An American couple visited Costa Rica hoping to find a surf shack in need of loving owners and instead have become the creators of a treehouse village sitting on 600 acres of rainforest.
Mateo Hogan first fell in love with the country during a surfing trip and urged his wife Erica to come with him on their next holiday to the country.
'Both wanted to explore the option of finding a little getaway in the tropics to escape the doldrums of the Colorado ‘mud seasons’… maybe a fixer-upper surf shack or a bungalow in the rainforest,' they explain on their website.
Business Insider reports that the couple went a very different direction from their minimalistic instincts when they found a plot of land that was for sale.
Along with the beauty of the stunning rainforest property, the couple was compelled by their environmental heartstrings, as the land was being touted as a potential harvesting spot which means that a more cynical buyer could effectively chop the trees down leading to deforestation.
'(The land) felt really sacred from the get-go and we felt like this would be a travesty to let this be deforested,' Mrs Hogan told the site.
'It was bigger than what we were intending to purchase initially. And one night I just thought, well there are some really cool trees on that property. What if we built treehouses?'
The couple figured that they could afford the 62-acre property if they convinced friends, relatives, and fellow adventurers to invest as well and build their own treehouses.
Said huts are a far cry from those built by children in their backyards: many are multi-room homes that were crafted high up in the trees and others are suspended on tall stilts that help to get their homes off the ground.
Adding to the other-worldy nature of the site, all of the treehouses are connected by ziplines.
Gravity-fed water systems and purposefully collected spring water helps allow plumbing to be within reach of all residents.
Over the past five years, the couple and their investors have built 25 structres on Finca Bellavista- the name of the property- and turned it into a truly sustainable and unique village in itself.
Those structures include five 'true' treehouses, a community center equipped with wireless internet and a bar, and a base camp.
'When people ask us to tell the story of how the Finca came to be, it’s very difficult for us to explain how or why everything came together the way it has,' their website explains.
'Luck is where preparation meets opportunity and hard work, and there’s been a fair amount of serendipity too!'
The Hogans have tried to create a true community in their treehouse village, and said that in addition to American expats, they have also had a good deal of interest from locals.
While a demographic breakdown has not been released, the creation of a collective cafe that uses vegetables grown on the land helps to cultivate a sense of community among the residents.
And, at the urging of investors, each of the treehouses is available for rent.
'It certainly takes a certain type of person to be open to (treehouse life), but we found most people that want to build a treehouse in the rainforest are pretty laid back,' Mrs Hogan told Business Insider.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2184242/Stunning-photos-American-couple-created-treehouse-village-Costa-Rican-rainforest.html#ixzz23yg4KqeQ
Mateo Hogan first fell in love with the country during a surfing trip and urged his wife Erica to come with him on their next holiday to the country.
'Both wanted to explore the option of finding a little getaway in the tropics to escape the doldrums of the Colorado ‘mud seasons’… maybe a fixer-upper surf shack or a bungalow in the rainforest,' they explain on their website.
Unexpected: A couple from Colorado visited Costa Rica and hoped to find a surf shack. Instead, they fell in love with a 62-acre plot that lies on top of a massive rainforest
New life: The land, now called Finca Bellavista, has turned into a treehouse village with 25 structures
Community: Friends and investors have helped build a total of five individual treehouses
Connections: Residents get from each structure by using a web of ziplines running throughout the village
Along with the beauty of the stunning rainforest property, the couple was compelled by their environmental heartstrings, as the land was being touted as a potential harvesting spot which means that a more cynical buyer could effectively chop the trees down leading to deforestation.
'(The land) felt really sacred from the get-go and we felt like this would be a travesty to let this be deforested,' Mrs Hogan told the site.
'It was bigger than what we were intending to purchase initially. And one night I just thought, well there are some really cool trees on that property. What if we built treehouses?'
Alternatives: Some of the structures are suspended in the air using stilts
Nurturing nature: The Hogans felt compelled to buy the property because it was being threatened by possible harvesters who would tear down the trees leading to deforestation
Enjoying the outdoors: While there is plumbing, the owners have done little to interrupt the natural beauty
Said huts are a far cry from those built by children in their backyards: many are multi-room homes that were crafted high up in the trees and others are suspended on tall stilts that help to get their homes off the ground.
Happy explorers: Erica and Mateo Hogan have created a world they first developed in their imaginations
Gravity-fed water systems and purposefully collected spring water helps allow plumbing to be within reach of all residents.
Over the past five years, the couple and their investors have built 25 structres on Finca Bellavista- the name of the property- and turned it into a truly sustainable and unique village in itself.
Those structures include five 'true' treehouses, a community center equipped with wireless internet and a bar, and a base camp.
'When people ask us to tell the story of how the Finca came to be, it’s very difficult for us to explain how or why everything came together the way it has,' their website explains.
'Luck is where preparation meets opportunity and hard work, and there’s been a fair amount of serendipity too!'
The Hogans have tried to create a true community in their treehouse village, and said that in addition to American expats, they have also had a good deal of interest from locals.
While a demographic breakdown has not been released, the creation of a collective cafe that uses vegetables grown on the land helps to cultivate a sense of community among the residents.
Base camp: There are a number of communal areas where residents can linger
Unique: The owners said that each treehouse is different and that they have found the investors to be very interested in the small details of their homes
'It certainly takes a certain type of person to be open to (treehouse life), but we found most people that want to build a treehouse in the rainforest are pretty laid back,' Mrs Hogan told Business Insider.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2184242/Stunning-photos-American-couple-created-treehouse-village-Costa-Rican-rainforest.html#ixzz23yg4KqeQ
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου