CONCRETE TREE HOUSE - ARCHITECTURAL JEWEL IN THE FOREST (PART II)
 

Nov 9 2007 - ArroDesign of Waitsfield, Vermont, recently completed an all-concrete tree house in the woods.

Sandy Lawton, President of Arro Design, is a true innovator with concrete, using fabric extensively to achieve remarkable architectural features.

This project incorporates fabric column forms, fabric walls, fabric suspended slabs and fabric lintels.

Full height 29' columns were formed with Fast-Tube™.

See the beautiful textured finish with Fast-Tube™, perfect for the tree house.

Fast-Tube™ fabric column forms

Arro used Fast-Tube™ to avoid the unsightly spiral lines of cardboard column forms. "This is an amazing product", confirmed Sandy. "We were able to pour 29' columns with a single form and obtained a beautiful textured finish."

Click here for installation details of 29' Fast-Tube fabric column forms.

1x2 strips were supported by a stud wall framework, then lined with fabric.

The undulating concrete ceiling has also been formed with fabric.

A warm rusticated finish is obtained from the fabric wall formwork.

Fabric wall and slab formwork

Arro stapled woven PE fabric over 1x2 strips bent on the inside of a stud frame support structure for a rusticated wall finish.

Note the ceiling has also been formed by draping fabric over temporary support beams.

Note the cantilevered stair treads and unique steel railing enhancing the appearance of the tree house.

The lintel forms were lined with uncoated fabric.

Note the smooth edging of the column lintels obtained by using fabric.

Fabric lintel forms

To avoid the harsh corners of conventional rigid forms, Arro lined the lintel beam forms joining the tops of the four 29' concrete columns with fabric.

'Bear' completes final inspection of the suspended walkway formwork prior to placing concrete.

The curved concrete walkway joins the main residence to the rusticated tree house.

Suspended walkway

To join the tree house with the main residence, a suspended curved concrete walkway was formed with conventional forms and Fast-Tube™ column forms.

An award for "Excellence in Architecture" was given out at the Annual meeting and Design Awards Presentations of the American Institute of Architects, Vermont Chapter in the Landscape Category for this project. Click here for details.

As well, the project was feature on the cover on Concrete Decor. Click here for details.

For more information on this artistic architectural use of fabric formwork, contact Sandy Lawton, ArroDesign, (802)496-3234, or Rick Fearn, Fab-Form Industries, (888) 303-3278.