**1. Historical and Prehistoric Perspectives:**
– Evidence of prehistoric human-made tree houses is lacking.
– Archaic humans may have lived in trees until around 40,000 years ago.
– Skeletal changes due to human bipedalism evolution began over four million years ago.
– Early bipedal hominins may have retained tree-climbing abilities.
– The Savannah hypothesis explains early human adaptation to ground life.
**2. Indigenous and Modern Tree House Practices:**
– Indigenous people build tree houses for safety from ground dangers.
– Korowai people in Papua construct tree houses for protection.
– Modern tree houses serve various purposes like play, accommodation, and eco-friendly housing.
– Tree houses are part of the living architecture movement.
– Tree houses in forested areas help preserve trees by eliminating the need for clearing.
**3. Support Methods and Technology:**
– Techniques exist to minimize tree damage when attaching structures.
– Support methods include struts, stilts, stay rods, and fasteners like friction and tension devices.
– Invasive methods like nails and screws require careful planning to reduce stress.
– Treehouse attachment bolts, developed in the 1990s, can support heavier weights.
**4. Tree House Construction and Design:**
– Various support options are available for tree house construction.
– Considerations between tree house attachment bolts and Garnier limbs.
– Safety concerns and dangerous design aspects in tree house construction.
– Professional construction companies cater to tree house building needs.
– Resources available for parents and adults interested in building tree houses.
**5. Notable Occupants, Designs, and Controversies:**
– Notable tree house occupants like Julia Butterfly Hill and Papuan tribes.
– Different designs and features of tree houses, including accommodation specifics.
– Tree house depictions in media, literature, and glamping ventures.
– Controversies around tree houses, such as eviction challenges and BBC’s admission of faked scenes.
– Evolution of tree houses from tribal necessity to modern architectural interest.
A tree house, tree fort or treeshed, is a platform or building constructed around, next to or among the trunk or branches of one or more mature trees while above ground level. Tree houses can be used for recreation, work space, habitation, a hangout space and observation. People occasionally connect ladders or staircases to get up to the platforms.
Definition from ChatGPT:
Tree house:
A tree house is a structure built in the branches of a tree, typically used as a play area or living space. It is usually constructed by building a platform or small house in the branches of a sturdy tree, providing a unique and elevated space for various activities.