10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

World

About

Contact

Submit

Advertise

ArchDaily | Broadcasting

the world's most visited architecture website

Projects

News

Articles

Materials

Interviews

Competitions

Events

Classics

More

Log in | Sign up

Search ArchDaily

Baubotanik: The Botanically Inspired Design

System that Creates Living Buildings

23

MORE
ARTICLES

OCT

2015

by Ansel Oommen
News Articles Nature
Research Group Baubotanik
biophilic design Tree Saplings
Sustainability Landscape
Baubotanik

Bookmark

283
Like
Tweet

19

MORE ARTICLES

MOST
VISITED
150 Weird Words That Only
Architects Use
Articles

Baubotanik: The
Botanically Inspired Design
System that Creates Living
Buildings
Articles
Willowfootbridgesummer2012.ImageFerdinandLudwig

Frank Gehry Claims

Todays Architecture is
(Mostly) Pure Shit

Timberbuildingsareregularlypraisedfortheirsustainability,ascarbondioxideremoved
fromtheatmospherebythetreesremainslockedinthestructureofthebuilding.Butwhat

ArchitectureNews

ifyoucouldgoonebetter,todesignbuildingsthatnotonlylockincarbon,butactively
absorbcarbondioxidetostrengthentheirstructure?Inthisarticle,originallypublishedby
theInternationalFederationofLandscapeArchitectsas"Baubotanik:BotanicallyInspired

Biodesign,"AnselOommenexploresthetheoryandtechniquesofBaubotanik,asystem
ofbuildingwithlivetreesthatattemptstodojustthat.

Treesarethetall,quietguardiansofourhumannarrative.Theyspendtheirentirelives

Vven Cultural Centre /

White Arkitekter +
Snhetta

MOST VISITED
PRODUCTS SelectedProjects

formoffood,shelter,andmedicine.Theirresilientboughsliftboththeskyandourspirits.

Metal Fabrics - Illumesh

GKD Metal Fabrics

Theirmossagedgrandeurstandstestamenttotheshiftingtimes,somuchso,thatto

Metallics

breathingfortheplanet,supportingvastecosystems,allwhileprovidingkeyservicesinthe

imagineaworldwithouttreesistoimagineaworldwithoutlife.

Tomoveforwardthen,mankindmustnotonlycoexistwithnature,butalsobeitsactive
benefactor.InGermany,thisallianceisfoundthroughBaubotanik,orLivingPlant
Constructions.Coinedbyarchitect,Dr.FerdinandLudwig,thepracticewasinspiredbythe
ancientartoftreeshaping.

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

Intectural

Bamboo Wall Panels - Plyboo's

Reveal Line

Wood/Bamboo
1/8

10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

Facade panel Natura

EQUITONE
FiberCements/Cements

IcameintouchwithsomehistoricexamplesoflivingarchitecturewhileIwasstudying[at
theUniversityofStuttgart]andwasfascinatedfromthefirstmomenton,heexplained.
Thevisionisanewwayofintegratingtreesinarchitecturalandurbandesign.

Asthenamesuggests,whenshapedthroughavarietyofmeansviapruning,bending,
grafting,orweaving,treescanbecomeextraordinaryworksofinnovation.Earlyexamples
oflivingrootbridgesinMeghalaya,India,andthepleachedhedgefencesofmedieval
Europerevealtheiradditionalvalueinthebuiltenvironment.

Receive the best architecture, every

day, via email.

Despitehumanintervention,thisprocesscanalsooccurinnaturewhentrunks,roots,or

DailyNewsletter

branchesincloseproximityslowlyfusetogether.Knownasinosculation,orapproach

FortnightlyMaterialsNewsletter

grafting,itcanarisewithinasingletreeorneighboringtreesofsameordifferentspecies.
Overtime,asthelimbsgrow,theyexertincreasingpressureoneachother,similartothe

YOUREMAIL

SUBSCRIBE

frictionbetweentwopalmsrubbedtogether.Thiscausestheouterbarktosloughoff,
exposingtheinnertissueandallowingthevasculatureofbothtreestointermingle,in
essencejoiningtheirlifeblood.

Seriesofsectionsthroughinosculation.ImageFerdinandLudwig

LudwigsBaubotanik,however,goesonestepfurther.Byincorporatingavegetal
componenttometalscaffoldingandotherconstructionmaterials,aliving,breathingbuilding
isformed.Overtime,asthetreesage,theirfusedjointscontinuetostrengthen,providing
furtherloadbearingsupport.Indeed,theabilityofgrowingtreestoincorporateforeign
materialssuchasmetalandplastichighlightsthepotentialofBaubotanikalstructuresin
urbandesign.

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

2/8

10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

Connectiondetail2012.ImageFerdinandLudwig

Unfortunately,notalltreespeciesaresuitableforsuchcreativetreatment.Idealcandidates
mustbeflexibleandvigorouswiththinbarksthatcanbeeasilygraftedsuchaswillow
(Salix),sycamore/planetree(Platanus),poplar(Populus),birch(Betulus),andhornbeam
(Carpinus).

Ludwigelaborated,FormyPhD,Itestedaround10differentspeciesregardingtheirability
toinosculate.Planetree,hornbeam,andbeechjoinedverywellandfastduetotheirthin,
flakybark.Thosewithathickbarkcausedmoreproblemswheninsoculated.

Surprisingly,onetopchoicedidnotperformsowell.Weusedalotofwillowsinthe
beginningduetotheirfastgrowth[andeaseinpropagation]fromcuttings.However,we
dontusethemanymorebecausetheyarenotlonglastingandtheconnectionpoints
betweentheplantandtechnicalelementstendtorot.

Evenso,hisearlycreationsofathreestorywillowtower,anosierwillowfootbridgeanda
silverwillowbirdwatchingstationstillstand,butnotwithoutsomechallenges.

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

3/8

10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

Willowfootbridgesummer2012.ImageFerdinandLudwig

Sixyearsaftertheinceptionofthewillowtower,Ludwignoted,Heavyhailstorms,frost,
fungalinfections,andproblemswiththewaterqualityallimpactedonourgrowthpredictions
[forthefourthyear],whichfellbehindexpectationsatypicalexampleoftheinfluenceof
nonpredictablefactors.

Thankfully,Ludwigandhiscloseteamofcollaboratorswereabletosolvetheseproblems
throughselectivereplantingandtechnicaladaptations.Asaresult,theyhavedevelopeda
systemtocutbackandreplantcertaintreeswithoutaffectingtheoverallvitalityofthe
structure.Thissystemofredundancyallowslossesofupto30%ofthetreeswithoutany
adverseeffects,butbecomesmoredifficulttomaintainasthestructureages.

Willowtoweraftercompletion.ImageFerdinandLudwig

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

4/8

10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

ThePlaneTreeCube,thelargestbaubotanikalbuildingsofar,incorporatessycamores
insteadandwasopentothepublicduringLandesgartenschau2012,aregionalhorticultural
show,inNagold,Germany.Apopularattraction,itwasawardedtheSpecialPrizefor
InnovationforHolzbaupreisBadenWrttemberg,acontestthatjudgeduniquebuildings
madefromwood.

Planecube:viewfromsouthwestdirectlyaftercompletion.ImageLudwig.Schnle

Asapioneer,hisvisionhasalsowonawardsforDeutschland,LandderIdeen(Germany:
LandofIdeas),bermorgenmacher(CreatingtheDayafterTomorrow),andArchiprix
International,acompetitioninurbandesignandlandscapearchitecture.

Ludwig,nowanassistantprofessorattheUniversityofStuttgart,hasfoundhisroletobe
everexpanding.Forthepastyear,hehasservedasamentorandprojectleaderforthe
UniversityofAlgheroinSardinia/Italy.Hostingseveraldesignandbuildworkshopsfor
LandWorks,hesharedhisknowledgeofprocessualdesignthinkingwithstudentsfrom
aroundtheworldthroughahandsonapproach.

Regardingfutureplansandgoals,hereplied,Wedevelopedsolutionstoadapttoclimate
changeinStuttgartbyusingthepotentialofBaubotanik.Thisseemsveryinterestingand
urgentandwehopethatwecancontributetothistopicinthefuture.

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

5/8

10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

Testfieldwithinosculations.Imagefotochiramoro

ThevalueofBaubotanikshouldnotbelostintodaysincreasinglyurbanworld.Unliketheir
deadlumberbasedcounterparts,livingarchitecturecontinuestocombatsoilerosion,while
providingoxygen,sustenance,shelter,andhabitation.Treescanreducestormwaterrunoff
andimprovewaterqualitythroughtheirroots.Moreover,theycanevenreduceenergy
costsduetotheircoolingshade.Byreducingthisenergydemand,theyinturncutdown
greenhousegasemissions.

Asanintegralpartoftheecosystem,treesalsoconvertcarbondioxide,amajor
greenhousegas,intobiomass,therebymitigatingclimatechange.Butdespiteallthese
benefits,treesarestilllivingthingsandmustbetreatedassuchinbiodesign.Dr.
FerdinandLudwigcreditshissuccesstobeingmindfulofakeyprincipletoworkout
designrulesthatarederivedfrombotanicalrulesofgrowth.

Detail2012.ImageFerdinandLudwig
http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

6/8

10/24/2015

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

Ifyoudonotrespecttherulesofgrowthinyourdesign,theplantstructurewillnotgrowas
youwantittoandmayevendie.

Onlybyworkingtogetherwithnature,onlybycultivatingapassionforthefutureofour
worldandourenvironment,canwetrulymoveforwardtowardsamoresustainable,
balancedtomorrow.

Cite:
Ansel Oommen. "Baubotanik: The Botanically Inspired Design System that Creates Living Buildings" 23
Oct 2015. ArchDaily. Accessed 24 Oct 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanik-thebotanically-inspired-design-system-that-creates-living-buildings/>

BROWSE THE
CATALOG

Porcelain Tiles - Larix

Collection
Ceramiche Refin

Metal Wall & Roof Systems Perforated Panels

Morin Corp.

Wood - Shutters & Louvres

Accoya

Facade panel Tectiva

EQUITONE

Wood Beams - Laminated

Lenga Wood Beams
Ignisterra

Spotlights - DOT
Lamp

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

7/8

10/24/2015

About

Baubotanik:TheBotanicallyInspiredDesignSystemthatCreatesLivingBuildings|ArchDaily

Contact

Submit

Advertise

Subscribetoournewsletter

OUR PARTNERS

CATALOG MARKETS

INFORMATION

Brasil

Terms of Use

Chile

Privacy Policy

Colombia

RSS

FOLLOW US IN

Mxico
Per
US

THANKS FOR VISITING

All rights reserved. ArchDaily 2008-2015 | All images are each office/photographer mentioned.

http://www.archdaily.com/775884/baubotanikthebotanicallyinspireddesignsystemthatcreateslivingbuildings

8/8