Head in the clouds: 8 spectacular treehouses from around the world

CNN  — 

Treehouses come in many shapes, whether that’s a playhouse for children, a retreat for adults, or an amusement park for Italians in the early 1500s.

Acclaimed architectural writer Philip Jodido introduces a wealth of houses-in-the-trees from across the globe – designed by famed architects or local craftsmen – in a neat, new publication: “Tree Houses: Fairy Tale Castles in the Air.”

“The tree houses in this book represent a history of buildings that extends back even beyond recorded history,” Jodido writes.

Indeed, it is a concept that has its roots firmly in the earth, with early examples dating back to the first century. Fast forward a few thousand years, and there are even drawings amongst these pages for a concept of an aerial village, designed by industrial designer Benoît Fray, to be made in the Alps.

Of the 50 designs featured, there are no two the same. It would seem that, if you are thinking of building your own tree house, the sky really is the limit.

“Tree Houses: Fairy Tale Castles in the Air” by Philip Jodido, published by Taschen, is out now.