Located in the beach resort Sao Sebastiao (north of the state of Sao Paulo), Brazil, Casa nas arvores is architect George Mills’ dream summer house.

Completely integrated with the surrounding nature of the Atlantic Forest in which it sits, the house raises 20 feet high to interact with trees.

The open surface that was left below allows plants to grow and animals to circulate freely, and the architect tells UOL that birds of all kinds are frequent visits on top, through, and below the house.

In the future, he might build a second story which would be located at about 10 feet from the ground.

Casa nas arvores was built with concrete for cost and logistics reasons: all materials had to be brought through a bridge with low capacity, which made it impossible for a crane to arrive to mount an iron structure, and the architect couldn’t find good certified wood.

Mills says concrete is good for its low maintenance and because it absorbs heat and moisture more slowly.

Inside the home, which has of course tons of natural ventilation and lightning, some repurposed wood from demolition sites was used in floors, windows and furniture.

The sewage and water piping runs inside of the columns that hold the house, as well as the electric installations.

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Around 60% of the Brazilian population lives in urban areas located in the so-called Atlantic Forest, which this project sought to respect. “This little work functions as a call to the possibility of approaching the immense and exuberant biodiversity, which is absent in large metropolis today,” says the architect.

(Source: treehugger.com)