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Design

Sun-Worshipping Treehouse Combines Architecture with Nature

The Sun Path House in Miami harnesses the power of the sun to foster health and vitality in its inhabitants.
© Casey Kelbaugh, all images courtesy Studio Christian Wassmann

Inspired by the power of the sun and its ability to foster vitality and health in its inhabitants, architect Christian Wassmann's Sun Path House, created for NY restaurateur Frank Prisinzano, is a renovated 1930's Spanish bungalow for which a concrete spiral "treehouse" has been erected in its backyard. The structure is considered the “spine of the project” and is at once “functional and sculptural.”

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The ground level of the spiral is open and contains a round dining table that faces the original bungalow. Up the staircase, which leads into the direction of the sun, is the second-floor bedroom, surrounded by vines that drape across the glass windows. The spiral theme is continued with a round bed against a round wall, and a bathroom hidden behind the spiral. But the third floor is truly the work of art: this is the solarium, whose curved wall maps the sun’s exact path on the summer solstice. The wall is strategically placed to block the wind, allowing for a comfortable and calming experience for the homeowner. Experiencing the power of the sun in content solitude within the elements, Wassmann says, “the user is able to identify an experience that is distinct from the banal. The highlighted interaction with the cosmos becomes exceptional.” The house simultaneously worships the sun, and harnesses its power to create an exceptional center of living.

Click here to learn more about Christian Wassmann.

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