Casa Jicara
Project Title: CasaJicara
Project Overview
Client Dr. E.H.
Type: Private community / semi-temporary / low-impact suspended structure
Scope: Prototype design, build & creative direction
Timeline: April 2025 – June 2026
Location: Monteverde
The Vision
Lynx was commissioned to design and build a two-level suspended treehouse platform featuring a swinging picnic table as its centerpiece.
The design evolved from earlier concepts developed for the San Luis Platforms project, while exploring a new architectural language based on laminated curves, spherical geometry, and — for the first time — five-fold symmetry.
The goal was to create something immersive, playful, and structurally mesmerizing: a space that felt both engineered and organic, floating somewhere between architecture, sculpture, and performance art.
The Process
1. Concept Development
The project began with hand-drawn construction plans, followed by the creation of a wooden scale model to explore form, proportion, and movement.
2. Digital Modeling
Using the physical model and drawings as reference, an architecture student developed a virtual 3D model to further study the geometry and structure.
3. Full-Scale Lofting
Before the construction plans were finalized, Lynx began lofting the building full-scale. This allowed critical details and proportions to be worked out directly at real-world size before transferring refinements back into the model and plans.
4. Material Preparation
During the drawing and development phase, materials were dimensioned, processed, and prepared for fabrication.
5. Laminating & Prefabrication
Once the concept and drawings were finalized, the laminated structural elements were fabricated alongside a series of prefabricated components.
6. Site Transport & Rigging
After fabrication, the components were transported to the build site, where the team erected a massive wishbone hoist rig to support the assembly process.
7. Structural Assembly
The upper roof was installed first, followed by the smaller sitting platform, the main spherical structure, and finally the primary roof assembly.
8. Final Hoisting & Spin Testing
Once assembled, the entire structure was hoisted into its final suspended position. The central pivot pole was installed, followed by spin tests and mechanical adjustments.
9. Finishing Touches
Following the successful beta spin tests, the team completed the installation of floor panels, handrails, safety netting, and the suspended bridge access.
The Outcome
The final result was mesmerizing.
Watching the structure slowly rotate suspended in space created an experience that captivated everyone who encountered it. The combination of movement, geometry, and suspension transformed the platform into something far beyond a conventional treehouse.
Although the original intention was to suspend the structure directly from a tree, the custom wishbone rig became an extraordinary solution in its own right — adding both visual presence and structural elegance.
From the earliest sketches to the final rigging, the project was an incredible collaborative experience shared with an amazing team of builders, designers, and fabricators.
The finished structure exceeded expectations, opening exciting possibilities for immersive environments, gathering spaces, and future performance-art installations.
A true prototype with enormous potential.
