Merryda by Wiki World: Secret Camp – A Forest Retreat Between Birds and Dreams

Hidden within the metasequoia forests of Dongxihu District, Wuhan, Merryda Wiki World • Secret Camp is a poetic retreat created by United Investment Merryda Hotel Management Group in collaboration with Wiki World. The project sits quietly on Cihui Street, surrounded by tall trees and migratory birds, where more than a dozen uniquely designed treehouses are delicately woven into the landscape. Each cabin feels as though it has naturally grown among the trees—alive, breathing, and sharing space with the forest’s avian residents.

The project forms part of the “Wiki Building School” initiative, a long-term exploration of building in harmony with nature. It reflects the studio’s commitment to creating small, meaningful, and ecologically sensitive spaces that invite people to live more consciously with the natural world.

Living With Nature

Inspired by the flora and fauna of the metasequoia forest, the design draws from organic forms—bird nests, seeds, and eggs—symbolizing protection, growth, and transformation. Rather than imposing upon the landscape, the cabins are imagined as natural extensions of it, as if migratory birds had built homes for humans among the branches.

Each treehouse tells its own story: Time Machine, Nomadic Land, Playground, Daydream, Red Windmill, and The Unicorn—each distinct in character and expression.

Every tree within the site was carefully preserved. The cabins stand on elevated, prefabricated timber structures, ensuring minimal disturbance to the soil and undergrowth. No artificial paving or hard landscaping was introduced; the forest floor remains untouched, retaining its natural topography and wild charm.

Visitors are invited to rediscover their bond with nature through activities such as writing “Letters from Birds,” curating small exhibitions like “Evolution of Birds,” or crafting their own birdhouses to welcome back the forest’s winged travelers each spring.

Cabins of Birds – A Forest of Stories

The cabins of Secret Camp represent a whimsical collection of ideas born from dreams, childhood memories, and the poetic imagination of those who long to reconnect with nature.

Nomadic Land recalls the simplicity of a quiet world contained within a small plot—an enclosed microcosm for solitude and reflection.
Time Machine glimmers at the forest’s edge, a metallic vessel evoking curiosity about journeys through time and imagination.
Playground channels childhood innocence, where one can swing under the stars, whisper goodnight to the birds, and fall asleep beneath the trees.
Daydream is a mirrored refuge that blurs the boundaries between reflection and reality, turning the forest into an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of light.
Red Windmill, painted a bold scarlet, stands like a dancer among the trees—a lively contrast to the greens and browns of its surroundings.
And The Unicorn, cloaked in silvery panels, rises elegantly toward the sky, embodying both fantasy and mystery.

Each structure offers not only shelter but a narrative—a space that encourages visitors to slow down, observe, and become part of the forest’s rhythm.

Creating Together With Nature

Beyond accommodation, Secret Camp functions as an open-air forest art gallery and nature school. Art installations and creative workshops are spread throughout the woods, transforming the landscape into an ever-changing cultural experience.

The Forest Reception serves as the creative hub—where natural materials become inspiration for handmade crafts and sustainable design objects such as bird-shaped clocks, seed cards, and egg-inspired furniture. Annual events like the “Wiki Building School Sino-French Construction Festival” bring together architects, artists, and nature enthusiasts to reimagine what “home” means in the wilderness.

Wiki World Philosophy – Build Small, Dream Big

Wiki World’s architectural philosophy revolves around building small and thinking freely. The team challenges conventional notions of domesticity by exploring the relationship between living behavior and environment.

The cabins are intentionally compact—two meters wide—prompting residents to live simply and connect more deeply with the materials, sounds, and textures around them. Here, the act of walking barefoot on wooden terraces and hearing the crunch of fallen leaves becomes part of daily life, enriching sensory awareness and mindfulness.

Natural Construction Techniques

Each treehouse employs glued-laminated timber structures, digitally fabricated for precision and assembled on-site with minimal impact. The system is 100% prefabricated, allowing components to be easily transported and installed like modular pieces of a natural puzzle.

All façades are crafted from carbonized wood boards, hand-fired to enhance durability and blend with the forest’s earthy palette. The cabins are joined using small metal connectors that allow for repeated assembly and disassembly—reflecting an adaptable and reversible approach to construction.

No walls or fences divide the site; instead, the forest itself serves as both backdrop and boundary. Nature remains the architecture’s most vital element, providing light, texture, and atmosphere.

Conclusion

Merryda Wiki World • Secret Camp is not just a retreat—it is a living experiment in how architecture can coexist with the wild. Through minimal intervention, poetic storytelling, and natural construction, Wiki World redefines what it means to inhabit the earth gently.

In this forest where birds nest, children dream, and adults rediscover silence, architecture becomes invisible—leaving only the timeless dialogue between humans and nature.

Photography: Arch EXIST