We've seen a lot of sweet treehouses in our day, but never one with a remote-controlled drawbridge! Jono Williams got together with a group of friends to build this high tech
"Best Hut" treehouse in New Zealand, but this isn't the first time the 24 year old engineer/graphic designer has relived his childhood with such a fun project. In fact, this is his 10th treehouse and counting, and it's one of the most sophisticated. Built almost completely out of
recycled materials, the 12 meter square hut has a rainwater harvesting system, a hot water heater, a gas-heated bath,
LED lighting, and - did we mention this already? - a radio-controlled drawbridge. Plus it only cost $1,500 to build. Check out a youtube clip of the bridge after the jump.
Jono explained to us in an email that when he was a kid he used to source his salvaged materials in sometimes not-so-legal ways (like from the neighbor’s yard) but now he says he uses Facebook to ask friends for any scraps they have lying around. But don’t be concerned because this tree hut is completely structurally sound thanks to computer simulated stress calculations.
A licensed builder, Jono’s brother provided help with the walls and plaster, and no permits were necessary since the team stayed within New Zealand’s legal restrictions for treehouses. But for us, the most exciting feature of this project – apart from the fact that it is so beautifully tucked away in the towering trees – is a drawbridge that was built out of recycled timber and mechanized with an upcycled gate motor! When asked what he would say to anyone thinking about building a treehouse, Jono said, “Choose a tree, acquire some materials and get building! Once you get up there and started you won’t want to stop!”
If you love high-flying tree houses like we do and want to see how one gets done, check out Jono’s blog for a step by step look at how this awesome project took shape.
+ Jono Williams
Might be your best writing I have seen!
Awesome stuff !! I Wish I would use these guys to build something like this in India……..
Why not make your own?