Yoki Treehouse

ArtisTree®, a green-design, custom treehouse architecture firm, operates Cypress Valley Canopy Tours outside of Austin, TX. This unique and lofty eco-retreat features 5 luxurious but sustainable treehouses for guests to rent and enjoy a few rustic, unforgettable days. Even though they describe themselves as micro-architects, treetop architecture is no small feat. And for ArtisTree®, sustainability and function are top priorities. When designing and building their Yoki Treehouse for the resort, they were after a sophisticated feel without compromising their core values.

Project Details

Location: Austin, Texas
Application: Cladding
Installation: FG Screws
Products: Drift Spruce, Black Pearl
Designer: Will Beilharz, ArtisTree®
Photographer: Smiling Forest Photography

Project Challenge

In the past, ArtisTree® has planed and finished much of their wood materials themselves to achieve the high-end look they want while ensuring sustainable processes. But taking on these tasks is labor-intensive, and not always practical for the project. For the Yoki Treehouse, which is 25 ft. above ground and supported completely by massive cypress trees at the edge of a ravine, they wanted rustic, real wood cladding to complement the ultimate natural setting and mimic the look of aged cypress bark. Most importantly, ArtisTree® is committed to the marriage of high function, beauty and sustainability – they use only sustainable products, keep their footprint as low as possible, and aim to be in harmony with nature.

Thermory Solution

For a sophisticated look with unequalled functionality, Thermory Drift cladding was the perfect choice. It’s modified naturally, using only heat and steam, so the designers at ArtisTree® could be confident that their choice of cladding was contributing to a low carbon footprint and environmental impact. The realistically-weathered and textured boards arrived ready to install, saving weeks of work finishing and planing and instead providing a durable, sophisticated aesthetic right out of the box. Drift paves the way to the look of reclaimed or barn wood, making it a perfect complement to the majestic cypress trees that surround and support the structure.

Not Your Daughter’s Treehouse

In the Hopi language, Yoki means “rain.” Water was the inspiration for this entire project – the winding creek at the base, the life that comes from water, the healing aspects of a bathhouse. The Yoki Treehouse features the main house with sleeping and living areas, and a 60 ft. suspension bridge to a private bathhouse and kitchenette. Both structures were clad in Thermory Drift for cohesive sophistication, creating the ultimate eco-resort that resembles neither the treehouses of your childhood nor the log cabins people may be expecting.

Leave No Board Behind

When the main cladding on both structures was completed, there were plenty of usable boards left from the initial order (that’s because every board Thermory ships is usable). Rather than let it go to waste, sustainability-minded ArtisTree® opted to sand down the finish and repurpose the cladding boards as a natural trim. As the wood ages, the trim, the cladding and the surrounding cypress trees will begin to take on a similar silver patina, adding to the overall appeal and harmony of the treehouse.