The Yellow Treehouse brief presented Aucklander, Tracey Collins, an exciting challenge: to build a restaurant halfway up a redwood pine tree, using business contacts only from Yellow’s website, mobile app and book - with just 3 months to complete it!
Pacific Environments was engaged to design a structure that would not only captivate imaginations but also meet practical requirements. The resulting design was a chrysalis-inspired pod-form nestled around the tree trunk, accommodating up to 25 diners and complying with all building regulations, including provisions for disabled access.
Drawing inspiration from the site—a picturesque meadow and stream surrounded by a redwood forest—the architectural concept seamlessly integrated the treehouse into its natural environment. This endeavor posed unique challenges as there were no precedents for treehouse restaurants, making innovation and creativity essential to bringing the vision to life.
1415 State Highway 1, Warkworth 0983
Yellow Pages
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NZIA National Design Award
D&AD Yellow Pencil Award (UK)
Best Awards – Gold Spatial
NZIA Auckland Branch Award
NZ Institute of Building National Excellence Award
World Architecture Awards finalist
NZ Timber Design Society Design Award
At 10 meters wide and over 14 meters high, with split-level floor sitting 10 meters above the ground, the treehouse is sustainably constructed from timber. Trusses form the main structure and curved glue-laminated pine fins and popular slats create the structures organic form. Windows are created by leaving spaces between the slats, this keeps the overall form yet affords a variety of permability for views and light. Access is via a 60m tree-top walkway – an adventure in itself.Supporting the structure via the tree turned out to be a counter intuitive solution. In consultation with a specialist arborist team, the metal cuff supporting the glu-lam structure is fixed via rods that pierce through the trunk. This ensured that the trunks growth was not constrained.
All timber used was sourced sustainably. with extremely low ecological impact and footprint. The glu-lam timber fins creating the rhythm and form of the structure are Pinus-Radiata, with Poplar battens ‘feathering’ between. Acrylic sheeting forms the roof allowing sunlight to enter with the views for the diners to the treetops and stars in the night sky.
