Treehotel | Where Architecture Meets the Swedish Forest

Treehotel | Where Architecture Meets the Swedish Forest
A Unique Forest Retreat Designed for People and Wildlife

What if your next vacation brought you closer to nature—not only through the forest around you, but also through the architecture you stay in? In northern Sweden, Treehotel offers a different way to experience the relationship between people, buildings, and the natural world.

A Different Way to Experience the Forest

Imagine waking up among tall trees, listening to birds singing, and looking out over a peaceful forest landscape.

In northern Sweden, this experience becomes possible at Treehotel, a collection of unique cabins surrounded by the natural beauty of Swedish Lapland.

The region is known for its wide forests, rich wildlife, and changing seasons. Its cold climate and natural surroundings have also influenced local building traditions, where materials such as wood and stone have long played an important role.

Rather than separating visitors from the outdoors, Treehotel brings architecture into the forest, creating spaces where modern design and nature can exist together.

Treehotel: Cabins Designed Around Nature

Unlike traditional hotels, Treehotel features a collection of individually designed cabins, each offering a different architectural experience.

Some structures are suspended among the trees, while others take inspiration from natural forms, including bird nests.

Each cabin has its own appearance and relationship with the surrounding landscape. By combining creative architectural ideas with modern construction methods, Treehotel allows guests to experience the forest from a new perspective.

The goal is not simply to provide accommodation, but to create a closer connection between visitors and their natural surroundings.

Biosphere: A Hotel Room Surrounded by Birdhouses

One of Treehotel's most remarkable additions is Biosphere, designed by the Danish architecture firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) in collaboration with Swedish ornithologist Ulf Öhman.

The project introduces an unusual concept: a hotel room surrounded by 350 birdhouses. Positioned among the pine trees near Harads, these birdhouses form a distinctive outer layer around the cabin, creating an appearance similar to a small community of bird nests.

From a distance, Biosphere looks like a structure designed for both humans and birds.
This design reflects BIG's interest in bringing architecture and ecological responsibility together.

Instead of creating a building only for human comfort, Biosphere explores how a modern hotel room can also provide space for local wildlife.

Why Does Biosphere Include 350 Birdhouses?

The birdhouses are not simply decorative elements. They respond to a real environmental concern.

According to research referenced by Ulf Öhman and the Northern Botten Bird Association, several bird species in Sweden's Norrbotten region have experienced population declines.

One contributing factor is the loss of natural tree cavities, which many birds depend on for nesting and reproduction.

By installing 350 birdhouses around the cabin, Biosphere aims to provide additional nesting opportunities and support local bird populations.

Climate change also creates new challenges for wildlife.

Changes in insect populations and seasonal timing can affect the availability of food for birds. When insects and birds follow different seasonal patterns, some species may struggle to find enough food during important periods.

During the long northern winters, certain resident birds may also benefit from additional feeding support.

Through its design, Biosphere brings attention to these ecological challenges and encourages visitors to consider the needs of wildlife alongside human activities.

When Architecture Becomes Part of the Ecosystem

Treehotel offers more than an unusual place to spend the night.

Its cabins demonstrate how architecture can respond to a natural setting instead of simply occupying it.

The surrounding trees, changing seasons, forest views, and sounds of wildlife all become part of the guest experience.

Biosphere takes this idea further by introducing a building feature designed to support birds as well as people.

It shows that architectural design can consider more than appearance and comfort. Buildings can also create opportunities to support biodiversity and strengthen people's understanding of the environment.

The result is a different relationship between architecture and nature—one where the forest is not merely a beautiful background, but an important part of the design itself.

A New Perspective on Nature and Sustainable Design

From traditional timber construction to modern treehouse architecture, wood and forests have long influenced the way people build.

Treehotel continues this relationship through creative design that respects its natural surroundings.

Biosphere adds another dimension by showing how architecture can help raise awareness of local ecosystems and wildlife conservation.

Together, these projects remind us that thoughtful design begins with understanding the environment in which a building stands.

TFSI believes that understanding natural materials is an important part of responsible construction. We provide professional timber solutions, material recommendations, and customized processing services to support different architectural and construction needs.

Project Information
Project Name: BIOSPHERE
Date: February 2, 2022
Type: Hotel
Area: 34m²
Collaborative Heads: Bjarke Ingels, João Albuquerque
Project Managers: Geoffrey Eberle, Angel Barreno Gutiérrez
Architect: Francisco Abajo Duran
Team Members: Eszter Olah, Ragna Nordstrom, Pawel Marjanski

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Reference:
https://treehotel.se/treerooms/biosphere/