They Refused to Cut Down a 150-Year-Old Tree and Built a 4-Story House Around It
Two distinct families living in the Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat regions of India opted for an unconventional approach rather than cutting down the historic fruit trees on their land. Without causing harm to even a single branch, the families constructed multi-story, multifunctional houses around these colossal trees.
In today's world, where trees are being massacred due to escalating urbanization and increasing population, two distinct architectural approaches from India provide a lesson in environmental consciousness.
Families wishing to protect sacred fig (peepal) and mango trees, whose ages range between 80 and 150 years, have become local icons by building their homes around nature.
When the Kesharwani family, residing in the city of Jabalpur in the state of Madhya Pradesh, decided to expand their home, they did not want to cut down the 150-year-old giant fig tree in their garden. With the insistence of father Moti Lal Kesharwani and the help of an engineer friend, a four-story building was constructed in 1994, completely designed around the tree.
Today, the colossal trunk of the tree cuts right through the center of the building, while its leafy branches stretch out from the windows and balconies.
Yogesh Kesharwani, a family member, sums up their decision with these words: 'We are nature lovers. We knew how easy it was to cut down a tree, but how difficult it was to grow a similar one. In Indian culture, it is believed that 350 million gods and goddesses live in this sacred fig tree. The tree has never been an obstacle to us, it continues to live quietly in our home.'
Another architectural achievement that respects nature is rising in the city of Udaipur, Rajasthan. Environmental activist and civil engineer Kul Pradeep Singh constructed a massive three-story treehouse on an 80-year-old mango tree without cutting a single branch, using steel and cellulose panels.
This unique structure, which houses two bedrooms, a kitchen, a library, and a living area, stands out with its flexible and aerodynamic design. In this house, where the walls move along with the branches when the wind blows, architectural adjustments are continually being made in parallel with the growth of the tree.
The unique bond that the Singh family has formed with nature is not limited to its visual appeal alone:
Lightning Protection with Steel Pillars: Four special pillars placed around the tree serve as electrical conductors, protecting the tree from potential lightning strikes.
Natural Roommates: Homeowner Singh notes that they consider the birds and small animals living on the branches passing through the kitchen and bedrooms as members of their family.
Summer Surprise: The family is rewarded with fresh and delicious mangoes offered by the tree every summer.
These projects, born in response to the cutting of thousands of fruit trees due to population growth in the region, are attracting great interest from both local and foreign tourists. Families are proving to the world that they can 'take root in nature without destroying anything' with these structures they have developed.
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