treehaus
neighborhood: bed-stuy | active since: 2007 | space type: community house | links: website, tumblr, facebook
Treehaus is a collective home centered around sustainability, open communication, respect, and cooking. There are thirteen members of the collective sharing a lovely four-floor brownstone, along with two cats and three chickens. Many of the housemates are artists, filmmakers, and crafters—a few are working on a documentary about the space, and one is in the middle of conceiving a performance art piece centered around a mermaid-egg piñata full of frozen shrimp. They often have parties, music, and other cool events, including craft swaps, dances, and an annual Pie Social.
They were all incredibly low-key and warm and welcoming, offering me any of their communal food, as well as some awesome homemade Treehaus Tea. During our interview, housemates wandered in and out, cooking and sharing and laughing and talking. It was a great picture of happy domestic coexistence, and a strong argument for the benefits of communal living in our huge, often lonely and alienating city.
Interview with Aimeé, Jackie, and Dave below!