How to grow a house from a seedling: Arboarchitecture from antiquity to the future

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Since ancient times, trees have been the main building material for our ancestors. Huts, churches and palaces are still ancient chopped architectural masterpieces that amaze the imagination. However, today we are increasingly striving to preserve life around us, especially since sometimes we get more benefits from this for ourselves. Therefore, modern scientists and agricultural technicians are developing methods of building structures from … living trees. Surprisingly, examples of the ultra-modern trend can be found in the ancient buildings of India and Japan.

In the warm and humid climate of India, people in ancient times understood that there was no need to build if the necessary structure could simply be grown. Yes, it is possible that this is not the fastest way, but, undoubtedly, the result will be incredibly strong and durable. As a result, amazing bridges from the roots of a rubber tree are still being created and used in northeastern India. Noticing that individual shoots, if given the right direction, can grow to the other side of the river, people began to use this. When several roots "force the obstacle", they are allowed to take root there and are intertwined in such a way that an aerial suspension bridge is created. These structures are incredibly reliable and can support up to 50 people. Of course, such a “construction” is not a quick matter, it usually took about 10 years, but descendants can use the result for a very long time. The largest of the modern bridges of this type is located in the state of Meghalaya and consists of two tiers.

They coped with similar problems a little faster in ancient Japan. There, for the same purposes, they used grape vines, which, firstly, grow rapidly, and secondly, they are incredibly durable. Such bridges were "built" from both sides of the river at once. After planting vines in a suitable place, they were allowed to grow to the desired length, and then intertwined, connecting in the middle. Scientists suggest that people began to build similar agro-structures here since the 12th century, but in some places they can still be used - after all, structures built from living plants are not subject to destruction, but only strengthened throughout the life of the "green building material ". In addition, during operation, they can be "rejuvenated" by adding young shoots to the old ones. So in ancient times, people were able to really grow bridges - in the truest sense of the word.

Modern Arboarchitecture (or "Stroibotanika") is a very young, but rapidly developing direction. Its foundation was laid in 2005 by American scientists who suggested "growing houses", but a team of young German architects from the Institute for the Foundations of Modern Architecture and Design at the University of Stuttgart undertook the implementation of such an unusual construction. Three enthusiasts founded the Society for the Development of Building Botany and took up the first experimental "buildings". While young scientists are developing a methodology for building green houses. Scientists consider environmental friendliness and durability to be the advantages of such structures - after all, a living tree is not subject to decay. In addition, the unusual living buildings are unusually beautiful and change with the seasons. The disadvantages include long "construction" and insufficient research into how a living and constantly changing system will behave over time, because its growth cannot be stopped.

Today, German researchers most often use the Silver Willow (Salix alba) as a "building material" and experiment with multi-storey structures. For this, the first row of trees is planted in the ground, and the higher “floors” are planted in temporary pots. To give the entire building the desired shape, light metal structures are used, which first direct the trunks and branches in the right directions. Gradually, in the process of growth, the trees, with the help of grafting technology, are fused with each other, gradually turning into a single arboreal "organism". After a few years, the supporting structures are removed, the roots of the upper trees are cut off, and the whole system begins to feed only from the ground. Thus, strong and durable supporting structures of the future building are created.

One of the latest projects is a whole Cathedral of living trees, founded in 2009 in Italy by the talented architect Giuliano Mauri. The "Living Cathedral" (Cattedrale Vegetale) was inaugurated at the end of 2010 in the commune of Oltre il Colle in the Italian province of Bergamo. The area of the unusual temple is 650 sq.m. While its beech walls are still growing in their wooden cages. According to the architect's idea, after a while these temporary "forests" will disintegrate themselves, and 42 wooden columns will gradually create a roof for this unusual building.

And while the cathedral in Italy is growing up, German architects are already studying the behavior of the walls of their buildings "during operation." By the way, their experiments find not only new customers, but also partners who are interested in these developments, so we can expect that over time our cities will become even greener, and the saying about "plant a tree and build a house" can be slightly changed, because our descendants will probably grow at home too.

Eco-friendly buildings made of unusual materials are one of the most modern trends in architecture. For example, an Architect from a family of nomads erects buildings, each of which is an eco-friendly art object.