The Buzzadry takes glamping to a new level – treetop level.
The circular all timber treehouse walks straight off the page of a Grimms’ fairy tale, nestling high among the branches in an East Sussex woodland.
Designed and built as a holiday cottage by treehouse specialists Blue Forest, it’s aimed firmly at consumers who like their arboreal living with a touch of luxury. Reached via a spiral staircase, it comprises a living room, two en-suites and a fully-equipped kitchen, while circling the structure is a drinks and barbecue deck with a spectacular bird’s eye view.
And capping the Buzzadry off is a complex twin conical and pitched roof structure, featuring 100m2 of western red cedar shingles from SR Timber.
The designers were looking for a roofing solution that was demonstrably environmentally friendly, durable and, of course, light weight. Shingles, said SR, ticked all their boxes.
“Sourced from sustainable forests in western Canada, they have excellent weather resistance in exposed situations and age beautifully, turning to a stunning silverygrey,” said SR Timber trading director Shaun Revill.
Contractors Turpin Roofing had a challenging task on their hands. They laid the battens on the insulating felt membrane stretched over the roof frame and had to cut each one individually to fit, all of them being 75cm long or shorter.
Every shingle was then hand-tapered to follow the curving contours of the roof. Once the tiling was installed, Turpin Roofing then laid the cedar ridge and constructed a lead saddle to support the copper finials. In total the roof took a three-strong team four weeks to complete.
But the hard work paid off as the structure went on to win the Best Use of a Cedar Shingles Application at Roofing, Cladding and Insulation magazine’s Pitched Roofing Awards.
Turpin Roofing owner Olly Turpin said the prize was tribute both to his company’s high level of craftsmanship and the performance of SR Timber’s cedar shingles.
“It was a complex and intricate project and the ease with which we were able to cut each tile precisely is testament to the high quality of the material,” he said. “And the end result looks absolutely stunning.”
“It’s an incredible showcase for cedar shingles and, combined with the workmanship, they’ve created a breathtaking treehouse,” said Mr Revill. “Their environmental credentials have also contributed significantly to achievement of a zero-carbon project.”
