Theme Song: “Stairway to Heaven,”  Led Zeplin

When I was a kid, I loved to daydream about building the ultimate treehouse. I would bet there are many others like me. Disney thought so when they built the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse at Disney World. Unfortunately, my dreams were never realized – until now.

Our plan from the beginning was to build a private island resort in Bocas Del Toro, Panama that is unique to the world. It is easy to say, but the world is a big place. Pinterest is chocked full of inspirational ideas but piggybacking on an existing idea just was not good enough. So, we came up with our own idea of building a sandy beach on stilts over the water. It is currently under construction and as far as we know it is the first in the world. We will not be the first resort in the world to offer treehouse lodging, but we are determined to make our luxury treehouse guest experience out of this world.

Confession time – we combed the internet high and low, including Pinterest, to find a treehouse design. If you are still a kid at heart, you might want to do the same. There are some spectacular treehouses out there. We did find a treehouse lodge in Thailand that had much of what we were looking for (see the picture below.) Using it as our model we set to work with architects to design our own version. After three architects and several drawings we were back to square one. The treehouse drawings were beautiful, but not unique to the world.

A few months went by until a friend named Dhamitha emailed me a TED Talk by Elora Hardy from IBUKU entitled,  “Magical Houses, Made of Bamboo”. The first time I viewed the TED Talk I knew immediately that I wanted Elora Hardy to design our treehouses. Her designs are stunning and unlike anything I have ever seen. I reached out to IBUKU, located in Bali, Indonesia the next day and after about a month of qualifying our project we were honored with Elora taking it on personally.

For the past six months we experienced a design process that is beyond anything we could have imagined. The care, passion, and details that Elora and every member of her team have put into the creative process is mind boggling. For example, they studied the wind direction, light changes from morning until evening, and view potential for optimal placement of the treehouses. The treehouses are being designed using innovative approaches to natural materials throughout which provides our guests with a connection to nature. IBUKU’s overall goal is to create a sense of wonder.

The illustrated pictures below provide a glimpse of the Bocas del Toro Treehouse design in IBUKU’s own words.

Ground Floor

Welcoming Nature and Architecture – A pair of Balinese handcrafted hanging chairs are suspended over the private garden. Here, we can sit in the embrace of Bali bamboo hanging chair, floating over nature, looking out into the mangrove preservation.

First Floor

Bedroom Enclosure – We step into the bedroom, feeling our feet leave the rough wood for the smooth bamboo floors, opposite a canabrava ceiling. The view outside surrounds the room, and when all the windows are open, we become part of the view, standing at the railing. – IBUKU

As we step outside to the jungle shower, a sliver of roof reaches out from the house to shelter us. The familiar feeling of the rough timber warms our feet while the friendly sight of dancing curves entices them toward the bath. The curving screen gives privacy and allows for a view in the shower. In the tub, a small porthole pivots open to peek out into the landscape below.

Second Floor

Living Room – At the top of the stairs, the high ceilings raise our spirits. Bamboo poles soar overhead, crisscrossing and sheltering the room. The texture underfoot changes in this space, where outside and inside bleed together and blend to a wonderful experience. We feel connected with nature, surrounded by wood textures and bamboo furnishings. The experience is nourishing to the mind and soul. – IBUKU

Bocas del Toro Treehouse

We are thrilled with the treehouse designs, but much of the hard work lies ahead. Bamboo and hardwoods that cannot be sourced in Panama will be imported from South America, Costa Rica, and Indonesia. Most of the custom furniture has been recommended by IBUKU and is being built at Bamboo Pure in Bali. Once the designs are completed and the materials have arrived it will take several months to build our first treehouse.

One last confession – I have withheld some of the best treehouse design features so that you will have many surprises to look forward to. The first two treehouses will be completed during April 2022.

What interesting features would you add to a treehouse? Do you have a favorite treehouse memory as a kid?