Black Tree House

In the summer of 2005, Chuck and Wendy Black, hired Broadleaf Landscape Architecture to design a master plan for their property in Warren, Vermont. Their site was steeply sloping and there was very little usable outdoor space. The site affords them wonderful views of the green mountains to the southwest. So, the major goal was to create outdoor spaces in which they could enjoy their property and its view. The Blacks also mentioned that they might like a treehouse someday.

After conceptually designing a terrace and treehouse for the Blacks, Arrow Design joined the project and embarked on the design of the treehouse. Because of the grade issues, the terrace began to have several levels, stairs and then was meant to connect to the treehouse via a bridge. The design team quickly came up with idea of using concrete as the main material for the project. This would allow for the architectural elements to read as one, seamless piece.

The treehouse is a (three?) story structure with a 16.5’x15’ footprint. The bridge from the terrace leads to the top floor balcony which surrounds the space.

Inside is a fireplace and sitting room, with a windowed wall to the southwest affording the view.


An exterior set of cantilevered stairs winds down the rounded wall to the middle floor, which serves as a dining room. Again a windowed wall faces the southwest. The bottom floor is reached from the ground and serves as a storage space for outdoor furniture.

The treehouse is mostly stained concrete with steel frames for doors and windows and wood detailing and support for the roof.

Some unique methods were used during the concrete pours resulting in a rich and interesting palette of textures. The exterior and interior walls are stained a deep green, floors and ceilings are stained a light beige, and columns and vertical elements are a coppery brown.