FOLLOW THE CONNECTIONS

One Aha.
A whole universe.

Every story sits inside a network of places, ideas, forces and human problems. Start with The Great Banyan and follow whichever thread makes you curious.

7STORIES

5IDEAS

22BRIDGES

Deep TimeSTRONGEST THREAD

YOU ARE HERE

The Great Banyan

Yes. The Great Banyan is one banyan tree whose descending aerial roots have become trunk-like supports, so the organism reads visually like a grove rather than a single tree.

NATURE

Living Systems

How organisms and landscapes create surprising systems at scale.

ERA

Deep Time

How the past remains visible inside present-day places and systems.

DESIGN

Architecture

How form, material, climate and culture become physical space.

IDEA

Engineering

How people make structures, machines and systems do difficult things.

SYSTEM

City Systems

The hidden rules and infrastructure that make urban life possible.

01 · CURATED BRIDGE

Howrah Bridge

How can a giant bridge hold together without nuts and bolts?

The Great Banyan and Howrah Bridge both reveal engineering and city in action, but at a different place, era or scale.Follow this Aha →02 · CURATED BRIDGE

Lake Baikal

How can one lake hold a fifth of Earth’s unfrozen fresh water?

The Great Banyan and Lake Baikal both reveal nature and scale in action, but at a different place, era or scale.Follow this Aha →03 · CURATED BRIDGE

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Why are seeds stored inside an Arctic mountain?

The Great Banyan and Svalbard Global Seed Vault both reveal nature and engineering in action, but at a different place, era or scale.Follow this Aha →04 · DESIGN CONNECTION

Chand Baori

Why does an ancient well contain thousands of perfect steps?

The Great Banyan and Chand Baori both reveal architecture and engineering in action, but at a different place, era or scale.Follow this Aha →05 · CITY SYSTEMS

Jaipur

Why was Jaipur planned as a grid centuries ago?

The Great Banyan and Jaipur both reveal city and architecture in action, but at a different place, era or scale.Follow this Aha →06 · MOVEMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE

New York City Subway

Why are some subway lines numbers and others letters?

The Great Banyan and New York City Subway both reveal transport and city in action, but at a different place, era or scale.Follow this Aha →

GUIDED CURIOSITY TRAILS

Choose how you want to wonder.

Each trail is a short sequence of connected AhAs. There is no right order—only a reason for the next click.

TRAIL 01

Same problem, different answer

See how different places solve similar constraints with completely different materials, systems and ideas.

TRAIL 02

Follow it through time

Jump between ancient and modern answers to the same human needs.

TRAIL 03

Change the scale

Move from one object or place to a city, ecosystem or planetary system and watch the pattern repeat.