Long Life, Loose Fit
Narrative:
Located within the heart of the Summit Bechtel Reserve, the Treehouse is designed as a long-term, permanent facility that sets the standard for sustainable design and stewardship for the site. The Summit serves as the new permanent home for the Jamboree, which is held during an intensive two-week period every four years and attended by up to 50,000 scouts and volunteers. In addition, the site also hosts annual events and local school and educational/recreational programs throughout the year. This pattern of concentrated, intensive summer use, intermittent swing-season use, and winterization provided an unusual design challenge for the project. In response, the Treehouse accommodates summer crowding, small group use during the spring/fall, and ‘hibernation’ during the winter. During the summer, the Treehouse is opened to capture natural breezes and shaded by the surrounding tree canopy. During spring and fall, windows and vents are calibrated to achieve interior comfort. Solar and wind power provide minimal heating when needed during the swing seasons and winter hibernation.