New technology evolves as we do, being able to live, connect and watch pictures and videos live through the frames of our gadgets is incredible.. but being able to watch a historical picture-perfect view through the frames of a window is out of this world! Built by LMTLS, The Château-Scope a conceptual elegant treehouse, that’s design won the Young Architects Competition located on the west side of France, offers an extravagant view of the remaining ruins of the French castle, Château de La MotheChandeniers, that goes back to the 13th century.
Located around the perimeter of the castle’s gothic revival architecture; the modern frame of the treehouse shows a correlation with the castle’s orientation, in terms of shading and sun path, and creating a representation of the “relationship between the sun and earth”, with the castle symbolizing the sun and Château-Scope’s structure as the moon. The unique exterior of Château-Scope that makes it an attraction, features the sloped roof screen with the substantial semicircle window openings, planting curiosity seeds into the guests to discover this treehouse from the inside and its natural surrounding. The window openings the most prominent element of the design enables all of the inhabitants to have a clear, uninterrupted view from all angles of the alluring historic landscape. It screens the French castle as a work of art on its own to admire from a distance of a few meters, creating a magical and whimsical version of Château de La Mothe Chandeniers, throughout all four seasons during the year.
Château-Scope’s design creates a link connection between the guests’ stay and the surrounding landscape, through the process of being elevated from the ground with a set of thin pillars, conceptualizing a treehouse. The LMTLS team carefully designed the proposal creating 2 different units within the treehouse; the first offers a minimal program use and the other offers space from an extra added volume. As much as the exterior shows a connection with the greenery and the landscape, so does the interior! Its interior is designed to have various elements that maximize the linkage and blend with the surroundings, such as the use of folding glass doors and windows for a clear transparent view, especially from the main window that faces the castle. Such clarity and connection between the treehouse and the historical palace creates a poetic architectural instrument, showing contrast in the architectural style, form and function, through introducing the new modern architecture to the old gothic revival in the form of a dreamy staycation whilst complimenting the historic site.
The seamless live picture of the natural backdrop creates a ‘snow globe’ abstract effect through the prominent semicircle windows that faces the castle, hence the formation of a new viewpoint of France’s history and location. The harmony between the treehouse and the location reminds any onlooker of their childhood’s fantasy in wonderment looking over the beautiful scenery of the 13th-century castle and greenery, just like being part of a ‘snow globe’.
