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Treehouse Lake Tegern

The word ›idyllic‹ immediately springs to mind when one sees the Bavarian alpine uplands. Farmhouses with richly ornamented façades and heavy, broadly overhanging roofs are the hallmarks of the local architecture. Cows wearing bells graze in lush meadows, while crystal clear mountain streams and lakes gladden the heart. Farmers in traditional costume sit on tractors and, in the distance, one can see the first tips of the Alps thrusting skyward majestically. Perhaps this image is a stereotype but here, a few kilometres north of Tegernsee, all of the features described are in evidence.
Most of the year round, the clients live with their four children in a big, German city which is the complete opposite to this idyll. During the school holidays the family members avail of the benefits offered by their Bavarian country home to enjoy everything they’ve been missing in the city – endless space for the children to play, fresh air and, in winter, skiing in the mountains. Naturally, there are plenty of beautiful trees which are perfect for climbing and in which one might also consider building a treehouse. In keeping with old tradition, such a construction can be handled by the children themselves, or one can get some professional help.

It was important to the family that the treehouse’s design would fit in with the style of the local architecture. They did not want any newly landed UFOs from another world disturbing the overall picture. The large property with woodland and meadows offered plenty of places to implement the idea. A beautiful, sturdy ash tree on the edge of a slope seemed to be made for the job. On the one hand, this spot offered a magnificent view across the gently rolling hills of the alpine uplands, all the way to the lofty peaks of the Wendelstein and Rotwand mountains. On the other hand, the location was sufficiently far away from the main house, yet still in eyeshot. The basic structure of the treehouse was determined shortly before building started, and not planned on the drawing board beforehand. The ash was strong enough to bear the weight of the treehouse without the aid of supports. Only after the terrace was suspended in the tree in the summer was it possible to take measurements for the treehouse itself. The treehouse cabin was assembled and built a few weeks later by a local carpenter.

With traditional Bavarian architecture, naturally, one should not forget the wood carvings. An alpine jackdaw and a raven are the treehouse’s two guardian angels, who watch over the staircase.

Trees an ash tree
Height depending on the hillside position between 3.5 m and 5 m
Bearing structure fixed with textile-belts and steel-cables
Interior area 6,4 qm
Terrace area 7,9 qm
Façade construction from inside to outside: 20 mm larch boarding, tongue and groove, untreated; 20 mm plywood; 60 mm wood wool insulation; wind foil; 20 mm air space; 22 mm weather boarding of untreated larch,
Roofing Larch shingles