The objective of this project is to be able to move into the rainforest and have an experience of it – with as little impact as possible. The spheres use the trees around them for a foundation, thus eliminating the footprint on the ground. The web of rope that connects them to the forest mirrors our connectedness to the eco system we live in. The web of rope, with many soft attachments to the trees, also secures the spheres aloft.
The ropes are all stretchy and the main support comes from near vertical attachments to the trees. This keeps the load in column, down the trunks of the trees, enabling them to move unrestricted. It also keeps the sphere relatively steady when the wind blows and the treetops move a lot.
Access is provided via a spiral staircase and short suspension bridge that leads out to the sphere. The stairway is a helix, which is also suspended from the tree. Nothing penetrates the trees anywhere. Everything attaches by brackets and lines that are blocked out from the trees, to prevent girdling. A sphere can be placed in a forest setting in 3 or 4 days and completely removed in 1. A crew of 3 people is normally used to position and rig a sphere. Tom
www.freespiritspheres.com