Artichoke: Menomonee Falls WI

Our next build in Menomonee Falls WI will not be easy but will be tones of fun. A grass roots build, its sure to be filled with many special guests as the Midwest is the birth place of O2 Treehouse!

A dismantling of the old deck will make way for a new 700 sq' entertainment master piece that most bistros would be jealous of. It will include a 30' long cat walk leading to a 13' Geodesic Series Sequoia model structure outfitted with a custom canopy.

All structures will be built out of cedar. Inspiration for these designs came from the prairie lands the Midwest and especially Minnesota and Wisconsin are known for. If you find yourself in the area give O2 a ring and well give you a sneak preview!

Building in the Redwoods

The desire to live aloft is one shared by many, some of whom have gone so far as to make their dream a reality. As a result, there are some extremely altitudinous treehouses located 'round the world...






































We are excited to announce that O2 Treehouse will be joining the ranks of these peak perches very soon with our first Redwood GEO!*

This GEO will also be the launch of O2's Eco-tourism division, in which will we partner with hostels, eco-resorts and B&B's to provide an unforgettable & sustainable travel experience that connects travelers to their natural surroundings through a stay in one of our awesome treehouses, while also supporting the local community.

*We are currently seeking treehouse-loving landowners of Northern CA to partner with on this project, if interested please contact us for more details! info@o2treehouse.com.

Mulholland Slat Treehouse Finished!

O2 in the Press: Popular Mechanics

Our newest Geo Kit was recently featured in Popular Mechanics "10 Insanely Green Sheds" article online. The pre-fabricated geodesic kits with customizable parts and add-ons (like rope bridges and ziplines) are a more budget friendly option than custom designed, starting at only around $5900 (plus install if desired). They can be made with FSC wood, as pictured here at one of the Penmar community houses in L.A., or steel or aluminum with a recycled plastic interior canopy. Either way, they are an awesome, low cost & high design backyard shed, meditation pod, art studio or playhouse!

Progress Report: Mulholland

✓ Wood cut, planed, and stained.

✓ Metal cut and bent.

✓ Treehouse rings and tabs welded.

Next...Assembly!!!

Spotlight: O2 Treehouse Crew

Dustin Feider Bio

Since the age of three, Dustin has been climbing anything in his path, counters, walls, trees, and the even the occasional mountain. Growing up, he was enthralled with 3D fabrication and design and was constantly building new projects for either school or his own enjoyment. As a teenager, he became heavily involved with Odyssey of the Mind, an international educational program in which students apply their creativity to solve problems ranging from mechanical design to literary interpretation, serving to further strengthen and support his creative drive and problem-solving skills.

A few years down the road, while attending the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, he became aware of and inspired by sustainable practices such as permaculture, laying the groundwork for a new pathway in which concern the future of our planet would play a large role in many of his design decisions. It was only natural that shortly after receiving his B.F.A. in Furniture Design from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2005 he started O2 Treehouse and began building sustainable geodesic dome treehouses, merging his creative problem solving skills with his passion for eco-friendly design and love of vertical living.



The first O2 structure was a 1,200 pound geodesic sphere built in Pewaukee, WI, made of 100% recycled materials, and suspended from a cable support system designed not to harm the tree in any way. The O2 Treehouse mission was and still to inspire humanity to reconsider how we can more harmlessly co-exist with nature, and to date they have built over twenty sustainable structures at various sites across the United States. While most of these structures have been custom builds, O2 Treehouse recently expanded their offerings to include modular Geodesic Sphere Kits. These magical Geo Spheres act as arenas for fostering creativity and reflection, and seek to to hold this common ground with other Geo-enhanced organizations as part of a collaborative network of community building gathering spaces.

Dustin feels grateful everyday that he has been given the amazing opportunity to educate on sustainable design while installing Geo Spheres at schools, urban gardens, non-profits, cooperatives, and other neighborhood enriching organizations. His vision for the future? Building a network of global eco-tourist treehouse camps, designed to support local economies while protecting and preserving endangered forests, and with them one of the keys to our collective future.

Mark Lavin Bio

For his third birthday, Mark’s grandmother gave him a construction set for making toy buildings. By age six, he was building cities that touched the ceiling of his bedroom in Woodland Hills, California. Traveling to places such as Israel and London in his teens, Mark discovered the potentials of community-centered cultures. Hiking and canoeing the national parks of the Southwest as a Boy Scout, he found wonder in the beauty, spiritual power and sustaining connectedness of the natural world. With a growing self awareness, he began reflecting on the magical moments of his life and recognized his life mission; helping to create a world where people, nature, and community were celebrated.

He has followed that mission throughout his life, and in recent years, Mark has gained both a Permaculture Design Certificate and Masters Degree from the SoCal Institute of Architecture. In 2010, Mark designed, built, and/or consulted on 11 structures, including the Red Lightning Sacred Village, geodesic treehouses in collaboration with O2 Treehouse, and several other geodesic sphere sculptures that have been displayed all over the L.A. art scene. He is currently working closely with collaborators in both Los Angeles and San Francisco to design and build visionary multifunctional structures that beneficially weave human habitation and ecological function, with the vision that these structures will help carry us through the cultural, environmental and political crises and into a new paradigm.

Burning Man 2011 - The Cloud Project

The Cloud Project renders for our Burning Man Art Grant Proposal 2011. As you walk across the playa with your crew, you notice a faint cloud-like shape emerging in the distance. "A cloud?" you think to yourself, "it couldn't be…" As you get nearer, you see that it lies fairly low to the ground, and now you see that, no, it is definitely not a cloud. It is a fluffy looking mass hanging low in the sky above what looks like a giant basket.
"What the…?"





















Of course, you are drawn to checking out this enigmatic flying contraption. When you get within about 5 yards, the sudo-cloud has become fully visible to your naked eye. The floating part is actually a giant nylon net full of what must be thousands of 1 foot diameter blue balloons. The net is tethered to the giant platform in about twenty places. As you are staring at it, the cloud suddenly changes shape, as the tethers shift and the balloons take on a new configuration. The platform, which looks like it is made out of a kind of woven wicker-like material is about a foot off of the ground. As you and your friends step onto the platform, you are blanketed by the calming and cooling relief of shade. There are dozens of people sitting, standing and lying on the rolling landscape, which creating a multiple rolls of armature seating. Around the edges of this "valley" and near the entrances stand large tanks of fresh drinking water. You realize that you have found a desert oasis, ahhhh...












































Side Note: The Cloud will grow in size over the course of the week as we add new, buoyant balloons to the net. It will appear as if a storm is gathering as the cloud becomes more and more voluminous and towering over its occupants.

The New! 1, 2, Treehouse

1 - 2 - Treehouse

1) How big, how much, how long?
1 - 2 - Treehouse is the inexpensive choice for an awe-inspiring custom treehouse. The basic model is a 5' x 5' x 5' enclosed structure with trap door, rope ladder, bucket lift, 2 walkie talkies, and 7-day installation for $1,500.

2) You collaborate in the design process.
We can reuse your own favorite materials (such as cool architectural salvage) to give your treehouse a personal touch, you can even join in the process if you feel so inspired! Incorporating your own ideas into the design will make this a fun experience for the whole family.

3) Enjoy your new leafy lounge!
Set up an art studio, create a homework hang-out, throw a treehouse party...the possibilities are endless for enjoying your beautiful new haven! O2 Treehouse makes treehouses a fun and safe backyard retreat for fostering creativity and learning in kids and adults alike.

Bamboo Play Structure

The Healy-Browns came to me looking to build a unique plays structure in their back yard for their two boys highly adapt in the art of climbing. The only constraint a back yard not big enough for a Volkswagen Bug.






























































This back yard bamboo play structure is constructed using a tensegrity tri-pod. It includes two hanging platforms, cat walk, bamboo sanctuary, and several axes rope ladders. A climbing rope hangs between the two platforms for a quick escape and rope swing. One of the best features of the bamboo wonderland is a long cat walk that exstends into the bamboo thicket with walls of live bamboo. If the sun of the upper platforms proves to hot this cat walk is a perfect shaded cooridoor to chill out and spy on the action in the back alley. If your monkey worthy a sly exit goes through branches to the ground level, a magician would never know the better.

The structure foot print takes up no more than 80 square feet which allows for easy axess and foot traffic to the back garage exit.

Mulholland Final Design

The designs have been finalized and construction has begun on the Mulholland Treehouse. All of the wood used on structure is FSC certified. The piece will consist of 70 vertical slats that circle a 10' diameter cylindrical low-fat steel super structure. The piece in its final resting place will hang at a height of ~20' in a CA Live Oak.

Its form was inspired by the steep terrace embankment where the structure will be viewed from. Its long sweeping curved pieces will bio mimic the aesthetic of the surrounding forest and blend into the environment. The "blind" style posture of the slats when lit at night will cast a subtle gradient upon each individual slat also filling the forest with slender rays of light.

CURRENT PROJECT: Mulholland

Shortly after arriving in our new home in Oakland CA this week, we wasted no time and dove head first into our newest project, this rad dual-level treehouse for a family located near Topanga State Park in Los Angeles CA.

The two platforms will be encircled by vertical slats, and accessed by the classic rope ladder to trap door entry. It will feature not only the large porthole window on the open upper deck that you see here, but also several small round portholes on the lower deck, so that the kids will be able to peep out from their covered play area during inclement weather or when they just feel like hiding out.

The structure will be composed mainly of Forest Stewardship Certified kiln-dried Grade A Douglas Fir, steel hoops, and of course, supportive cables used to safely anchor the house.

More details and renderings of the final design to follow!