Off-grid living in the redwoods

Perched in the redwood canopy of Occidental, the Spyglass Treehouse is a one-bedroom, off-grid retreat that has achieved the status of California’s most wish-listed Airbnb. Guests can soak in forest views through floor-to-ceiling windows, unwind in a cedar hot tub, and luxuriate in an infrared sauna—all while immersed in a handcrafted, nature-rooted dwelling.

Image credit: Jayson Carpenter

Designed in collaboration with Artistree Treehomes and realized as a mass-production prototype by YCA, the Spyglass explores prefabricated, transportable architecture that can be trucked into place, suspended in treetops, or perched on slopes. YCA’s role was to translate this vision into a scalable, flexible module—serving as test case for a national rollout of eco-retreat housing in forests.

The project showcases YCA’s strengths in bridging design, fabrication, and place-based storytelling: concept iteration for modular off-grid living, integration of amenity systems (sauna, plumbing in remote setting), and a narrative that marries architectural poetics with ecological sensitivity.