A Habitat for Humanity—And Plants and Animals, Too

Fab Tree Hab/Credit: Tracey Friedman

Goodbye, brick and mortar. Hello, wood and jute!

As we try to imagine the future of sustainable architecture, an innovative structure in New Windsor, NY, composed of approximately 70 living willow trees offers a compelling example of what that could look like. Standing at 32 feet, Fab Tree Hab is an expansive open-air canopy with trees growing upward along cross-laminated timber scaffolding. The trees are bound by a natural fiber called jute to increase their strength as they grow. Throughout Fab Tree Hab are "pockets" that serve as micro-habitats in this larger ecosystem that serves as a terrestrial reef-a land structure similar to a coral reef that enables flora and fauna to pass through or establish homes.

This project is the creation of the nonprofit organization Terreform ONE, a team of architects, designers, and artists led by Gallatin Associate Professor Mitchell Joachim. Joachim began considering such a structure about 20 years ago following a prompt from Habitat for Humanity to submit innovative designs for suburban housing. Since its establishment in December 2023, it has housed diverse groups of animals-including bats, frogs, and turkeys-and has provided scholars and students with a space for research and observation.

This Earth Month, NYU News asked Joachim to tell us more about the principles behind Fab Tree Hab, which is expected to stand for 150-200 years, and the future of sustainable housing.

What sparked this endeavor, and how long did it take to build?

The Fab Tree Hab project, which was initiated at MIT and later became associated with Terreform ONE, was born out of an eco-vision to create truly sustainable and biotech based living spaces. The concept emerged from the desire to rethink traditional architecture and urban planning by integrating living ecosystems into a multi-species environment. The aim was to design homes that were not just in nature, but of nature, using living trees as the primary material to create a living, breathing structure that could coexist harmoniously with its surroundings.

The idea was to use ancient techniques like pleaching-creating a lattice with living and dead branches-intertwining, and weaving, combined with modern fabrication technologies to guide the growth of living trees into the structures of homes. The project started in 2002 and is now growing in a 10-acre lot next to Storm King Art Center in New York.

The evolution of the idea and its implementation is an ongoing process, and it seeks to engage biodiversity preservation, carbon sequestration, renewable resources, and reduction in energy. The idea is to offer a holistic solution to sustainability, directly tackling the causes of environmental degradation and species extinction. It represents a radical rethinking of how humans can live in and interact with the natural world, proposing a future where human habitation becomes a contributing factor to ecosystem health rather than a threat.

How will it change with the seasons?

In spring, it will come to life along with the rest of the natural world-buds on the living branches used to construct the home will begin to sprout leaves, gradually filling in the structure with lush greenery. Flowers may bloom on certain parts of the habitation, attracting pollinators and adding color and vibrancy to the structure. By the summer, the Fab Tree Hab will be in full leaf, providing ample shade and a dense, green canopy. This natural foliage will help regulate the interior temperature, keeping it cooler in the heat. The dense leaves will also contribute to the home's privacy and aesthetic appeal. In autumn, the leaves of the home will change color, offering a spectacular display of reds, yellows, and oranges before they fall. This seasonal shedding indicates the structure's direct connection to the cycle of nature, with the fallen leaves decomposing and enriching the soil around the base of the habitation. For the winter, the structure will appear bare and dormant, as deciduous trees lose their leaves, revealing the intricate network of branches that make up its walls and roof. Despite the lack of foliage, the living trees continue to provide structural support. Evergreen plants and structural elements designed to retain their presence year-round could help maintain some degree of greenery and protection against the elements during the colder months.

Microhabitats in the walls of Fab Tree Hab. Credit: Tracey Friedman/New York University

What maintenance is required?

The maintenance required is more akin to gardening than traditional building upkeep. For example, pruning and guiding growth is necessary to shape the growth of the trees according to the structure's design. This involves guiding the trees as they grow and intertwine to maintain the integrity and functionality of the living architecture. It also needs water and nutrients to ensure the trees' health and growth. The specific requirements would depend on the species of trees used and the local climate. Systems for rainwater capture and distribution might be incorporated into the design to support this.

Like any garden or orchard, the Fab Tree Hab needs monitoring and management to prevent and treat any pest infestations or diseases that could threaten the health of the trees. Additionally, while the structure is living and thus self-healing to an extent, regular checks are essential to ensure that it remains safe and secure as the trees grow and change with time. Finally, the internal environment of a Fab Tree Hab, such as humidity and temperature, is influenced by the living structure, so managing these conditions to ensure a comfortable living space might require innovative solutions.

What kind of animals currently inhabit the space? And how do you expect people to use it?

For now, many creatures have been curious about the space, including deer, raccoons, frogs, butterflies, bats, birds, spiders, wild turkeys, and rabbits. The panel system is made of clusters of more than 60 jute habitats of different sizes and scales. It welcomes all types of organisms from the Hudson Valley region and animals will move in, live, mate, and feed as they choose. We have wildlife cams set up to capture data on their behavior and the panels will adjust to meet the different use models. External groups meant to use it are students to learn about wildlife ecology, artists who are active in the environment, our researchers, and the public.

How do you foresee the future of sustainable housing?

In the near future we can grow homes made from local woody plants, instead of killing trees to sell lumber. In the future, carpenters, contractors, and trade-workers will be trained in arborsmithing and basic landscape ecology. People will be able to recognize the health of trees and integrate them into our built realm.

Mitchel Joachim (far left) and his Fab Tree team at their studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, NYC. Credit: Tracey Friedman