Everyone knows happy employees are productive employees. And no industry has embraced this fact more completely than tech. In fact, it’s a virtual arms race to see who can make their employees the happiest. Free food. Massages. Concierge service. Whatever it takes to recruit and retain the top talent.

While many companies try to create green indoor spaces as stand-ins for the outdoors, it occurred to Microsoft that they had an unbeatable advantage—500 wooded acres of the real deal, right in their backyard.

So of course they built treehouses.

And not just any treehouses. They got acclaimed treehouse designer Pete Nelson of TV’s Treehouse Masters to design and build three massive state-of-the-art treehouses high up in the Douglas firs of the Pacific Northwest. They include all the modern conveniences tech workers require, from wi-fi and outlets to biometric security.

Seattle-based lighting designers Dark Light Design selected KLIK LEDPod™ 40. The tight, helical handrails of the treehouses resisted most lighting solutions. But because KLIK installs easily into any profile, we were able to coordinate engineering and metalworking needs with local artisans on the ground, ensuring an elegant solution that fits harmoniously into the architect’s original vision.

According to one Microsoft business manager who helped plan the spaces, “being more creative and flexible with our workspace allows us to be more creative and productive in our work and the products we create. It’s like a little getaway.”

Want to learn more about this cool project? Check out the links below.

• Meet me in the trees
• Techie Treehouses – Microsoft’s Treetop Work Spaces
• Microsoft Life – Treehouse Meeting Space

All photos courtesy of Microsoft