How to Grow Your Own Living House
July 23, 2009
Three young German architects have created a new area of architecture: arbo-architecture.
Ferdinand Ludwig and fellow architects, Oliver Storz and Hannes Schwertfeger, call their new specialty “building botany.” As part of this, the three men are building structures made from plants as well as studying the elasticity of plane trees and examining how effectively willows can grow around steel pipes at the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Basics in Modern Architectural Design.
In this way, they plan to begin building an eight-meter (26-foot) tower near Lake Constance in southern Germany at the end of July.
“In our opinion trees are high-tech material, which is why plant growth is part of our vision,” says Schwertfeger. “We start them off but the tree itself continues the building process,” Ludwig adds. “In architectural terms it’s very risky — but it’s a positive risk.”
Training trees to grow in all manner of decorative shapes is not new, it has been part of the skilled landscape gardener’s repertoire since the 13th century. And companies like the Israeli firm, Plantware, have perfected these techniques as they have shaped trees into fruit bowls, toilet paper holders and street lamps; they call their work “arborsculpture.”
Now Stuttgart’s architectural rebels are taking the concept a step further. They consider the trees to be building materials similar to steel and concrete.
via Spiegel and Treehugger
Category: Experiencing
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to Urban Gardens!
share | permalink | 
e-mail a friend | comments (31)
Grow your own Tree Home « Overbury Ink Pingback said:
[...] the term: “building botany” for their new tree-house design. According to the post by Urban Gardens: “Training trees to grow in all manner of decorative shapes is not new, it has been part of [...]
— July 31, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
A wonderful idea!
But it’s going to be even slower than ORDINARY builders. And that’s slow!
— July 31, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
Now all Germany needs to do is perfect a tank-resistant version Russian tanks cannot bust through.
— July 31, 2009 @ 3:14 pm
im so baked.
— July 31, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
This is a fabulous idea. My only worry would be, what if a couple of the trees die? It’s one thing if they’re being used for landscaping, but if they structural integrity of your home depends on the livelihood and health of some trees, it might be a little too risky.
— July 31, 2009 @ 4:30 pm
Yeah I think my concern would be for the trees health. or a gusting wind. What then. http://popblogculture.blogspot.com/
— July 31, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
Oh, but it is so very cool!
— August 1, 2009 @ 3:38 am
I hven’t any word,it is all O.K
— August 1, 2009 @ 10:25 am
Excellent idea! The elasticity can be very usefull in certain situations, certainly if it is combined with other materials.
The harder a material is, the better or faster it will break or burst under the right circumstances. Absolutely to be tested more.
Very inspiring idea indeed! Thumbs up for these architects!
— August 2, 2009 @ 11:46 am
Bad idea. Reason 1. Google codit and learn about wound closure. Trees are dynamic systems undergoing a metabolic process. Sticking a steel rod through a tree is never a good idea (pic2). The bark of trees is like our skin. When its constantly rubbing against an object such as another tree ( pic 1) then that skin is open and its a vector for plant pathogens and infection.
Reason2. Plants have different growth rates. Even members of the same species that are the same sex may grow faster than one another. My brother is 5ft 9. Im 6 ft. Were not just speaking of height, were also talking about limb diameter. When you build a structure that structure needs to be stable. If what your building with is constantly changing then that stability isnt there.
I could go on.. but you get the idea
— August 5, 2009 @ 7:10 am
Thanks alot Willy.Your a killjoy.
— August 5, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
How to grow your own living house - Arbo-Architecture | remove the labels | Gadgets and Life Pingback said:
[...] While I’d be somewhat scared to do it, I soooo see this being a cool thing to do as a treehouse for a little one… and some serious patience. Click to read more. [...]
— August 7, 2009 @ 12:08 am
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
— August 8, 2009 @ 4:49 pm
http://rootbridges.blogspot.com/
— August 8, 2009 @ 9:16 pm
What a great concept. Many of you have drawn attention to the flaws in the idea, but it’s not intended as a replacement for our current buildings. It’s a concept, one that’s being carried out for the fun and adventure. Relax.
We all know this would only be truly practical for elves and other patient creatures with very long life spans.
— August 12, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Thank you willy.
You gave some reasons why it can’t be done. Some people however don’t look at the can’ts and do it anyway.
— September 1, 2009 @ 9:24 am
WOW!
— December 27, 2009 @ 9:01 am
“a new area of architecture: arbo-architecture”?????
C’mon. Someone has come up with a variation of this every few years for decades (probably millennia, but decades that I remember). Usually the ideas are better than this. Willow? Seriously? And steel rods through it? Right. I’ve always been intrigued by living architecture, but this one is just stoooopid.
— July 17, 2010 @ 11:02 pm
that is such a cool idea…too bad it probably takes years to build a home! good side project for a retirement lake home
— August 16, 2010 @ 8:56 am
Very cool a great idea I like very much yes sir
— October 7, 2010 @ 4:19 am
It is good that people can receive the personal loans moreover, this opens up new opportunities.
— October 12, 2010 @ 2:37 pm
that is such a cool idea…too bad it probably takes years to build a home! good side project for a retirement lake home
— October 31, 2010 @ 4:59 am
Garden Insights for 2010 « Zest Practices Pingback said:
[...] 6. Trees can grow into a house: http://www.urbangardensweb.com/2009/07/23/how-to-grow-your-own-living-house/ [...]
— November 28, 2010 @ 2:39 am
Women in the Dirt | Urban Gardens | Unlimited Thinking For Limited Spaces Pingback said:
[...] shaping our lives, transforming our cities, and nourishing the environment, landscape architecture, as the [...]
— January 8, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
Like the idea or not, you can see from the volume of comments, this one certainly provokes dialogue!
— January 16, 2011 @ 7:08 pm
Cool idea. Nature has all the solutions.
— February 3, 2011 @ 11:02 pm
Very cool a great idea I like very much yes sir
— August 3, 2011 @ 3:58 am
Very cool a great idea I like very much yes sir
— August 12, 2011 @ 1:23 pm
Amazing way of thinking,great things, Presently there are many individuals researching about the same topic.,so now they will get satisfactory sources by your write-up.We’re excited for extra details about that
— January 9, 2012 @ 11:19 am
Several things in here’ haven’t considered before.Thank you for making this type of awesome publish that is really perfectly written.is going to be mentioning lots of buddies relating to this.Maintain blogging.
dirt bikes for sale
— January 10, 2012 @ 12:46 pm
I wished to understand much about particular subjects, yet not many web pages will assist me in updating me the way that I estimated. This left me with many question, however , right after reviewing your short article, I really bought a great answer to all my inquiries. You are too cool dude!!!
live sex chat
— January 15, 2012 @ 5:44 am