A living root bridge is formed by guiding the pliable roots of the rubber fig tree across a stream or river, and then allowing the roots to grow and strengthen over time until they can hold the weight of a human being.

Aug 1, 2020 · Tree bridges are structures that are literally rooted in the terrain and that thrive under the relentless pressures of the wettest land in the world. The raw materials for building these bridges...

Mar 30, 2023 · War, now a 68-year-old farmer from Siej village, belongs to the Khasi tribe for whom the concept of a tree bridge is far more than just a foundational legend. For hundreds of years, his people...

Nov 18, 2021 · For centuries, indigenous groups in north-east India have crafted intricate bridges from living fig trees. Now this ancient skill is making its way to European cities. When monsoon clouds bring...

Mar 12, 2018 · A group of children cross a living root bridge in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. The bridges are essential for rural connectivity in a vertical landscape.

Aug 1, 2014 · In a remote Indian forest, villages weave the roots of the rubber fig tree to create extraordinary living root bridges to cross rivers.

Nov 21, 2019 · They’re not the world’s tallest or longest bridges, but a string of humble river crossings sculpted from tree roots in India are engineering marvels that contain lessons for modern architects.

Called Living Root Bridges, villagers tie the aerial roots of the rubber tree (ficus elastica) at both ends of the river to pieces of bamboo which help guide these roots towards each other and intertwine. The process can take 20 to 25 years.

Jun 6, 2019 · Known as living root bridges, inventive members of the Khasi tribe have trained them to grow from the roots of ancient rubber trees, native to the northeast region. The root bridges provide a stable alternative to wooden bridges, which decay and get destroyed during the lengthy monsoon seasons.

A living root bridge is created using the pliable aerial roots of the ficus elastica species of fig tree. The natural growth of the roots is harnessed in such a way that they are gradually trained into the desired architectural structure, using both their tendency to anchor themselves to other objects and their propensity to combine with…