ENTANGLEMENT

The history of the Anping Tree House in Tainan, Taiwan began in 1867 as a warehouse for the trading company Tait & Company, before it was abandoned around 1940. At that point in time the banyan tree in the center of the building must have started to grow. Over the decades multiple trees took over the whole building and it became known as a spooky place in the city. In 2004, the Tainan City Government invited designers, to come up with a concept for a tourist attraction. Since then, the Anping Tree House is open for visitors and hosts a skywalk through the trees and a historic merchant museum.
The work contains different approaches to portray the unique characteristics of the spectacular growth-system of banyan trees in and around a building. A mix between technical and analytical graphical languages but also atmospheric illustrations provides the opportunity to start explore the space guided by your imagination. The drawings explore the complex relationship between the tree and the building, but also between the roots themselves. The different stages of growth can be seen in how the aerial roots hang from branches. The mosaic of roots on the wall and the ground show us how the banyan spreads with its roots stretching, searching for the optimal conditions.