Hotel Architecture Inspired by Trees

The approach to designing based on examples from nature (bio-mimicry) is a topic we’ve heard a lot about this year. The architectural firm IAD proposes rethinking the structure of tall buildings based on how trees grow. Their proposal for a ‘treehouse hotel’ merges living space and vertical gardens in a building that forgoes the traditional glass box.

The building’s structure is composed of a series of branches that support the hotel rooms and the levels for the gardens. IAD proposes that a mix of trees and climbing plants occupy the green space. Over time, the climbing plants would grow around the structure and guests walking through the interior would get the sensation of being inside a tree. The firm intentionally chose hidden support escalators to heighten the sense of vertigo as guests reach the top of the building. The rooms themselves are covered with solar protected dark glass and have supports for climbing plants to grow on.

[via WAN]