If you combine a love of [treehouses] and mechanical engineering then amazing things are likely to happen
Today I've traveled to Palmerston north to meet John O Williams. Who's constructed a high-tech retreat that really looks like it belongs in the future
you
Get a john. Oh, hey guys again. How's it going? Mate? Good things wow?
[I] mean [that's] really all I can say this is such an impressive structure, isn't it oh yeah
I guess you could [say] that how did you even come up with the idea to create this thing to be honest?
I don't [even] know where the idea came from I was just kind of sitting there
And I had this idea this vision, and then I just did it [I] modeled it on a computer
And then built it why she built a treehouse
about five years ago, and I had a lot of fun building that it was fully out of recycled materials and I
Completed that project tonight. I just wanted to
Start something newer and bigger, so I got on the computer instead of modeling things and then started ordering materials
And then I started building it. How do you go about building something like this?
Where do you even start um so I basically just did some googling on online?
Figured out how to do the foundation's [I] don't even know how to weld
when I
started buying the materials so I had to do a course in town and
Yeah, and it all just sort of just fell into place. What's the structure actually made off?
So it's eight new steel, so it's thick to withstand an eight point five earthquake
Wow as well as two hundred kilometer hour winds
and I suppose you'd need that at being such a tall structure as you're up here on the hilltop as well, and
How did you [actually] go about fixing it [to] the ground?
So there's a 50 ton concrete slab under the ground that you can't see
Basically just those sheer weight of it holds it there
so what's this little hole [here] for so this is where the fingerprint reader is going so
Basically just walk up and scan your finger and in it and knows you by your name. [I] can program about two [hundred] and fifty
Fingerprints into it. Well. I'm really excited to see inside can we go overlooked yeah for sure you read away
oh
my goodness
far out
This is absolutely spectacular. What is the space what have you created this for what gave you the inspiration for this I?
Don't know. I just kind of wanted a space. I could stay the night in and also just hang out at the couch
Tell me about some of the features that are up here
so all the lights are control of my phone and
The beer dispenser is controlled off my photos. Oh no
it's control what beer dispenser yeah, so and the arm of the couch is a
[refridge] but it also has a
Actuator that grabs you [beer] and serves it right to your hand hey, so just you can either just press serve or you can go
beer please
That is the coolest thing ever and there it is be as fond right up. Yeah
should be cold
perfect, what [a] neat idea [and]
so
Almost everything up here is automated. Isn't it so how much can you actually control via that app?
um pretty much everything I can I can even
Tell it for a power
update of the solar stuff so I can [get]
power
Power level [80] [87%] that's your current power consumption you have approximately
132 hours Yeah, so
you know if you need it start damming the lights or
conserving energy actually using too much apps
based on Android so
using Bluetooth interface to A
microchip and
so that controls light stores
music projector
beer dispenser noise and various other [things] the door downstairs
That's actually mechanically controlled Via your app as well yep. Yeah, so right now
You'd be all on your cell phone [to] shut the front door yeah, so I can just open up there
and
Now I can I can go
main door closed
So now the bottom doors closing. I've got a [I] got to make it a bit quieter. Just put some foam around it, but
Yeah, the doors closing that is such a great addition. What a cool idea. Yeah
and this is the lighting control, so [we've] got the four Zones and
in the brightness and
color so
See you changing the color in here in brightness
That is so fantastic that you can just control really everything in here from you. Yeah, yeah, then you can go lights off lights
Deactivated [tuned] [okay]
Zombie mode
doors are closing good Luck [I]
think one of the other things that I really am blown away by is the view I mean you've really got a
panoramic view of quite stunning beautiful land [eh]
How did you how did you find the spot of land for this to be located um?
So that's my that's my old man's farm right my parents place
And I had to build a track for them in order for me to do this because they're going to use a trick later on
When I move this away, so yeah, so the intention is for this to be
Relocatable yeah, it's fully transportable really. How does that work and so my footing have built a
trailer for it so I can actually lift the
[50-ton] slab and move it all yours and so the bit here is [custom-made] as well
Yeah, you can see the frame under there and a whole lot of stuff hidden under there great
so a bit of extra storage when you need it - yeah, so this is a
[kind] [of] the entertainment area you can
Have some music [going] here. Have a boogie yeah nice, but also
You can set up the projector, and this is this
green here
You can watch the cricket. We got high-speed wireless internet up here
Behind here. This is all the brains of the operation is it [yes], so this cabinet contains?
the large battery for the the Solar Power and also
behind here
is all the
circuitry that controls
Everything in the tower so in actual fact if you did one day want to turn this into a full-time
Living space it wouldn't actually be that hard would it no no I think I just make a little
Shower module I'd probably put the bathroom down the bottom and maybe have an outdoor shower and the trees
Yeah, and is is that your intention would you like to one [day] be able to live in this space?
I think so, it would be cool. So above us right [now] is the star view platform right? Yeah, awesome
Can we take a look at that? Yeah? It's good, right
This place is absolutely amazing
Look at the view up here. This is absolutely spectacular
wow, and
So this, this is actually how you've mounted all of your solar panels onto these support members
Yeah, so these are the solar strips and the cells are made in America
real highly efficient ones and I can't imagine a more perfect spot to
Certain Star gaze. I mean this is this is really something spectacular, isn't it yeah, it's great
Well [Jonno] to be honest. I'm a little bit lost for words as to what to actually say about this place
That is absolutely fantastic
You've put so much thought into building some really unique and incredible features. I have to congratulate you
Thank you, awesome
Thank you so much for sharing it with me what I love most about this structure is [that] it completely?
throws convention out the window the sky sphere
Brilliantly brings together technology and futuristic design and yet somehow still
Manages [to] look perfectly at home and this beautiful natural surrounding all [Johnna] really needs now is a flying car
We need more beer
The text message be a request has been made more is hopefully on the way so that
Will seem to come
But it's in it and sending it to me currently because she doesn't get happy when they get the be request going to here