Inspired by the indigenous Northeastern multifamily ‘longhouse’ as well as the traditional wood cabin, the Treehouse Lodge is a proposal for a year-round facility elevated amidst the woods West of Caribou Pond. The Lodge offers 8,750 square feet of conditioned space and has a capacity to host 6 permanent staff members and 36 guests.

Inspired by the main features of a Native American longhouse and the traditional wooden cabin, the cabin is raised from the ground in order to minimize its footprint in the wilderness and enrich the visitors’ experience. As visitors approach the treehouse, they directly get a sense of warmth and coziness radiating from the dark wooden exterior, escaping the snow and hiding between the trees. Once inside, they mingle with the rest of the visitors in a vibrant yet calming interior, dropping their backpacks at their bunk room before enjoying a beer from the common area overlooking the wilderness.

Following the Maine Huts and Trails mission of providing low-impact access to nature and creating unique opportunities to experience Maine’s undisturbed woods, the Lodge was designed using passive strategies aiming to minimize its footprint and impact on the environment both during its construction and operation. Capitalizing on the lumber harvesting industry of the Carrabassett Valley and to promote use of local materials, the design proposes a primary structural system made up of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels in combination with a foundation structural frame made up of timber piles driven into the ground and tree logs with bark intact for the diagonals. By elevating the CLT volume above the ground, minimal disturbance to the existing site conditions and water runoff patterns can be achieved.