From tree-shaped houses to buildings that blend in seamlessly with their surroundings, these examples of nature-inspired architecture are perfect for anyone who has a constant love for the outdoors.
Many of these examples include cabins in the woods, most of which are made out of timber to keep up with that outdoor vibe. One design by Osumi Yuzo features a retractable wood door, which at the push of a button can open and close, making it hard to decipher this house from its natural surroundings. The result is great however for those inside, as they can get some peace and quiet which is usually unattainable in a more bustling metropolis.
Anyone who needs a break from the urban environment will love looking at these tree-shaped houses and wrap-around wooded buildings.
38 Examples of Nature-Blended Architecture
From Tree-Shaped Houses to Minimalist Micro-Cabins:
Jamie Danielle Munro — Apr 2, 2014 — Art & Design
39
Eco-Friendly Cozy Cottages
Matali Crasset's 'Le Nichoir' is a Snug Abode Tucked Away in Nature
38
Minimalist Micro-Cabins
The Nindo Micro-Cabin Makes a Great Shelter in the Woods
37
Deceptive Cottage-Shaped RVs
The ESCAPE Luxury RV Cabin is Not Your Average Mobile Vehicle
36
Concealed Tree House Hotels
Nelson Invites Nature Lovers to Spend a Night Amongst the Trees
35
Modern Land-Conforming Homes
The Croft House Lies Flat to Smoothly Blend in with Its Environment
34
Conch-Shaped Abodes
ToTeMs Architecture Creates a Cozy Guest House Without Destroying Trees
33
Secluded Cabin Architecture
These Les Cabanes de Salagnac Properties Fuse Urban Life with Nature
32
Ground Level Tree Houses
The 6a Architects Tree House Design Brings the Tradition to the Ground
31
Minimalist Wooden Cabins
The Ermitage Cabin is a Minimalist Retreat into Swedish Nature
30
Nature-Infused Textural Homes
This Contemporary Rustic House Combines Nature with Modern Touches
29
Nature-Mimicking Architecture
Seeley Architects Designs the Citriodora House in Australia
28
Stilted Cabin Retreats
Endemico Resguardo Silvestre is Environmentally Conscious and Luxurious
27
Woodsy Cabin Dwellings
The Lochmara Lodge Combines Elements of Comfort with Nature
26
Woodsy Prefab Cabins
Chris Pardo Design's Small Prefab Home is Ideal for Cozying Up with Nature
25
Tree-Skewered Sanctuaries
‘The Pretty House’ in Sydney is One with Nature
24
Environment-Blending Homes
This De Bever Architecten House Fades Away into the Surroundings
23
Stacked Box Abodes
Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects Designs a House with Rectangular Themes
22
Serene Pond Abodes
This Forest Pond House Accommodates Meditative Family Getaways
21
Modern Wood Cabin Residences
The Skyward House by Kazuhiko Kishimoto is Contemporary and Woodsy
20
Nature-Blended Abodes
Villa Yarze by Raed Abillama is Integrated with its Surroundings
19
Tree-Shaped Houses
Primeval Symbiosis by Konrad Wojcik Blends Right into the Forest
18
Nifty Nature-Hanging Homes
The Tower is an Imaginative Home That Let’s You Hang Among the Pl
17
Lush Organic Floating Houses
This Wooden Tree House is Stunning, Functional and All Natural
16
Mountain-Mimicking Abodes
The Villa SSK by Takeshi Hirobe Architects is Inspired by Nature
15
Urban Mountainside Mansions
The Spa House in Cape Town Fuses the City with Nature
14
Nature-Lover Homes
Anik Peloquin Architecte Builds Vacation House On Top of an Old Chalet
13
Synergistic Eco Architecture
'Sliding Nature' Marries Traditional Japanese and Western Designs
12
Sharply Mountainous Structures
The Chongqing Greenland Clubhouse by PURE Design is Nature-Inspired
11
Natural Element Abodes
The 'Elwood House' by Jost Architects is Stunning
10
Cozy Tree House Lofts
Uufie Reinterpret Tree House Brings Your Childhood Dream House to Life
9
Boulder-Resembles Buildings
Polour Rock Climbing Hall is Inspired by the Sport
8
Retractable Wood Housing
Osumi Yuzo Creates a One-with-Nature Abode
7
Blending Mirror-Covered Homes
This Mirrored House Has a Reflective Surface
6
Harmoniously Clustered Nature Abodes
The Sentosa House is an Open-Concept Island Paradise
5
Chic Woodland Dwellings
Villa Renesse Il by Jack Hoogeboom is the Perfect Weekend Getaway Home
4
Symbolic Generational Housing
Studio_Gaon Completes the 'House for Reunion' Near Seoul
3
Cliff-Embracing Homes
The Veronica Beach House by Luis Longhi Boasts a Craggy Wall
2
Calming Nature-Inspired Abodes
This Spa-Like Home is the Ultimate in Minimalist Interiors Design
1
Biophilic Concept Homes
The Xálima Island House Design Concept Marries Nature and Design
Related Ideas
Eco-Minded Micro Cabins
The Magnolia Eco-Cabin is Simple and Sustainable
Japanese-Inspired Portable Tiny Homes
Baluchon Designs the Portable Bonzai Tiny Home
Self-Sustaining Timber Tiny Homes
The Madeiguincho 'Vigia' Tiny House Prioritizes Natural Light
Cat-Catered Large Japanese Homes
Tan Yamanouchi and AWGL Join to Design a Cat Tree House
Terrace-Accented Timber Tiny Houses
The P’tit Nid Mobile Tiny Home is Clad in Natural Wood
A-Frame Alpine-Inspired Cabins
The Adventure Whare Retreat by Studio Well is Demure
Minuscule Sustainable Rainforest Cabins
The 3×3 Retreat is Nestled in the Chilean Rainforest
Cat-Centric Compact Homes
This Japanese Dwelling Embraces Feline-Friendly Design Choices
Cube-Combining Tiny Homes
This Unique Tiny Home Uses Modular Spaces to Enable Flexible Use
Off-Grid Timber Tiny Homes
The 'Horta' Tiny House Has 107-Square-Feet of Living Space
National Park-Inspired Tiny Homes
The Backcountry Tiny Homes 'Basecamp' Tiny House Has a Roof Deck
Plant-Filled Latticed Buildings
Wallflower Architecture + Design Creates the Touching Eden House
Serenely Stilted Houses
This Sustainable Tiny Home is Situated On An Elevated Platform
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Prefabricated Miniature Home Concepts
i29 Creates the Câpsula Concept for Dutch Design Week
Treehouse-Inspired Norwegian Residences
This House Aesthetically Connects With its Surroundings
Time Passage-Celebrating Restored Homes
NYAWA Restores a Traditional Timber Home in Toyama
Sustainable Off-Grid Minimal Cabins
Marc Thorpe Presents the Fremont House in New York
Picturesque Family Retreats
Malcolm Davis Architects Adds to This Beautiful Building
Countryside-Inspired Tiny Homes
The Acorn Tiny Homes English Country House is Rustically Finished
Tranquil Elevated Tiny Homes
Jan Tyrpekl Designs the Cozy Zen House in Austria
Trapezoidal Concrete Forest Homes
Ksa Studený Designs a New Home Looking Over a Forest
Incredibly Modern Lakeside Houses
Stephenson Design Collective Converts an Old Boy Scout Camp
Wildlife-Embracing Jungle Homes
This House is Fully Exposed to the Costa Rican Jungle
Backyard-Transformed Dwelling Units
Catch Architecture and Obreval Design the ADU Carpintaria
Modern Amenity Micro Dwellings
The Little Tahoma Peak Tiny Home Has House-Inspired Finishings
Geometric Structural Forest Homes
The C House by GetAway Projects has a Half-Hexagonal Shape
Modern Multi-Purpose Japanese Buildings
Akio Isshiki Architect Overhauls an Old Wooden Building
Stunning Mid-Century Coastal Homes
Design Theory Updates a House from the 1960s
Timber Nature Reserve Towers
The 'Lookout Tower' from Robert Gutowski Architects is Sculptural
Nature-Connecting Vacation Homes
kaviar.collaborative Designs the New House by the Lake in India
Peaceful Wooden-Designed Homes
Keiji Ashizawa Designs the Hiroo Residence in Central Tokyo
Three-Part Multi-Generational Homes
Nós Designs a Multi-Generational Home in Vermont
Harmonious Modern Beach Houses
Raiz Arquitectura Designs the Casa D31 is São Paulo, Brazil
Ultra-Modern Ash-Clad Cabins
Line Solgaard Arkitekter Build the Kjerringholmen Cabin
A-Frame Forest Tranquil Houses
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs a New Forest Home
Laminated-Timber Minimal Houses
Ao-ft Designs the New Spruce House Using Cross-Laminated Timber
Town-Like Classroom Designs
Atelier Apeiron Designs the Kindergarten of Museum Forest Building
Modern Forest Homes
Bourgeois / Lechasseur Architects Design the Des Forges Residence
Farm-Inspired Guest Houses
Kaja Kühl Designs Two Guest Houses in Upstate New York
Tranquil Contemporary Cabin Retreats
Dominik Ilichman and Adam Hofman Design the Hyatta
Park-Surrounded Interconnected Homes
Atelier Data Designs the Praia Grande House in Portugal
Outdoor-Blended Summer Houses
Erling Berg Studio Designs the I/O Cabin in Risør, Norway
Snow Mountain Minimal Homes
Design Over The Norms Creates the Blissful Snowfall House
High Concrete Walled Homes
Cesar Mancillas Creates a Linear Home with Tranquil Elements
Countryside Woodland Cabin Designs
BABELstudio Creates the Aralar Cottage in the Forest
Garden Oasis Renovated Homes
Sam Crawford Architects Designs the Hidden Garden House
Shore-Perched Modern Homes
Prentiss + Balance + Wickline Design the Tongass Ledge
Bamboo-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Cultural Center Seamlessly Blends Into its Surroundings
Juxtaposing Minimal Artful Homes
Hino Studio Designs the Oceana Retreat in Florida
Traditional Japan-Honoring Homes
Cubo Design Architects Designs the C4L House in Tokyo
Farmland-Inspired Rural Hotel Cottages
Kooo Architects Designs the Ningshan LuZhai Cottage
Dynamic Y-Shaped Glazed Houses
Saunders Architecture Designs the Y House in Alberta
Solar Powered Luxe Treehouses
Fort Treehouse Co. Designs the Baltic Treehouse in Canada
Off-Grid Self-Sufficient Island Homes
Vollebak and Bjarke Ingels Design the Earth House in Canada
Minimal Philosophy Toronto Homes
Burdifilek Designs the Sleek Forest Hill Residence
Contemporary Wooden Blue Cabins
Markéta Cajthamlová Designs the Wooden Cabin in the Mountains
Nature-Surrounded Miniature Homes
STUDIOFEM Designs The Mini Located in the Village of Cavusin
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Raw Blackened-Wood Family Homes
Slow Studio Designs the Yamaguchicho House in Nagoya
Playfully Angular House Designs
Takeshi Hirobe Architects Design the Villa MKZ in Japan
Balanced Grass-Topped Homes
RO_AR Designs a Beautiful Dwelling in the Czech Republic
Wooden Screen Stacked Houses
DB Arquitectors Designs the Casa VJC Iporanga In Brazil
Relaxing Wooden Holiday Homes
Norm Architects Designs the Heatherhill Beach House
Mid-Century Modern Historical Homes
SHED Architecture & Design Creates the Lark House
Self-Sustaining Houses
Archiopteryx Designs the People Tree House in Noida, India
Forest Nestled Vaulted Homes
Earthscape Studio Designs the Wendy House Located in Kerala
Repurposed Wooden Shoreside Homes
H2 Designs the Tree House by the Lake in Vietnam
Meadow-Overlooking Sleek Homes
StudioAC Designs a Holiday Home iwth a Cedar-Clad Build
White Wood-Clad Cubed Houses
Stanaćev Granados Designs a Chilean Holiday House
Harmonious Traditional Home Designs
MAKHNO Studio Updates the Century-Old Kyoto House
Reconfigured Spacious Brooklyn Homes
Light & Air Design the Z House with an Open and Bright Look
Bamboo-Clad Residential Homes
i29 Designs the Open Park Villa to Connect with Nature
Blackened Timber Tranquil Cabins
The Hideaway House is Nestled in the Abundance of Nature
Avian-Inspired Luxury Residences
This Hill-Top Costa Rican Home is Inspired By Bird Plumage
Environmentally Blending Residences
A Threshold Studio Designs the Ineffable Light Home
Suspended Off-Grid Treetop Homes
Snøhetta and Tor Helge Dokka Designs the House Dokka
Nature-Leveraging Home Designs
PAE Designs the Casa Coaba Tucked in the Hillsides
Natural Light-Centric Timber Homes
Studio Varey Architects Designs the Huron House in London
Memory-Reminiscent Idyllic Homes
Tsuyoshi Tane and Vitra Design the Tane Garden House
Greenery-Sheathed Libraries
This Library Building Features Generous Plantings Of Native Species
Contemporary Nature-Inspired Homes
Fuller/Overby Architecture Designs the Nebo House
Natural Japanese Art Galleries
Brazil's Yayoi Kusama Gallery Features a Nature-Inspired Design
Mountainous Long Structural Cabins
Far + Dang Creates the Linear Cabin in Oklahoma
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Log Cabin-Inspired Minimal Homes
Gartnerfuglen Arkitkter Designs the Årestua Home in Telemark
Elevated Treetop Modern Cabins
NAMO Architecture & i29 Architects Create the Buitenverblijf Nest
Planted Balcony Home Designs
4site Architects Designs the House of Greens in Bangalore
Reclaimed Stone Modern Homes
Brown & Brown Creates the Arbor House Design in Scotland
Nature-Connecting Office Spaces
Hawkins\Brown Designs the Here + Now Office Buildings
Tranquil Functional Home Designs
Atelier Varun Goyal Designs the Modern Courtyard House
Curvaceous Brick Forest Homes
Blurring Boundaries Designs the Asmalay Home in a Forest
Climbing Plant-Wrapped Homes
Anarchlab Designs the Nevogilde House in Porto with Unique Screen
Brick Timber Garden Homes
John Pardey Architects Designs the Chestnut Plantation in Hampshire
Chic Nautical-Inspired Apartments
TENKA ARKITEKTURA Designs a Stylish and Textured Apartment
Compact Calming Homes
Batay-Csorba Architects Masterfully Designed a Modern Brick Home in Toronto
Wind-Responsive Panel Pavilions
Fernanda Ahumada & FREE Design the National Biodiversity Pavilion
Glass Bridge-Connected Small Homes
PJCArchitecture Finishes a Micro-Home Design in Ecuador
Tree-Centered Cubic Home Designs
Moises Sánchez Designs the Tonalli House in Jocotepec
Mountainside Cedar Alpine Houses
Elizabeth Roberts Architects Designs an New Alpine House
Greenery-Topped Winery Designs
This Czech Winery Complex Pays Tribute to its Green Surroundings
Juxtaposing Contemporary Homes
Bates Masi Designs the Stony Hill Project with Various Volumes
Traditional Garden-Inspired Cultural Centers
Open Architecture Designs the Shanfeng Academy
Forested Residential Buildings
GAAGA Designs the Forest Bath Building Framed by Tree Trunks
Hidden Garden Timber Pavilions
Tikari Works Designs A Room Around a Tree in London
Cutout Roof Cement-Clad Homes
Edition Office Designs a Home with a Focus on Tree Views
Log Cabin-Inspired Modern Homes
Balbek Bureau Renovates a Home in Ukraine with Steel and Concrete
Nature-Inspired Poolside Homestay
GS Design Creates the Miyue Blue and White Island Pool Homestay
Natural Landscape-Surrounding Homes
All(zone) Designs the Under the Rain Trees Holiday Home
Minimal Bird-Watching Cabins
Inclume Architects Designs the Cozy Hide Cabin in England
Nature-Immersive Tranquil Resorts
Stilt Studios Designs the Treehouse Villas in Bali
Pale Yellow Minimal Townhomes
i.B. Archstudio Designs the VVV Townhouse with Pastel Hues
Tree-Like Library Spaces
Studio Hinge Presents the Forest of Knowledge Library Design
Eco-Friendly Miniature Homes
Berghaus' Dufour House is a Tiny Sustainable Home
Tree-Inspired Suburban Tranquil Homes
A Team of Creative Talent Designs the Casa Figueira
Lotus Flower-Inspired Villas
Thilina Liyanage Designs the Lotus Villa Inspired by Nature
Rural Cork Block Residences
Gurea Arquitectura Cooperativa Designs the Cork and Wood House
Tree-Surrounding Contemporary Homes
Devin Keyes Designs the Live Oak Ride Residence
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
Blackened Wooden Facade Homes
Annie Barrett and Hye-Young Chung Design the Centered Home
Feline-Focused Modern Homes
Tan Yamanouchi esign a Cat Tree House in the City of Kamakura
Lantern-Like Tea House Pavilions
Grau Architects Designs the Tea House Pavilion by the Lake
Greenery-Surrounding Cabins
MAP Architecture Designs the Creek Cabin to Blend to the Wetlands
Textured Concrete Tiered Homes
Nomo Studio Designs the Shift House Holiday Residence
X-Shaped Nature-Interacting Gabled Cabins
Tall Architects Designs the Fowl River Cabin in Alabama
Wooden Pavilion Seaside Homes
LAND Arquitectos Designs the House of Circumstances in Chile
Net-Zero Low-Energy Homes
PAD Studio's New Forest House Uses Extremely Low Energy
Lantern-Topped Sleek Workshops
Cabinet Designs the Gardeners House in a Park in Geneva
Landscape-Overlooking Modern Cabins
Wendell Burnette Architects Creates the Telescope House
Recycled Stone Rural Residences
Sketch Design Studio Creates the Stone House in North India
Idyllic Tranquil Nature-Surrounding Cabins
BLDG Workshop Designs the Algonquin Highlands Cottage
Tree-Inspired Panelled Workspaces
Hood Design Studio Creates a New Campus in Silicon Valley
Whimsical Flowing Woodland Villas
Thilina Liyanage Designs the 3 Bedroom Balinese Villa
Intersecting Block-Formed Narrow Homes
Fujiwaramuro Architects Designs the House in Fujidera
Interwoven Nature Screen Homes
Giles Miller Studio Designs the Woven House in Kent, England
Architectural Tranquil Cabin Retreats
Snøhetta Designs the Bolder Lodges in Lysefjord
Asia-Based Wooden Buildings
Toyo Ito Designs the Gaia Building at the NTU in Singapore
Weatherized Visual Wooden Homes
Denizen Works Creates the Hundred Acre Wood House in Scotland
Zen-Inspired Tranquil Villas
TaP Design Inc Creates the Villa Tabebuia in Bangalore