Design
Burke-Gilman Park Renovation
WholeTrees is partnering with Northwest Playground Equipment to support a renovation of a Seattle playground park into a nature-based park for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
GC: Northwest Playground Equipment
Landscape Architect: Site Workshop
Detroit Zoo - Great Apes of Harambee
The Detroit Zoo came to us with a vision for two different Great Ape climbing structures and a sense of gesture they wanted from a branched tree structure.
Architects: Jones & Jones Architects
Confidential Zoo Project
New renderings for an intricate lodge design at a world renown Zoo that has worked with WholeTrees before. The complex design will feature a stunning event space with intricate, biophilic details.
Design: HGW Architecture
GC: WholeTrees Structures
Engineer: KPFF Seattle
Engineer: KPFF San Diego
Waterfront Toronto
These WholeTrees play elements are included in a prestigious multi-year redevelopment of an industrial waterfront turned internationally renowned park in Toronto. This rendering shows the final steel base connections and dramatic three-pronged upside down tridents for climbing. The design of the Waterfront Toronto Development has been led by the renowned firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates with whom WholeTrees has collaborated.
Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
Tom's Treehouse
Intricate, bold and stunning treehouse in design for Fontenelle Forest Nature Preserve in Nebraska. These are the most recent renderings of this structure.
Architect: HDR Architects
GC: Dotsals Construction, Gretna, NE
Production
Confidential Zoo Project
Sneak peek at production of a bridge column base for the safari-themed lodge event space at a world renown Zoo that has worked with WholeTrees before.
Design: HGW Architecture
GC: WholeTrees Structures
Engineer: KPFF Seattle
Engineer: KPFF San Diego
Waterfront Toronto
Production of steel base connections and dramatic three-pronged upside down tridents for climbing at the redevelopment of an industrial waterfront into an internationally renowned park in Toronto. As we move from design to production, the stunning sculptural shapes from renderings become a reality.
Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
Burke-Gilman Park Renovation
WholeTrees is partnering with Northwest Playground Equipment to support a renovation of a Seattle playground park into a nature-based park for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Here is a look at the production of these accessible elements.
GC: Northwest Playground Equipment
Landscape Architect: Site Workshop
Installation
Chad Erickson Memorial Park
A view of the installation of this large structural round timber play structure and viewing shelter, built to look like a pirate ship, at a local park in La Crosse, WI. It is designed to be accessible for all users to enjoy. See the Current Event Section for an article on the opening of the park and benefits to the community.
Design: WholeTrees Structures
GC: WholeTrees Structures
Engineer: Engineering Ventures
Epic Living Bridge
Installation at a high profile Madison area tech company that prides itself on creative campus infrastructure. WholeTrees has been honored to provide a biophilic and whimsical magical railing system for a bridge that spans a man made moat to the newest campus infrastructure.
GC: Findorff
Architect: Cunningham
FDR Park
Playground design consultant Studio Ludo came to SPEC with a fully accessible and inclusive treehouse concept complete with rope climbing, natural wood, and a massive swing set. SPEC was able to take this vision and work directly with Berliner and WholeTrees to bring this vision to life. The finalized playground includes three separate 25’-35’ tall tree houses, a mega-swing with 20 total swings, embankment slides, log climbers, and spinners. With endless options to practice risk, failure, and mastery, this innovative space is now open.
Landscape Architect: WRT Design
GC: SPECPlayground
Designer: Studio Ludo
Playground Designer: ERA
Engineer: KPFF
Finished Shots
Chad Erickson Memorial Park
It was a beautiful day to celebrate the opening of the Chad Erickson Memorial Park on October 11, 2023. Children and families explored the pirate ship, fully accessible, structure at La Crosse, WI.
Design: WholeTrees Structures
GC: WholeTrees Structures
Engineer: Engineering Ventures
Epic Living Bridge
Final shot of the biophilic and whimsical railing system for a bridge that spans a man made moat to the newest campus infrastructure at a high profile Madison area tech company that prides itself on its creative campus.
GC: Findorff
Architect: Cunningham
Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail
An inspired repurposing of the Zoo’s original monorail trail, the path brings guests up to 32 feet above the ground providing them a bird’s eye view and access to hundreds of acres of hardwood forest, wetlands, wildlife, and, of course, the Zoo’s beloved animals. The trail features a structural round timber climbing and play structure for kids and families.
Architect: Snow Kreilich Architect
Landscape Architect: TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture and Urbanism
Engineer: Buro Happold
Burkett Farm
Images from the soft opening of the North Carolina-based Burkett Farm, designed and built to be a model of sustainability. The entirely off grid structure will allow Burkett Farm to engage with the community through programming, events, tours and volunteer days.
Architect: REdesign.build
GC: REdesign.build
Engineer: KPFF Seattle
Bridgeport Village
Nestled in the heart of a bustling mall in the Portland, OR metropolitan area, an unexpected oasis awaits where children can trade concrete for nature with a natural playground crafted from real trees. Through meticulous integration of thoughtfully chosen natural trees, this design exemplifies the connection of playful elements and biophilic principles, offering an inviting exploration of nature's playground. Photo Credit: SPEC
Design: 505 Design
General Contractor: SPEC
Travel
Archtober, New York, NY
WholeTrees, architectural firm Steinberg Hart, and leaders from the Children’s Museum of Eau claire hosted an informative breakfast for New York media and industry professionals during Archtober, a NYC-based platform that promotes the discovery of architecture and design through experiences and content, culminating in a month-long festival every October. Co-Founder & CEO, Amelia Baxter spoke about the process of bringing trees from three different forests to this awe-inspiring two story structure.
WholeTrees Board Retreat, Vail, CO.
WholeTrees leadership and board members spend time in the beauty of Vail Colorado.
WholeTrees Goodbye Parties, Madison, WI.
WholeTrees staff celebrated the contributions of our summer intern, Danny Howes, and our former Office Manager, Chelsea Duckworth, with goodbye parties this summer.
Minneapolis Lunch & Learns
WholeTrees staff visited several places while in Minneapolis, MN conducting our educational Lunch & Learn program. Some of these places included a gorgeous mass timber building in Butler Square and T3 Timber Transit Technology.
ASLA Expo in Minneapolis
WholeTrees was in Minneapolis, MN Oct 27-30 for the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture discussing the benefits of Structural Round Timber and Sawn Heavy Timber in ASLA's attempts to improve environmental health in communities.
Current Events In The Wood World And WholeTrees In The News
WholeTrees in ArchDaily
WholeTrees featured in the recent article, “Expanding the Architectural Prospects of Timber in Its Natural Form”
WholeTrees in Green Building & Design Magazine
WholeTrees featured in the recent article, “Exciting Sustainable Products from Greenbuild 2023”
WholeTrees participates in Archtober, New York, NY
WholeTrees leadership partnered with the architectural firm, Steinberg Hart, to host an informative breakfast event about the Children’s Museum of Eau Claire project in New York during Archtober. CoFounder & CEO Amelia Baxter spoke along with the Executive Director of the museum as well as multiple architects to a group of journalists and interested industry professionals.
Children’s Museum of Eau Claire finalist at NSCEA Awards
The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire has been selected as a Finalist for the 2023 Structural Engineering Excellence (SEE) Awards which will honor our engineering partners, KPFF Seattle. One winner in each of the eight categories will be named as the "Outstanding Structure" on November 9, 2023.
Innovative Use of Wood, ArchDaily
Wood features prominently in the article, “How to Renovate Interior Spaces on a Budget”
Exploring the technique of yakisugi in historic and modern architecture, ArchDaily
“The Symbolism of Yakisugi: Explore the Beauty and Durability of this Wood in Contemporary Architecture”
Timber Skyscrapers in the 21st Century, ArchDaily
A deep dive into the rise of wood skyscrapers across the world: “Timber Skyscrapers: A Low-Carbon Typology for the 21st Century” from ArchDaily. Key excerpt: “To support the height of the structure, conventional glulam's load-bearing capacity would have been surpassed due to the limitations of raw timber width. Instead, "block-glued" components were developed using specialized press technology, meeting the increased structural demands of the building.”
Well Designed Sawn Heavy Timber, ArchDaily
“Are we seeing the end of the Open Floor Plan?” ArchDaily
Exploring ways to minimizing Wood Waste through Technology, ArchDaily
“Minimizing Wood Waste by Respecting Its Natural Form Through AI,” ArchDaily
La Manufacture de l'Ordinaire Architecture, France
Inspiring work from LMO Architects in France, Photography by Salem Mostefaoul.
A Biophilic House by One Line Studio, Denver, CO
Photo courtesy of Jess Blackwell Photo.
Stunning Interior Featuring Sawn Heavy Timber
Interior image courtesy of Ginger Lazovik Milwaukee Real Estate.
WholeTrees Presents Virtually to the Architectural Association School of Architecture, Hooke Park, U.K.
CEO/Co-Founder Amelia Baxter spoke remotely to the "Design + Make" cohort at the Architectural Association School of Architecture at Hooke Park. Attendees included students, faculty and advising Structural Engineers of the AA Wood Lab, which advances the role of its woodland campus in Hooke Park, Dorset, to educate architects in the sustainable use of forest products to both build projects and drive new forms of research.
Folk Wants You To Dress Like An Eco-Conscious Architect
CoFounder & CEO Amelia Baxter recently virtually presented to the AA School of Architecture in the U.S. Students from this school were featured in a hilarious fashion spread on Mr. Porter.
Ancient Pagan Wood Structure Uncovered
The Smithsonian Magazine reports on a recent discovery, “Archaeologists Uncover Notched Logs That May Be the Oldest Known Wooden Structure.”
Westby Manufacturing Facility Expansion
The Westby location of WholeTrees has expanded with a self-designed and built two-story breakroom within our current 6000 sf production facility.
WholeTrees New Staff
This fall, WholeTrees hired several new staff members, including: Ben Dollhausen, Wood Wizard, Westby; Jon Olson, Wood Wizard, Westby; Pete Simmons, Project Manager, Westby; J. Belmont, Executive Assistant and Office Manager, Madison; Jocelyn Harmon, Director of Communications, Madison.