn our attention indoors. We work hard to tailor every element of your treehouse to your individual tastes and preferences, so we finish the project off with a stunning, highly personalised interior.

Project Completion

From concept to build, we deliver your treehouse. With the finished structure now fully formed, it’s time to start using it! With treehouses, the possibilities are truly endless.
Perhaps you want to be like Caligula or the nature-loving Parisians of the 1850s and create a unique entertaining space for you and your loved ones. Perhaps you’re going to create an off-grid oasis to escape, reflect, and pursue your hobbies.
Or perhaps you have your sights set on cornering your own little piece of the glamping market. Treehouse fever is in full force, and Tre3dom is here to make your dreams a reality.

Take Your Treehouse from Concept to Build with Tre3dom

If you’re ready to start your treehouse project, our treehouse consultants are here to help. We’ve helped everyone from private landowners to farmers to hotel businesses achieve stunning results. Get in touch with us today, and we’ll show you what’s possible!

See more: A Guide to Treehouse Consultancy Services – What Can a Consultant Do For You?
See more: How to Finance a Treehouse Glamping Business >