Fab Tree Hab: Multispecies Living Structure | 2022-2023

Location: New Windsor, New York, USA
Architects: Terreform ONE Corp.
Lead Architects: Mitchell Joachim and Vivian Kuan
Design Team: Nicholas Lynch, Avantika Velho, Claudia D'Auria, Mamoun Friedrich-Grosvenor, Grace Morenko, River Prud’Homme, and Brook Boughton
Fabricators: Arch Production and Design LLC., Evan Collier, GreenCastle Building Solutions, LLC., A.J. Dederick, and DCM Fabrication Inc.
Advisors: LandShifterZ, Ezekiel Gola, Arborsmith Studios, and Richard Reames
Researchers: Lara Greden, Javier Arbona, Nina Anker, Maria Aiolova, Sky Achitoff, Nicholas Gervasi, Eli Stoken, Dora Hauache, Maria Abdelazim, Lucy Gagne, Landon Young, Grace Jung, Abigail Weinstein, Iyad Abou Gaida, Connor Lambrecht, Tashania Akemah, Tara Cotrim, Zander Leff, Akhil Kulkarni, Mauro Edel Rodriguez, Vivian Jiang, Skylar Perez, Robin Stiefel, Lisa Wood Richardson, Ella Rocker, Elliot Zubkus, and Adrian ‘Teddy’ Kos
Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates Structural Engineers, DPC, Justin Den Herder, PE, and Takuma Yonebayashi
Agricultural Advisors: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Aidan Ackerman, and Timothy A. Volk
Client: National Endowment for the Arts
Photographs: Courtesy of the Architects

The first of its kind, the Fab Tree Hab is a terrestrial reef and grafted living tree structure. Shared by people and animals, this multispecies habitat combines indigenous tree-grafting techniques with computationally designed wooden scaffolds.

The goal is to prototype a dwelling seamlessly integrated in its natural landscape and to replace harmful industrial materials with durable, bio-based alternatives. Foundation elements use almost no concrete and all the wood is either cedar or treated with beeswax and pine rosin to prevent decay. In every respect, this project generates life and minimizes carbon footprint, pushing the boundaries of regenerative design.

Sourced from a local biomass farm, thirty-foot tall tree clusters are shaped on-site within large cross-laminated timber (CLT) arch scaffolds. After a year’s worth of growth, the trees support the modular multispecies wall system. Wall components are made from a combination of handmade crocheted jute fibers and 3D-printed bioplastic volumes.

These serve as micro-habitats and food webs for flora and fauna to greatly increase biodiversity. The structure takes a socio-ecological approach to design, serving as an observatory and education center for people, while also providing a refuge to wildlife information.