That large white volume towering in the trees above your head looks like a treehouse, doesn’t it? Except that one end of it is covered in dozens of circular birdhouse openings. 78, to be exact. ‘Bird Apartment’ actually functions as both, allowing humans to get a close look at the nesting habits of birds.
‘Bird Apartment’ was designed by Japanese architecture firm Nendo for the Ando Momofuku Center in Komoro City, Japan, which promotes and increases access to nature activities for children and adults. It’s supported by three tree trunks, and stands out against the surrounding greenery to attract avian lodgers.
A wooden ladder leads up to a human-sized entrance into the birdhouse/treehouse hybrid. Sitting inside and looking back out, you get a sense of what the world looks like to a nesting bird.
But even more intriguing is a series of tiny glass windows on the far wall. Each of these windows gives you a peek inside an individual birdhouse, without disturbing the birds inside. See more photos at Nendo.jp.

