Fab Tree Hab by Terreform ONE

The Fab Tree Hab by Terreform ONE is not merely a building — it is a living organism, a prototype for a future where architecture grows, evolves, and coexists with the natural world. Located near the Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, NY, the project reimagines the act of building as a co-creative process with nature, merging computational design with indigenous tree-grafting techniques. Rather than imposing a static human-made object on the landscape, Fab Tree Hab functions as a terrestrial reef, inviting multiple species — including humans — to share its evolving ecosystem.

The dwelling is intentionally modest in scale, measuring 1,000 square feet, but ambitious in its conceptual reach. Its goal is to replace harmful, extractive materials with regenerative, bio-based alternatives and to create an architectural framework that increases biodiversity rather than depleting it.

Structure and Materiality

The project avoids concrete almost entirely, resting on a platform made of reclaimed lumber. The structure is composed of tree clusters sourced from a local biomass farm. These trees are shaped on-site using large, reusable timber scaffolds designed with computational precision. As the trees grow, they gradually fuse and strengthen, forming the primary structural framework of the house.

The façade system is equally innovative. It consists of naturally decay-resistant cedar planks and crocheted jute panels preserved with a mixture of beeswax and pine rosin. These natural materials are supported by modular wall systems that incorporate 3D-printed bioplastic nodes. The nodes are not purely decorative; they are designed to host micro-habitats, providing nesting sites for birds, pollinating insects, and small plants. Over time, the scaffolding will biodegrade or be removed, leaving behind a self-supporting, living structure.

This approach references the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya, India, where tree roots are guided across rivers to form durable, natural crossings. Fab Tree Hab similarly embraces slow architecture, where the pace of organic growth becomes an integral part of construction and maintenance.

Social and Ecological Purpose

Fab Tree Hab is a socio-ecological model of architecture. It is at once a house, a wildlife refuge, and an educational platform. By aligning with the cycles of nature, the project offers a new paradigm for what it means to dwell on the Earth — shifting away from an extractive relationship to one of reciprocity.

Unlike conventional buildings, Fab Tree Hab is not about efficiency or minimal impact. It aims for a positive ecological contribution: growing trees instead of cutting them down, improving air quality, and actively supporting pollinators and other species.

The project also foregrounds community engagement. Terreform ONE collaborates with institutions such as the Black Rock Forest Consortium and SUNY ESF, along with NYC-based schools, to integrate the project into public programming. Students, residents, and artists are encouraged to participate in the shaping and monitoring of the structure as it grows and evolves.

A Living Laboratory

Fab Tree Hab is designed as a living laboratory, constantly changing with the seasons and responding to environmental conditions. Visitors can experience different phenomena throughout the year — from the blooming of seasonal plants on its façade to the arrival of migratory birds. This dynamism fosters a long-term relationship between the community and the architecture, encouraging return visits and ongoing stewardship.

Workshops, site visits, and youth programming, particularly for underserved communities, ensure that the project remains accessible and educational. By witnessing the slow but visible process of trees becoming architecture, participants are invited to rethink the temporality of the built environment.

Toward a Future of Living Buildings

Fab Tree Hab represents a paradigm shift in architectural thinking. Rather than seeing the built environment as static, finite, and isolated from nature, Terreform ONE proposes a new typology of living buildings that breathe, grow, and adapt. This approach could redefine sustainable design, moving beyond the goal of “doing less harm” toward actively repairing ecosystems and fostering biodiversity.

The project is a call to action, inviting us to imagine a world where homes are alive, where walls photosynthesize, and where architecture participates in ecological cycles rather than interrupting them. Fab Tree Hab is both visionary and pragmatic, serving as a prototype for how future human settlements might look — not as concrete footprints but as living, regenerative habitats.

Photography: Mitchell Joachim