Treeplay by Lisa Darlington

Treeplay

ART - ARCHITECTURE - ADVENTURE - ACCOMODATION

Editor Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz Designer Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz General Manager Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz Brand and Marketing manager Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz Advertising Manager Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz Issue 1 talented contributors Photographic Lisa Darlington Mia Hamilton Myeongbeom Kim Tom Chudleigh Guy Soulliere Denis Beauvais Bryan James Micahael Pohlmann Peter Lundstrom Fredrik Broman Editorial Lisa Darlington Cover Photo Deer Taxidermy by Myeongbeom Kim

Views expressed by authors are not neccarily those of the publisher. Copyright is reserved, which means you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scan pages and put them on your website or anywhere else. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited. Retail Orders Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz General enquiries Lisa Darlington ldarlington@xtra.co.nz Treeplay is proudly published once by Lisa Darlington

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inside 04 Freespirit Spheres 12

Jaakko Pernu

Niki Hastings-McFall

A Delicate Balance

Myeongbeom Kim

Mia Hamilton

Redwoods Treehouse

Thirst

40 Treehotel

Welcome Humans have always had a relationship with trees since they are key to our survival. They provide us with clean air, shelter, food, fuel and the raw materials we love to use and they are often depicted as a symbol of life. As we have reached a critical point on this planet it is time to celebrate trees and bring to light the amazing expereinces we can have have among them while protecting the environment. This magazine is dedicated to people who embrace trees, who play up and

around trees or have been inspired by trees to create beautiful and interesting art, bringing them out of the forest and into the limelight. We will escape up unusual and amazing tree houses around the world from New Zealand to Sweden. We will climb up into the /-:;<E @; ŋ:0 <1;<81 C4; have gone out of their way to work hard while under them, in them and dreaming of them. We feature an architect who has designed - ŋ:1 05:5:3 1D<1>51:/1 A< a redwood and people who

have a unique treehotel which features unusual and beautiful structures which are wonders to behold. We have featured artists C4; A?1 @>11? @; 3>1-@ 1Ŋ1/@ including Mia Hamilton, Jaakko Pernu, Beili Liu and Myeongbeom Kim and highlight modern and interesting art installations using trees - some of which are coming up in New Zealand in 2015 at the Auckland Arts Festival. So now let us meander through the woods and enjoy the journey.W

Freespirit spheres 6 Image and words by Tom Chudleigh

Built on vision and engineering these handcrafted spheres are suspended like pendants from a web of rope. They occupy a truly unique place in the world while providing a habitat for the un-tamed spirit that exists in us all.

All About Spheres The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spherical Tree Houseâ&#x20AC;? concept borrows heavily from sailboat construction and rigging practice. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a marriage of tree house and sailboat technology. Wooden spheres are built much like a cedar strip canoe or kayak. Suspension points are similar to the chain plate attachments on a sailboat. Stairways hang from a tree much like a sailboat shroud hangs from the mast. Spherical architecture has many unconventional features. Conventional buildings separate walls, ceiling and Ĺ&#x152;;;> C5@4 4->0 85:1? : - ?<41>1 @41 C-88? -:0 /1585:3 91>31 into one. The function changes but the form remains the ?-91 @ 5? - A:5Ĺ&#x2039;10 ?@>A/@A>1 C5@4 ;:1 /;:@5:A;A? C-88 /-88 this uniwall construction. There are only 2 sides to a sphere, inside and outside. In bio-mimicry fashion, the nut like shape attaches to a web of rope. The web connects to which ever strong points are available. This replaces the foundation of a conventional building. A tree house sphere uses the forest for its foundation. The occupants have a vested interest in the health of the grove. The supporting web also mirrors our connectedness to our eco-system. Each sphere has four attachments on top and another four anchor points on the boom. Each attachment is strong enough to carry the entire sphere and contents. A suspended sphere is tethered by three nearly vertical ropes to each of three seperate trees which distributes the load evenly over the trees and results in a stable hang. Like an inverted three-legged stool - there will be almost equal tension in each of the three suspension ropes. Photograph: Tom Chudleigh 9

The sphere resides in the center of the triangle formed by the 3 @>11? @ /-: .1 ?8A:3 2>;9 Y @; UTTp ;Ĺ&#x160; @41 3>;A:0 01<1:05:3 ;: the size of the trees. The triangle formed by 3 old trees was called - ?-/>10 3>;B1 5: @41 0>A50 @>-05@5;: -/4 3>;B1 C-? 5:Ĺ&#x152;A1:/10 by the type and age of the trees. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found that to be my 1D<1>51:/1 -? C188 &41 Ĺ&#x152;-B;A> ;2 - 3>;B1 /4-:31? /;:?501>-.8E with the type of trees. A sphere is accessed by a spiral stairway and short suspension bridge. The two lower back suspension points of the sphere are tied horizontally to the two back trees, to keep the suspension bridge from sagging when it is walked on. The door faces the â&#x20AC;&#x153;door treeâ&#x20AC;? and the suspension bridge connects the two. A helical stairway spirals up or down from the suspension bridge to the ground or next level. Externally the spherical shape is well adapted to life in the forest. A hazard of life in the forest is trees and branches falling in a strong wind or ice storm. A sphere distributes any impact stress throughout the skin and resists puncture or cracking. Like a ping pong ball or a nut, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light with a tough skin. The suspension ropes which stretch also absorb some of the force. The suspension concept is also bio-mimicry. The idea is to have the sphere and web function naturally in its environment. If something really big, like a tree, falls through the web then some strands will break and let it pass through. The sphere remains suspended by the remaining strands. A major disaster like that is not likely, but possible. Everything including spiral stairways and suspension bridges are hung from ropes. Trees are protected where the spiral stairways hug the trees and ropes pass around the trees. The spheres are well adapted to life in a large mature forest. The wood strips come together at the top and give a nice /-@410>-8 /1585:3 1Ĺ&#x160;1/@ The joinery is yacht style with much brass trim, varnished wood and cane doors. They have closets on either side of the door. These function as partial bulkheads to reinforce the door opening as well as adding cupboard space. 10

Interior

;@4 C;;01: -:0 Ĺ&#x2039;.>138-?? ?<41>1? ->1 insulated. Vinyl upholstery fabric is stapled to the frames (lines of longitude). Each fabric joint is then covered with a decorative wood strip. In Eryn style, there is a double bed on the right centered under the 40â&#x20AC;? window. A settee with table is placed in front of the 42â&#x20AC;? window on the left. The back wall opposite the door provides a galley area with counter cupboards and a sink. A microwave and refrigerator are also installed. Above the galley area there is a loft bed with full sitting headroom at the center. Circular shelf segments connect the loft bed to the cupboards on either side of the door. More detailed photos of the interior feature can be viewed at the All About Eryn Photo Gallery.

Photography Above: Denis Beauvais Facing Page Top and bottom: Tom Chudleigh Middle: Guy Soulliere Page 12 - 13: Tom Chudleigh

Future dreams include a washroom/ shower/sauna sphere complete with its own 1Ĺ&#x2019;A1:@ @>1-@91:@ ?E?@19 @ C588 <>;0A/1 only clean water and compost, something that could serve a whole colony of spheres on a remote setting. My personal goal is to produce 10 - 15 spheres and hang them all in a large area of old growth forestâ&#x20AC;Ś a spiritual retreat for me and whoever else is interested. Words: Tom Chudleigh 11

Jaakko Pernu Willow lives its fascinating life in ‘The Ground Beneath’ which was revealed 27 June 1996. Jaakko Pernu - visual artist (b 1958) from Oulu - created this work of art which is the most monumental and materially durable of Pernu’s works seen in Oulu. Willow keeps its original touch and character when it is worked with, it is easily workable and inexpensive. The structure of this work of art is tough and strong. The most important elements in this work are the scale and the organic material combined with the simple see-through shape. These elements create a sense of quiet struggle between the units that breathe very slowly and without a sound. The idea for ‘The Ground Beneath’ comes from the forest. The cubic frame is made from 25 woven willow poles that taper upwards. The material used is dried and unpeeled and joined together with the help of branches that are attached crosswise. The brances begin approximately three metres above the ground creating an atmosphere of a forest within a forest. The ‘The Ground Beneath’ (which is featured in the following pages) was created in the Oulu Artists’ Workshop, when Jaakko Pernu was working there for six months. It was located in Holstinpuisto park in Hietasaari, approximately 100 metres 2>;9 $-A4-:91@?- 2;>1?@ @;C->0? -8857->5 5: -: ;<1: ŋ180 .E Holstinsalmentie road. Size: 6 metres x 9.5 metres Material: willow, nails, screws Photograph: This page: Lisa Darlington Page 16 & 17: Jaakko Pernu (The Ground Beneath installation)

The Ground Beneath 16

Photograph: Michael Pohlman Niki Hastings-McFall Installation for Wunderruma Galerie Hanwerk Munich 2014. 18

Niki Hastings - McFall Fale Ula &>-:?2;>95:3 ;@1- %=A->1 -81 '8- 5? - :1C ?5@1 ?<1/5ŋ/ 5:?@-88-@5;: .E 575 -?@5:3?

McFall. Using synthetic lei, one of her signature materials, Hastings-McFall ‘polynises’ the green space of Aotea Square into a vibrant, living artwork based on the Samoan fale, creating a site of contemplation, relaxation, gathering and sharing. Incorporating an audience-responsive sound element Fale Ula breaks new ground for this renowned Auckland artist, and invites contemplation on the nature of our relationship with both the natural world and the urban environment. Complementing Fale Ula is a new installation work in the rear window wall of Q theatre. Commissioned by the Auckland Arts Festival Free Daily from 4-22 March 2015 At TimeOut Festival Garden Aotea Square Auckland City.

A Delicate Balance The Kauri Project - New Zealand Inhabiting the space where concepts of art, science and cultural knowledge intersect, The Kauri Project examines the relationship between people and landscape, focusing on our unique and threatened indigenous kauri forest ecology. Exploring how we â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;listenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and speak back to this environment, A Delicate Balance brings together artists from across the kauri region of Taranaki, Auckland and Northland. Free of charge at the Auckland Arts Festival 2015 Thursday 5 March - Sunday 19 April

Image: Will Ngakuru tilt 2014 installation view detail Courtesy Govett-Brewster Art Gallery Photo Bryan James 21

Immerse yourself in art Visit aaf.co.nz for details 22

4 - 22 MARCH 2015

Untitled Tree, Balloon. Installation 400x400x300 cm Myeongbeom Kim 23

Myeongbeom Kim I intend to describe my own experience in a placid manner, though private conversations with my surrounding environment. I try to examine how my surrounding is perceived and remembered. To do this, I listen to a whisper from objects within my surroundings. I attempt and imitate, private dialogue with the world, trying to concretely present the way other things approach me, by using other mediums. I mainly use heterogeneous objects. To ask what an objects means to me is like asking what being I am. I have consistently experienced my surrounding objects from the perspective of life, growth, and decline, which lends vitality to my work. I see my environment from the viewpoint of life. Myeongbeom Kim www.myeongbeomkim.com

Candle Mixed media 13 x 10 x 33 cm Myeongbeom Kim

Mia Hamilton Artist Mia remembers the daisy blanket her mum and dad made for her as a child. Dad sheared the sheep with the hand clippers and then spun the wool in the evenings. Whilst Mum made the daisies on an old wooden “bloom loom” and crocheted them together. Mia C-@/410 5: 2-?/5:-@5;: -? - ŋ180 ;2 daisies grew over her bed. “Daisy Blanket” is a supersized version of this crocheted blanket Mia had as a child. It makes a strong visual statement around the base of a feature tree or picnic blanket style on a grassy knoll overlooking the sea. For ‘SxS Bondi 2014’ Mia will make super sized daisies from plastic, on a giant wooden bloom loom. She will then crochet them together to form a giant blanket. The blanket 5? -0-<@10 @; @41 ?<1/5ŋ/ ->1- 5: which it is installed. This sculpture is based on a recollection of a childhood activity. The ‘daisy blanket’ is both universal and familiar, but made of strong contemporary materials. Scale is vital. The work is raw, honest and larger than life. 26

Daisy Blanket

headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF “french knitting” Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without. Taking care of what we have, including our Earth. In the far north, Farmer John calls in the haymaking contractors to turn the lush green grass into bales of hay. They wrap the hay in thousands of metres of green plastic called ‘baleage’. In winter John feeds out the hay to his cattle and removes the plastic baleage. He can’t quite bring himself to dump or burn the plastic, so he puts it in his barn and hopes that one day he will be able to recycle it... Meanwhile in Wellington, eco friendly artist Mia remembers ‘french knitting’ on an old wooden cotton reel as a child. For ‘headland Sculpture on the Gulf’ Mia will french knit mainly recycled baleage plastic on three

giant cotton reels. The reels will be made from large industrial cable reels. Approximately 200 hours of knitting will be required to achieve 3 knitted ropes. The ropes - still attached to the reels - will wind round a large pohutukawa tree and 05?-<<1-> ;Ŋ 0;C: @41 4588 @;C->0? the water. This sculpture is based on a recollection of a childhood activity. My mission with this work is to evoke a smile of recognition, an ‘I used to do that’ response, whilst reminding viewers of the fragility of our world. The ‘french knitting’ is both universal and familiar, but made of strong contemporary materials. Scale is vital. The work is raw, honest and larger than life. Mia Hamilton

Redwoods Treehouse

Have you ever tried to make a house in a tree to escape from the world, meet with friends to discuss secrets of the latest adventure or hide from pesky relatives? Tree houses are a symbol of creativity, imagination and freedom. Children and adults - need to have a quiet place where they can hide and gain peace or restoration. "1@1> 5?5:3 2>;9 "-/5Ĺ&#x2039;/ :B5>;:91:@? went more than one step further when he designed the Redwoods Tree House. There is no doubt that it is one of the most wonderful structures to be found in a forest around the world but what makes it 1B1: .1@@1> 5? @4-@ E;A /-: 1D<1>51:/1 Ĺ&#x2039;:1 dining up in the canopy of redwoods and be treated like an adult while nourishing your inner child.

Built in 2008 for a Yellow Pages marketing campaign, the 12m-high Treehouse was open to the public for a limited time as a restaurant. Now the world-acclaimed venue is open as an exclusive venue for private hire. The Redwoods Treehouse is a prestigious venue for corporate events and functions, product launches, cocktail evenings, Christmas work parties or special celebrations. With a focus on quality, guests are treated to a unique and unforgettable experience in the treetops. The multi-award winning structure has created a buzz all around the world, appearing in international press and over 2000 blogs and websites in the past six years. It is is located in a privately owned, mature Redwoods forest in New Zealand, 45 minutes north of Auckland in Warkworth. The stunning sky-high venue can accommodate 30 guests for a sit-down meal or 50 for a stand-up function. &41 /4>E?-85? ?4-<10 ?@>A/@A>1 5? Ĺ&#x2039;@@10 C5@4 >;88

down vertical blinds and internal heaters for E1-> >;A:0 -B-58-.585@E @ ;Ĺ&#x160;1>? -9<81 <->75:3 and a newly built industrial kitchen. A variety of transport and accommodation options are available in nearby Warkworth. For enquiries or more information, please check out the Redwoods Treehouse website: www.redwoodstreehouse.co.nz

What about the trees? The tree inside and providing structure for the Redwood Treehouse is in a forest grown for milling, using timber recognised for their qualities – a fast growing and renewable resource. The structural building systems and materials - using a glue-laminated system - means that is has the lowest energy requirements for its 9-:A2-/@A>1 ?53:5ŋ/-:@8E >10A/5:3 @41 A?1 ;2 2;??58 fuels and pollution of our environment compared to other materials and systems. It also minimises wastage as smaller trees and the timbers can be used and they have minimal upkeep. Poplar (which was used for the smaller secondary slats) is a tree grown in NZ as shelter belts and has little or no commercial value or maturity. Redwood is grown and milled on site and used for the cladding of the lengthy walkway. In addition, the building is only reliant on energy for lighting and cooking. It has been designed for photovoltaic collectors if required and to collect roof water for harvesting. However, water is collected from a local spring and catchment on the site. On completion of it’s current use, it is fully demountable for potential reuse if required. "4;@;3>-<4? "-/5ŋ/ :B5>;:91:@? >/45@1/@? 36

Photograph: Tod Scrubbs 38

Thirst Located on Lady Bird Lake, in Austin Texas, THIRST memorialized the loss of the over 300 million trees that died in the drought of 2011 and acknowledged the devastating impact that changes in weather patterns have had (and still have) on Austin. THIRST was also to sound a call to action for conservation and sustainability. This installation was a collaboration between Beili Liu (lead visual artist), Norma Yancey and Emily Little (architects) and Cassie Bergstrom (landscape architect) and the tree was a drought-killed Cedar Elm painted white and placed in the water. Liu stated “With its root reaching but not touching water, the tree visualised life’s dependency on water. It is a physical and tangible reminder of the urgency of our water crisis, which may sometimes seem distant to our daily lives.” “THIRST on Lady Bird Lake”, cedar elm, paint, metal & LED lighting. Photograph by Tod Scrubbs.

Treehotel Why not create a hotel that gives people a chance to experience nature amongst the tree-tops, while also providing a uniquely designed housing experience? These questions led to the creation of Treehotel in Harads – a place where nature, ecological values, comfort and modern design are combined for an exciting adventure. &>114;@18 C-? 5:?<5>10 .E @41 ŋ89 s&41 &>11 ;B1>s by Jonas Selberg Augustsen. It’s a tale of three men from the city who want to go back to their roots by building a tree house together. “The Tree Lover” is a <458;?;<45/ ?@;>E -.;A@ @41 ?53:5ŋ/-:/1 ;2 @>11? 2;> us human beings. &41 501- .145:0 &>114;@18 5? @; ;Ŋ1> 4534 ?@-:0->0 accommodation in a harmonious place where daily stress melts away. Guests can relax and renew their energy while surrounded by unspoiled nature. Together with some of Scandinavia’s leading architects, Kent and Britta created the uniquely designed “treerooms.” The rooms are suspended 4-6 meters above ground - all with spectacular views of the Lule River. A very important part of their concept is to consider ecological values and make minimal environmental impact. For this reason they devote considerable >1?;A>/1? @; ŋ:05:3 ?A?@-5:-.81 /;:?@>A/@5;: -:0 energy solutions.

41 Photograph: Peter Lundstrom, WDO

We build our treerooms in the natural forest while hardly -Ŋ1/@5:3 @41 ?A>>;A:05:3? )1 /4;;?1 9-@1>5-8 -:0 construction techniques that make as little environmental impact as possible. We build on live trees without destroying the tree and we do not chop down any trees or damage nature while building. Mostly we use local construction companies. )1 4-B1 /4;?1: -: 1/; ;A@0;;> C;;0 Ō;;> C45/4 0;1?:Ţ@ contain any chemical substances. The wood is heated to over 200 degrees, which triggers their intrinsic resistance to protect against destruction. The treerooms all have good insulation and are warmed up .E A:01>Ō;;> 41-@5:3 &41 181/@>5/5@E 5? ?A<<8510 8;/-88E from green hydroelectric power. And the lighting consists of low-energy LED-systems. Daily operations have minimal impact on nature as well. The treerooms have no sewage system and when cleaning, we always use eco-friendly products. Each room has a modern, environmentally friendly combustion toilet where everything is incinerated at 600 °C. The toilets are completely odourless and powered by electricity. The Mirrorcube, on the other hand, has a freezing-toilet, also electrically powered and completely odourless. In winter, it also contributes to heating. -@4>;;9? 4-B1 C-@1> 1ő/51:@ ?5:7? C5@4 >A::5:3 C-@1> ?Aő/51:@ 2;> C-?45:3 4-:0? 2-/1 -:0 .>A?45:3 @11@4 88 wastewater is collected in a container that is emptied daily. Showers are located in a separate building. Britta and Kent Lindvall

Photograph: Fredrik Broman, Human Spectra 42

Photograph: Peter Lundstrom, WDO

Treehotel is located in Sweden - in Harads - near the Lule river and is about 100 kilometers from Luleå airport. The village has a population of about 600 and features a restaurant, shop and guest house. When you arrive at Treehotel, you check in at Britta’s Pensionat. Then it’s just a short stroll through the beautiful natural scenery to your treeroom. &41 9;?@ ?@>575:3 <->@ ;2 ->-0? 5? 5@? 9-3:5ŋ/1:@ ?A>>;A:05:3? >;9 &>114;@18p? >;;9? E;A 31@ - 2-:@-?@5/ view of the Lule River valley, miles of forest and the powerful river. Treehotel is located in the boreal forest and there are many ways to get there - other than a car. You can take a guided tour through the Swedish Lapland, a snowmobile safari or you can helicopter in or land in your own private jet.

Photograph: Fredrik Broman, Human Spectra

At Treehotel you can experience the charm of all four seasons, regardless of whether you like speed -:0 -0B1:@A>1 ;> @>-:=A585@E -:0 @591 2;> >1Ō1/@5;: D<1>51:/1 @41 .1-A@52A8 C5:@1> C5@4 5@? ?@->7 contrasts of dark skies against glistening white snow or an action-packed dog sled ride through the frozen landscape, or a calm and quiet snowshoe hike in pursuit of the magic and the myth of the northern lights. Ice melts and greenery explodes after the long sleep of winter. You can experience the arrival of summer and its bright nights while on horseback, moutainbike, or peacefully by foot. During the most colourful of seasons, it’s a rare experience to paddle a kayak along the historic Lule River and 1:6;E @41 -A@A9:p? 2>1?4 /81-: -5> :0 2;> @4;?1 C4; 8571 ŋ?45:3 @41>1 5? -//1?? @; 3;;0 ŋ?45:3 waters all year around. 45

Founders Britta started her career as a nurse and project manager within healthcare. After 20 years in the healthcare industry Britta’s love for Harads drove her into working with provincial development. One thing led to another and since 2004 Britta has run, that’s right – Britta’s guesthouse. Lately most of Brittas days are spent managing Treehotel. Motto: It’s going to work out, do it! 1:@ 5? @41 <-@4ŋ:01> C4; ?C5@/410 from the educational system to adventure tourism. What started with guiding ?@A01:@? @A>:10 5:@; 3A505:3 ŋ?45:3

1:@4A?5-?@? ;: ŌE ŋ?45:3 @>5<? -88 ->;A:0 the world. Kent too has worked with provincial development for many years, which he combined with being a part time ŋ>19-: B1: @;0-E 1:@ <A@? ;A@ ŋ>1? | .;@4 85@1>-88E -:0 ŋ3A>-@5B18E ?<1-75:3 Kent handles marketing and is the vice president of Treehotel. Motto: It’s never to late to give up! For more information about Treehotel check out their website www.treehotel.se

Photographs: Peter Lundstrom, WDO Facing Page: Top Left: Fredrik Broman, Human Spectra Below Left and Right: Peter Lundstrom, WDO 47

They paved paradise And put up a parking lot They took all the trees Put ’em in a tree museum And they charged the people A dollar and a half just to see ’em Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got ’Til it’s gone...’