Microsoft understands the positive effects that nature can have on a person’s creativity, focus, and happiness. To maximize the work environment of their Redmond campus in Washington, Microsoft built several treehouses for their employees so that they could do their work in a more natural setting because a cubicle is definitely not a natural or motivating setting. The tech giant got the best in the business when it comes to treehouses to construct their woodsy work environment. Pete Nelson, best known from his TV show Treehouse Masters, designed and constructed the treehouses for the Microsoft employees.
Nelson built three treehouses, two of which are open now, and the third is a lounge space for workers to “chill inside or out of” and expected to be completed later this year. One treehouse is named the Crow’s Nest and rests 12-feet above the ground and features a circular skylight. The treehouse is said to have a “gingerbread-house feel” and is perfect for “communing with nature” according to Microsoft’s blog.
The Crow’s Nest is not your typical nail-ridden, rickety treehouse. It features a “hand-carved arched double door” that glides open when employees swipe their badge. The structures are made to expand and grow with the Pacific Northwest Douglas firs, and the buildings are said to last at least 20 years. Despite being in nature, the treehouses will allow workers to continue being productive by providing high-speed Wi-Fi and power outlets.
“The first thing when you walk into the space is that everyone is really quiet. You stop talking and are just present,” said Bret Boulter, who works in Real Estate & Facilities on Microsoft’s Redmond campus. “It’s fascinating. People absorb the environment, and it changes the perception of their work and how they can do it.”