Located in a forest on the mountains of Almaty in Kazakhstan, architect Aibek Almasov of A.Masow Design Studio has designed a concept for a modern spiritual retreat. The project, known as Tree in the house, presents a cylindrical, four-story glass space featuring an encased tree in the center. A winding white staircase allows visitors who enter the “tree house” to ascend the towering space, spiraling upward around the centric tree.

The intention behind the transparent architectural structure, tucked away in a sea of lofty fir trees, is to merge manmade industrial design with nature and “give up some unnecessary conditions and things.” The project aims to offer an alternative to bustling city life and stifling urban structures by fusing a protective house and a natural environment without creating a visual separation.

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via [CJWHO]