February 15.2023
Masks Architects The Italian design firm wants to help you live out your treehouse fantasies while also doing something good for the environment. They intend to build ‘Baobab’ a Luxury Safari Resort in South Africa, with treehouse lodges nestled among the lush South African forest designed to generate their own green energy and water for your stay, making it a first-of-its-kind property. They will also distribute water to surrounding communities as part of the company’s goal to improve infrastructure, agriculture, and manufacturing In South Africa.
The cone-shaped lodges, inspired by the prehistoric Baobab tree, are only 3.5 meters (about 11 and a half feet) above ground. You’ll enter the space through the condensation area, also known as the base of the shelters. The first floor features a living room anchored in natural Beachwood and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light. This level also includes the primary bedroom and a balcony with views of the lush landscape. A sundeck two levels up is surrounded by your own private panoramic pool.
Mask Architects’ “air to water technology” system is installed in each treehouse. He is powered by a transparent solar device that extracts moisture from humid air to produce water. Air filters built into the wood-covered aluminum lattice poles that surround the treehouse facades help with this. The air and humidity that passes through these filters is then condensed and processed in a room below ground by an additional multi-step filtration system.
The water-generating system will not only hydrate your stay but will also help those in Africa who lack access to water. According to Mask Architects, once enough purified water is collected over time, it will be delivered to local communities via a distribution network. “With this project, our goal is to make the most basic need of water accessible rather than a luxury experience, and to prevent hunger, thirst and the diseases and deaths its causes,” the firm writes its website. That’s a goal everyone can get behind. The luxe treehouses will literally offer an elevated vacation experience with a decidedly eco-conscious ethos, making them ideal for couples or families looking to reconnect with nature and wildlife.
Photo Courtesy Mask Architects
