Visions of living buildings

A very early one this - published 1758. Emanuel Swedenborg describes a visionary tour through "Earths in the Universe" in which he describes the temples of one of these earths as follows:
 
"constructed of trees, not cut down, but growing in their native soil. They said that on their earth there were trees of wonderful growth and height. These from their beginnings they arrange in order, so that they serve for porticos and walks, and by cutting and pruning the branches when they are tender, they fit and prepare them so that while they are growing they may intertwine and unite to make the base and floor of the sanctuary, and rise on the sides for the walls, and bend above into arches for the roof.


By these means they construct the sanctuary with admirable art, elevated high above the earth, and they also prepare an ascent into it by successive branches of the trees extending out and firmly connected. Moreover they adorn the sanctuary without and within in various ways, by bending the leafy bows into various forms. Thus they build entire groves. But what these sanctuaries are within, I was not permitted to see. It was only told me that the light of their sun is let into them through apertures between the branches, and is here and there transmitted through crystals".

Where it all started

Many years ago, as a child stuck indoors while on a wet family holiday in Wales, I was reduced to reading an Enid Blyton book - which my father would never have allowed in our home - but was luckily on the bookshelf in the holiday place.

The book was Enid Blyton's "The Secret Island" and in the book the runaway children constructed a shelter from willow wands, thrust into the earth and woven together, that then sprouted and made a 'living' house.

The idea of sticks broken from a tree being able to turn into trees themselves by just by being pushed into the ground captured my imagination and I loved the idea of being able to make a green living structure in such a simple way.

In following years I tried several times to replicate the process but oddly enough, weeping willow twigs pushed into hard summer earth of our back garden, never gave the desired results .

An old book that describes living buildings

A nearly 50 year old book that describes a galaxy wide market in houses grown from seed. The term Genetically Engineered didn't exist when Jack Vance wrote this book but that could be the only modern interpretation of the methods the Iszic of the planet Iszm, use to create their harvestable houses.

The book implies that immense financial  rewards await the person that can corner the market in these cheap ready-grown habitations......