Come Rule the Forest with “We Are Wild”
Come Rule the Forest with “We Are Wild”
Come step into the story this summer at Cheekwood’s Storybook Houses! The young and young at heart will all enjoy these five large-scale outdoor playhouses inspired by beloved illustrators and brought to life through a collaborative effort of talented local architecture and building firms.
With a name like “We Are Wild”, you can certainly picture a playground filled with adventure, exploration, and imagination. Tuck-Hinton Architecture & Design brings that picture to life inspired by illustrator Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are) with a design that allows kids of all ages to truly be rulers of the forest.
Nestled off in the Carell Dogwood Garden underneath towering trees, this Storybook House offers a shady respite from the heat that also allows your creative forest explorers to play to their heart’s content.
BE RULER OF THE SEA
Come stand at the helm of this bright yellow sailboat as you adventurously steer into another imaginary world. Tuck Hinton architect, James Carroll, AIA explained, “the main idea of the playhouse is the boat, in which children can climb and play on, and in slightly further in the distance a super large scale Wild Thing, poking its head out of the ground and peering over at the boat. Due to the site being downhill and between large trees, the Wild Thing head is semi obscured from view when walking down the path, lurking in the distance, and only upon closer observation do you see the playfulness of it.” As the wind catches the leaves above and blows your hair around your face, you can just picture your life as a captain at sea!
BE RULER OF THE TREES
After sailing the seven seas, you can become a conqueror of the Wild Thing! With gorgeous grained wood, bumpy knotted rope, and golden glowing eyes, even the detailed textures of the house transport you to an entirely different world. Crawl through the triangular teeth like a true adventurer and inside the head find a shaded haven. Looking up and around as the sunlight fills the geodesic dome, experience what it is like to be inside where imagination actually happens.
Towards the back of the head, climb the knotted rope that serves as the hair of the Wild Thing all the way up to the top. Nestled between the two horns like a crown, you can sit on top of the head as the proper ruler of the forest, having successfully climbed what children have lovingly dubbed “Mount Monster”. Satisfy your child’s explorer heart with this courageous and adventuring playhouse, and encourage their creativity to expand into other fantastical worlds!
“We have climbed Mount Monster!”
A preliminary sketch from Tuck-Hinton Architecture & Design and the final constructed playhouse
The playhouse construction was in partnership with local contractor Solomon Builders, along with local artist Brian Somerville who fabricated the horns and nose of the Wild Thing.
In true Dr. Seuss fashion, these vibrant houses immediately grab the eye. With a saturated bright blue, pale green, and Cindy Lou pink, each house brings a different-sized world of wonder to the children inside with new instruments and color. Constructed out of an innovative new material called Cross Laminated Timber, even the wood grain is swirly and whimsical. Scramble up the rainbow rock-climbing wall to see the happy yellow painted sides of the houses and embrace the colorful wonderland
Located next to the Herb Garden, amidst the bubbling noise of the water fountain, come hear the shimmering twinkle of bells and laughter! In every window hangs rows of multicolored bells or stringed wind chimes while the doorways are lined with hand-squeezable horns. Ring a bell, call down to your playmate through a speaker phone, or tap to your heart’s content on the xylophone!
