one of my favourite books

5 Comments

1. Sarah
   Posted April 19, 2010 at 10:11 am | Permalink

   It’s so strange to see this out of my own world … I’ve obsessively poured over this book thousands of times. I think it’s informed my whole life, on some level, from design to personal values. Have you seen its companion, “Handmade Houses, a guide to the woodbutcher’s art”? Also, “Living Spaces” by Wise and Friedman-Weiss is a lesser known but also lovely little book. Thank you for your wonderful blog.

2. colchu
   Posted April 20, 2010 at 2:18 pm | Permalink

   Thanks Sarah. I did have a copy of the Woodbutcher’s guide but I have somehow misplaced it… either left it in my cabin or lent it to someone. I will be sure to keep my eye out for Living Places (found out it’s Places not Spaces when I googled it). I usually find a few of these types of books at the Times Colonist book swap here in Victoria but it has been postponed this year so I guess I’ll have to miss it. What better dream than of a handmade house?

3. Otiena
   Posted April 30, 2010 at 5:03 pm | Permalink

   Funny how treehouses (and other nostalgic-type places) are becoming so popular. I keep wondering what that means about society… have we idealized the past, or was it actually like what we imagine?

   I actually wrote an article about treehouses for an online magazine.
   You can read the article here if you’re interested: http://www.cheekmagazine.com/Cheek15_LIVE/Cheek15_HTML/TreeHouse1.html

   I interviewed a hotel owner on Van Island. He owns Spirit Spheres, maybe you’ve heard of it. Wooden balls strung from trees, like a covered hammock.

   Beautiful pictures. I would really like to check out that book sometime. I read a lot of books about treehouses during my research phase for the article, but missed the one you mention.

4. Otiena
   Posted April 30, 2010 at 5:04 pm | Permalink

   Also, what’s the Times Colonist book swap you speak of?

5. colchu
   Posted May 5, 2010 at 10:29 pm | Permalink

   The Times Colonist book swap is the biggest cheapest used book event in Victoria… you should be able to catch it still. Sometime in late May I think. Worth the wait in line.

   And yes, the free spirit spheres look so amazing. I have been meaning to post about them forever. I was so excited when I first came across them a couple years ago, and then they were in Lloyd Kahn’s Builders of the Pacific Coast… I will have to make a trip to go see them some day soon. Always thought a night in a sphere would be a good wedding present or something.

   Tree houses are like blanket forts. Close, musty, they make you pause and consider how absurd it is that you are all grown up and still hiding under a chair or perched in a tree. I think I’ll take mine shabby and wooden and potentially unsafe. They should be a place of chaos.