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The Hemloft

A Secret Tree House in the Woods

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A love for the mountains
A love for the mountains
Old Man John tending his homestead
Old Man John tending his homestead
My first job in Software
My first job in Software
Studying hard, to graduate from UVic
Studying hard, to graduate from UVic
Joe hired me to help build his house. Yes, that's right, this is his foundation.
Joe hired me to help build his house. Yes, that’s right, this is his foundation.
My first project - 1 week of 12 hour days
My first project – 1 week of 12 hour days
Old Man John, friend, mentor
Old Man John, friend, mentor
Showering before work.
Showering before work.
Prime sport sleeping location.
Prime sport sleeping location.
Me, working in the kitchen
Me, working in the kitchen
Mark's final rendering. Check out more of Mark's work here.
Mark’s final rendering. Check out more
of Mark’s work here.
Mark and Jayne, talented designers.
Mark and Jayne, talented designers.
I drew my treehouse in the sand
I drew my treehouse in the sand
Free-range Ryan, fixing muffler on his home
Free-range Ryan, fixing muffler on his home
The Shed I built for my parents
The Shed I built for my parents
Old Man John's House that he built
Old Man John’s House that he built
The 1/4 scale model I built to test strength. I also made adjustments to proportions.
The 1/4 scale model I built to test strength.
I also made adjustments to proportions.
The chosen one.
The chosen one.
My treehouse wasn't the only cabin in the neighborhood.
My treehouse wasn’t the only cabin in the
neighborhood.
Many days walking through the woods
Many days walking through the woods
Always a trace of humans nearby
Always a trace of humans nearby
The search for a tree begins...
The search for a tree begins…
My trusty home/car/truck
My trusty home/car/truck
View from treehouse deck.
View from treehouse deck.
Heavy and cumbersome.
Heavy and cumbersome.
The scaffolding plank that almost killed me (bottom of photo).
The scaffolding plank that almost killed me (bottom of photo).
Ribs were built out of 2ft segments.
Ribs were built out of 2ft segments.
12 hours or work per rib.
12 hours or work per rib.
The top of the rib was fastened to the tree with big hinges.
The top of the rib was fastened to the tree with big hinges.
Prototype rib - a little awkward to carry.
Prototype rib – a little awkward to carry.
Tada! A level deck... harder than it looks.
Tada! A level deck… harder than it looks.
Trying to figure out a level line around the tree with a string.
Trying to figure out a level line around the
tree with a string.

The long cleat pivoted to work as lever.
The long cleat pivoted to work as lever.
I'd raise one rib per evening, after work.
I’d raise one rib per evening, after work.
This stump served as the access point for the treehouse.
This stump served as the access point for
the treehouse.
Fabricating ribs at Joe's, after work.
Fabricating ribs at Joe’s, after work.

The walls starting to close in...
The walls starting to close in…
In fall 2010, Heidi and I moved into a suite. What luxury, my car living days were over!
In fall 2010, Heidi and I moved into a suite.
What luxury, my car living days were over!
Bruno, meeting kids in Radovlica.
Bruno, meeting kids in Radovlica.

Ash hardwood floor.
Ash hardwood floor.
The materials start rolling in.
The materials start rolling in.
In the winter of 2009, I was hired by Mark to help him frame and finish the interior of this cool home that he designed. Check out more of Mark's work here.
In the winter of 2009, I was hired by Mark to help him frame and finish the interior of this cool home that he designed. Check out more of Mark’s work here.
The kamikaze endurance racer, John Markez.
The kamikaze endurance racer, John Markez.
Bruno seized, in the wee hours.
Bruno seized, in the wee hours.
Heidi helping on the roof, fall 2010.
Heidi helping on the roof, fall 2010.
Meeting Heidi.
Meeting Heidi.
The couch I scored for free. The Craigslist rampage begins...
The couch I scored for free. The Craigslist rampage begins…

The house I was building for Sven, summer 2010.
The house I was building for Sven, summer 2010.
Stripping the treehouse down for Olympics..
Stripping the treehouse down for Olympics..
Heidi and I getting an early start in May. We had to scribe these hatch pieces on site, and then cut the curves off site with power tools.
Heidi and I getting an early start in May. We had to scribe these hatch pieces on site, and then cut the curves off site with power tools.

Heidi, working in the loft
Heidi, working in the loft
Starting to take shape.
Starting to take shape.
We tried to keep this kind of activity to a minimum.
We tried to keep this kind of activity to a minimum.
The siding going up.
The siding going up.
Fabricating a sliding glass door out of reclaimed materials at Sven's.
Fabricating a sliding glass door out of reclaimed materials at Sven’s.
Towards the end, I had to splice a lot of material to get the lengths I needed.
Towards the end, I had to splice a lot of material to get the lengths I needed.
Another nice evening.
Another nice evening.
We camped across Canada and then down to New York, where we met Benita.
We camped across Canada and then down to New York, where we met Benita.

Heidi and I mesmerised by The Big Apple.
Heidi and I mesmerised by The Big Apple.
My treehouse is featured in the April Special Outdoor Edition of Dwell Magazine!
My treehouse is featured in the April Special Outdoor Edition of Dwell Magazine!
The inviolable beauty of the forest.
The inviolable beauty of the forest.
Benita, giving advice on which $80,000 ring to buy.
Benita, giving advice on which $80,000
ring to buy.
The treehouse sitting there untouched since we had left in in July.
The treehouse sitting there untouched since we had left in in July.

Doing some landscaping outside.
Doing some landscaping outside.