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- calendar_today November 3, 2026
Crafting Unique Play Spaces Beyond the Ordinary
Most backyard children play structures follow a standard design, featuring slides and swings with simple construction. However, Minnesota-based builder Adam Rasmussen has set himself apart with his company, Fortz, by creating custom treehouses and playhouses that ignite children's imaginations and encourage creative play.
The Start of Fortz: A Personal Journey
Rasmussen, who studied cabin design at the University of Minnesota and previously ran a small architecture firm focused on geodesic domes and tiny homes, started building play structures under unique circumstances. When the COVID-19 pandemic kept his son at home, Rasmussen crafted a play structure to give him an outdoor outlet. To his surprise, other families took notice and encouraged him to build for others, sparking the creation of Fortz.
Custom Creations for Every Family
Five years since its founding, Fortz is now a thriving business. Together with lead carpenter Alo Osberg, Rasmussen designs and constructs each play structure from scratch, with no kits or generic guides. Every project — like the two-story clubhouse recently built in the yard of a home in Eden Prairie — is tailored to the family's wishes and the interests of their children. The design process includes thoughtful features such as hammocks, pulley boxes with buckets, secret storage areas, and trapdoors, embodying the quintessential clubhouse experience.
Overcoming Unique Building Challenges
Building these imaginative play structures often presents logistical hurdles. Osberg notes, "We’re always working at height, right? So, trying to figure out how to lift really heavy things above our heads, and sometimes in the backwoods … sometimes not really close to accessible roads." Despite the physical demands, the team approaches each project with creativity and problem-solving to deliver unique results.
Meaningful Work and Community Centers for Kids
Rasmussen’s approach goes beyond mere construction. He works closely with families to ensure that the play structures adapt as children grow, accommodating various ages and abilities. "There’s always like the fun, exciting things, like the secret storage, and the trapdoors and the secret entrances," Rasmussen says. For him, providing a space that children, including those with special needs, can call their own carries significant personal meaning.
Client Experiences: Enchantment Over Assembly
Many clients appreciate Fortz's personalized approach. Homeowner Erin Kindy, whose daughter was the recipient of a new fort in Eden Prairie, reflects that her family preferred something enchanting and custom-built rather than an assembly-line playhouse from a big box store. The process of having a crafted, handcrafted treehouse tailored to their needs brought a touch of magic to their backyard.
Creative Play for All Budgets
While the dream is to give every child a custom playhouse, Rasmussen acknowledges the associated costs of major construction. He encourages creativity at any budget level, suggesting simple outdoor forts built from backyard sticks as a resourceful alternative. Fortz has also taken on projects such as Make-a-Wish builds, outdoor structures for nursery schools, and indoor playhouses for apartment complexes, furthering their commitment to creative play spaces.
Inspiring Future Creators
For Rasmussen and Osberg, completing a project and leaving it in the hands of children is about more than construction — it's about handing over a canvas for further creativity. "I want kids to feel like they can cut them up and add on, and you know, create a new window or connect a bridge over to the house. I want kids to kind of take over from there," Rasmussen says, hoping to foster freedom and expression through imaginative play spaces in every custom backyard fort they build.
Source: mprnews.org.
