Funky forest retreat looks like a giant bird house

A former storage shed nestled in the forest of Sutton, Canada, has been transformed into a quirky nook-filled retreat reminiscent of an enormous bird house. The three-story, shingle-covered home was designed by Quebec firm YH2 for clients who wanted to have as little environmental impact on the site as possible, preserving the tall trees growing adjacent to the house.

The architects expanded the original single-story structure upward, adding an impressive floating stairway, a second-floor bedroom, and aerial retreat above. The stair has minimal railings which help keep the interior open and expansive-feeling (but possibly a hazard to small children).

The interior is mostly painted white, with black for details like the window frames and steel stair supports. It’s floored with a natural blonde wood throughout, except for the concrete pad of the original structure revealed on the ground floor.

The home’s crowning jewel is its open-air balcony on the top floor, a seven-sided room open to the elements at one end. Built-in benches invite hours of sitting with a book and relaxing (but again, no railing?).

The home’s dark exterior is made of traditional cedar shingles, giving the modern home a woodsy, old world feel.

Via: Designboom