Photo: Mats Engfors
The higher the perch, the closer we are to the birds. If you long to be nearer to your feathered friends, you’ll want to flock to the Biosphere room at Sweden’s Treehotel. The unique cubed structure is suspended above the ground with a facade that’s surrounded by 350 birdhouses, inviting the winged creatures to stay alongside you. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in collaboration with ornithologist Ulf Öhman, Biosphere is as enveloping as it is eco-conscious, inviting new habitats for northern Sweden’s bird population.
Approaching the entrance of the room looks a little like you’re walking into a black box; the exterior is clad in dark wood to highlight the light-colored birdhouses. The interior has similar treatment, but the space is punctuated with large floor-to-ceiling windows that provide ample natural light to the 3,800-square-foot split-level space. The minimalist aesthetic is intentional—let nature shine. And it doesn’t just shine, but sparkle; birdhouses are visible from every window, including the skylight above the bed. For birders, it’s a dream come true to watch the winged creatures from repose, whether that’s above their heads or through the giant windows next to them.
Biosphere marks the eighth room added to Treehotel’s unconventional accommodations. Before designing the space, BIG founder Bjarke Ingels stayed at the hotel. “I got to spend a few days and nights in some of the Treehotels rooms right before the pandemic, and left with a sense of rejuvenation from complete immersion into nature,” he said. “I couldn’t help wondering if there was a way to take the immersion one step further—and almost instantly the idea of inviting not only the human visitors but also the resident bird and bat population to cohabit a spherical swarm of nests came to life.”
“We designed our addition to Treehotel to create a unique experience for hotel guests, which takes inspiration from the qualities of the surrounding forest and absorb them into the interior,” he continued. “The ecological response is the driver behind the architectural expression, helping to create a positive environmental impact.”
Learn more about staying in Biosphere, along with the company’s other offerings, by visiting Treehotel’s website.
The higher the perch, the closer we are to the birds. If you long to be nearer to your feathered friends, you’ll want to flock to the Biosphere room at Sweden’s Treehotel.
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
The unique cubed structure is suspended above the ground with a facade that’s surrounded by 350 birdhouses, inviting the winged creatures to stay alongside you.
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in collaboration with ornithologist Ulf Öhman, Biosphere is as enveloping as it is eco-conscious, inviting new habitats for northern Sweden’s bird population.
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
“I couldn’t help wondering if there was a way to take the immersion one step further,” says BIG founder Bjarke Ingels, “and almost instantly the idea of inviting not only the human visitors but also the resident bird and bat population to cohabit a spherical swarm of nests came to life.”
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors
Photo: Mats Engfors