A Bit of History: The Early Years

Growing up I always had a fascination with small spaces and spent a great deal of time building and enhancing these spaces. It started with a cardboard box fort after the purchase of the family's first 1980's big screen TV. The fascination then progressed to a clubhouse in the garage rafters, followed by an elaborate multi-story treehouse in the ravine near my childhood house, and then the conversion of my High School Ford Bronco into a highly functional Basecamp for the frequent back country adventures. The Bronco project took advantage of the removable backseat  and replced it with a fold down platform for a full size bed. Under the platform were drawers for climbing gear along with dedicated space for a cooler, camp stove, and cooking supplies, all rounded out with 12 volt lighting to aid in gearing up for early morning summit attempts or after dark dinner preparation. It was truly this teenage boy's dream machine and took young adventurers on many memorable trips. Throughout college my adventures continued and I spent many nights camped out deep in the backcountry in areas like Moab and Yosemite living simply and exploring widely.
Always in search of yet another adventure, I landed a grant and opportunity to spend 5 months on the island of Rarotonga in the South Pacific during my final year at the University of Oregon.  My job was to aid in efforts to control the invaisives species population wrecking havoc on the natural ecosystem and document my experience as a budding photojournalist. As a developing nation, the Cook Islands didnt provide all of the modern conveniences of home and I took this new way of living as a challenge. Water had to be boiled daily for drinking, power from a diesel generator was often shut down, laundry was done by hand, and it was typical for staples like flour and bread to run out until the next ship arrived from New Zealand. I was also very taken with the simplicity of the way of life led by many of the 'substistence' farmers on the island who harvested Taro, Papaya, and Mango for local consumption.

Opening the Flow of Inspiration

What intrigues me most about small spaces is the need to ask the question, "what is really important in life". In the era of most Americans living in homes with closet space in excess of the total living space in other countries, the idea of small spaces is somewhat of a novelty. Although, the emerging focus on more sustainable living has brought about an innovative spirit by exploring how much space we actually need to be healthy and happy. A trend in Seattle right now is the "Apodment" with its few hundred square feet and minimal amenities, it is designed for the on-the-go single person who just needs the bare essentials. IKEA even now has a display of everything you need for living in that small of a space. Somehow, these spaces can feel comfortable, cozy, and oddly spacious all at the same time.
With the prospect of a 300-400 square foot treehouse for a family of four that provides enough indoor space to visit year-round in the Pacific Northwest, playing with layouts became an exciting form of problem solving and creative expression.

Visions of a Tiny House in the Woods

For nearly 50 years, my family has owned property along Hood Canal, an off shoot of Puget Sound, looking out to the Olympic National Park. The idea of building another structure to compliment the 1930's cabin has been discussed for decades as a way to expand the opportunity for our extended family to use the property.

One day last April I was exploring the upland forest when my 6 year-old daughter and I started talking about tree forts and zip lines. With my work as a sustainability consultant, I immediately started thinking about how we could fulfill the desire to build another structure on the property and use the principles of Low Impact Development and net zero energy/water. The impact of putting in a road and foundation in the pristine upland area of the property would be significant, but carrying in materials and building a suspended structure would be both gentle on the natural environment and a thrilling challenge.

So explorations began. Over the next few months I investigated sites, drafted and redrafted plans, researched the basics of building a habitable treehouse, and got thoroughly inspired in the process. In June the majority of the family came out for a weekend at Hood Canal to do some annual maintenance and we collectively explored the idea. It was met with both interest and skepticism, mostly about the feasibility and how it might change the use and feel of what has remained virtually unchanged for 50 years. In my mind it is progress and helping to build our future legacy on the property in a responsible and environmentally sensitive manner.