Danish firm 3XN has started construction in Mumbai, India, on a pair of 38-storey towers with overlapping bases that make reference to the knotted structures of mangrove stalks.

Named Grove Towers, the two skyscrapers will extend to a height of 136 metres, creating 273 apartments, ground-level shops and over 2,500 square-metres of elevated gardens.

3XN said that the design was based on the vine-like roots of mangroves – saltwater-tolerant trees that are common in India – imagining buildings that seemingly braid together at the base.

Each unit within the complex provides its inhabitants with expansive views in two directions, towards mangroves in the north, and the Indian Ocean to the west. The structure’s façades reduce solar gain, while simultaneously maximising natural ventilation.

The scheme also comprises 2,500 square metres of vertical gardens, lowering carbon dioxide levels within Mumbai’s humid and congested environment.

"With this design for Grove Towers, we wanted to create something special," said 3XN principal Kim Herforth Nielsen. "Each time I visit, I am overwhelmed at how much I see the strength of community in all aspects of Indian life. I want this to be a vertical community that brings people together, and becomes a setting for growth and life."

Grove Towers are scheduled for completion in 2017.