Living Root Bridges of India

By Queuebot in Architecture on Aug 6, 2009 at 8:38 pm


When the War-Khasis tribe needs a new bridge to cross one of the many criss-crossing rivers of the cherrapunji region, they don’t build one. They grow it.

The root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional, but they’re extraordinarily strong – strong enough that some of them can support the weight of fifty or more people at a time.

Because they are alive and still growing, the bridges actually gain strength over time – and some of the ancient root bridges used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji may be well over five hundred years old.

Link – via rootbridges

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by coconutnut.


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  1. Christophe
    Aug 6th, 2009 at 10:07 pm

    Amazing!

  2. LisaL
    Aug 6th, 2009 at 10:43 pm

    Wow, that is pretty darn awesome.

  3. LisaL
    Aug 6th, 2009 at 10:44 pm

    Take THAT you poser vegan hippies!

    *coughs…… shrug*

  4. Antarcticqueen
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 1:49 am

    Absolutely astounding! I can’t believe people thought to do that.

  5. Robolasse
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 2:57 am

    The original nano building construction.

  6. Foreigner1
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 3:01 am

    How’s that for organic building!
    Imagine you could grow the frame of a house like that…?

  7. health
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 3:13 am

    YO! Mister Obama, you readin’ this shit? INFRASTRUCTURE, man! Oh yeah!

  8. Larfin Jackarse
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 4:06 am

    @Antarcticqueen, they didn’t. After the aliens finished with the pyramids then the God Daniken sent them here.

  9. Skipweasel
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 5:13 am

    I like the long-term planning aspect. Having to decide you need a bridge a decade or so beforehand is good for village communities.

  10. D Bozko
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 8:55 am

    @ Larfin Jackarse. They actually got their idea from the Ents. Treebeard himself I think.

  11. Gauldar
    Aug 7th, 2009 at 9:16 am

    Versatile and sustainable, I like it!

  12. konaha
    Aug 8th, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    10-15 years to build a bridge. They must be really patient if they wanted to cross it..


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