Given that entire homes can now be assembled with only a screwdriver, it was only a matter of time before even tree houses went prefab. German design firm Baumraum has taken them there in cute and candy-colored fashion with the Baumquadrat (that's German for "tree cube"), which swaps the planks-and-nails aesthetic of the classic arboreal abode for the look of the modern flat-pack home. With about 8'x8' of floor space, it probably isn't big enough for a brewery or a Rube Goldberg-esque "Recyclotron," but it looks more than capable for napping, doing some light reading (i.e. napping), and sprawling out in the sun like a housecat.
Depending on the size of the supporting tree, the Baumquadrat can be suspended in it or propped up on stilts. The exterior and interior are paneled with larch wood, with enough insulation for year-round use, according to the firm's official site. Clearly, they opted for simplicity on the inside, stocking each with nothing save for seating and a few drawers. For more tree-topping goodness from Baumraum, check out their Austrian tree house resort or any of their other diverse models.
· Baumraum's Tiny Tree Cubes are Colorful Retreats Set High in the Treetops [Inhabitat]
· All Arboreal Architecture coverage [Curbed National]