The Ultimate Tree House

You will design a tree house that is sturdy, uses sustainable materials like reclaimed

wood, recycled metal, bamboo, rocks, minerals, etc. The winner of the best and

most creative, mind-blowing tree house will get a treat from Ms. Lee!

But first, let’s look at this Ted Talks Video About designing structures inspired by nature. Please look for important design wordswhich will help you design your structure: “Bio-mimicry” and “Symbiotic”

Ted Talks Video

Examples of Tree houses

Let’s look at some examples of tree houses

that have innovative and original designs to

inspire our imagination!

Next, get a piece of “free draw” paper and a pencil:

1. Outline materials you will use2. Define what environment your tree house will be built in3. Describe what nature element (insect, animal, plant) will your tree

house “mimic” to survive in the environment without causing pollution. Examples: beetle’s bumpy shell as a design for the roof in order to save water for the outdoor garden. A seashell design for the roof to aid in water runoff. Soap bubbles or hexagons found in beehive dwellings to maximize space. Some questions for you to answer: What about waste? Will it be recycled in the garden or used for worms to feed the fish in the pond? What would that look like? Will the trash have a chute that dumps into the worm compost bin? How can your tree house be designed to use water, wind or solar power? Think aboutplants and how they release carbon dioxide, charcoal is a natural element that can filter pollution and toxins. Use the computer to research green energy as you answer these questions before deciding on your final design.

Then, get another piece of “free draw” paper:1. Sketch the tree house and provide a diagram if needed to point out

energy efficient details. We will begin our final picture next week!