Review Process
This thesis has illustrated the considerable potential of applying ecosystem strategies to urban built environments, demonstrating that such an approach can serve as a functional strategy for fostering cohabitation and enhancing biodiversity. The research highlights a direct correlation between the resilience and health of ecological systems and human well-being, underscoring the critical interdependence between environmental sustainability and urban living. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of tailoring these strategies to local circumstances, including thorough analyses and stakeholder mapping that extend beyond human interests to incorporate all ecological agencies.
The original objective of this study was to create actionable measures and steps to embed cohabitation in urban environments from the initial design phases, rather than retrofitting these considerations as an afterthought. The adopted systematic approach, which mimics natural ecosystems, fosters inherently robust, self-sufficient systems characterized by strong symbiotic relationships within and beyond the ecosystem. This framework not only initiates cohabitation among all protagonists but also ensures that stakeholders and agencies are viewed as equal partners, fostering a unique application of the system. By distributing elements as equally as possible—from the existing structures to evolved ones—the research introduces a novel aesthetic of urban density. This new paradigm considers not just built structures but also more-than-human elements, enhancing the urban fabric in a holistic manner.
The development of the eight-step framework offers a comprehensive approach to designing cohabitation spaces by co-designing with all protagonists involved. These steps provide a detailed strategy that could be implemented further in specific design projects, fully translating the ecosystem program and evolution metrics using the outlined principles and tools. For the effective application of these strategies, it is crucial to engage interdisciplinary specialists from relevant fields to ensure that the ecosystem strategy is robustly designed and implemented.
This research acknowledges several limitations that could be addressed in future work. Specific knowledge in fields such as wetland ecology and habitats of particular animal species, like beavers, could be enhanced through collaboration with specialized biologists from the onset of project planning. Moreover, the system metric, developed with the aid of artificial intelligence and real-time data, could be refined to more precisely adapt to climatic, site-specific, and other environmental conditions.
Additionally, fostering wider acceptance of this new framework—which prioritizes cohabitation, resilient ecosystems, and moves away from
human-centric design—remains a significant challenge in the field.
This thesis represents my personal journey in applying the tools and knowledge I have acquired through my studies. Initially drawn to designing large, modernist structures, my perspective shifted over the years towards creating architecture that is regenerative and deeply integrated with its environment. The challenges we face globally, particularly in urban settings, can be mitigated through designs that are regenerative, contextually aware, and treat the environment as a co-designer.
The practice of architecture should inherently be interdisciplinary. We cannot encompass all biological knowledge ourselves; therefore, co-design should include a continuous exchange across various fields to ensure that essential ecological and social parameters are integrated from the start, not tacked on as afterthoughts. The notion that adding green roofs or other sustainable features is too costly and can no longer be an excuse in our current environmental crisis.
Living in cohabitation means accepting the presence of insects, animals, and natural elements in our daily environments. Designing with this in mind not only aids the environment and promotes biodiversity but also enhances our own mental and physical health. If we step away from isolated concrete blocks and move towards interconnected, interwoven structures that embrace all components of our world—from the humidity and the sound of birds to the warmth of the soil under our feet—we can truly revolutionize our living spaces.
The paradigm shift needed in architectural education should move from focusing solely on built structures to a broader view that considers the dynamic interactions between built and unbuilt environments, humans, and nature, aiming to forge the best possible symbiotic systems.
The original objective of this study was to create actionable measures and steps to embed cohabitation in urban environments from the initial design phases, rather than retrofitting these considerations as an afterthought. The adopted systematic approach, which mimics natural ecosystems, fosters inherently robust, self-sufficient systems characterized by strong symbiotic relationships within and beyond the ecosystem. This framework not only initiates cohabitation among all protagonists but also ensures that stakeholders and agencies are viewed as equal partners, fostering a unique application of the system. By distributing elements as equally as possible—from the existing structures to evolved ones—the research introduces a novel aesthetic of urban density. This new paradigm considers not just built structures but also more-than-human elements, enhancing the urban fabric in a holistic manner.
The development of the eight-step framework offers a comprehensive approach to designing cohabitation spaces by co-designing with all protagonists involved. These steps provide a detailed strategy that could be implemented further in specific design projects, fully translating the ecosystem program and evolution metrics using the outlined principles and tools. For the effective application of these strategies, it is crucial to engage interdisciplinary specialists from relevant fields to ensure that the ecosystem strategy is robustly designed and implemented.
This research acknowledges several limitations that could be addressed in future work. Specific knowledge in fields such as wetland ecology and habitats of particular animal species, like beavers, could be enhanced through collaboration with specialized biologists from the onset of project planning. Moreover, the system metric, developed with the aid of artificial intelligence and real-time data, could be refined to more precisely adapt to climatic, site-specific, and other environmental conditions.
Additionally, fostering wider acceptance of this new framework—which prioritizes cohabitation, resilient ecosystems, and moves away from
human-centric design—remains a significant challenge in the field.
This thesis represents my personal journey in applying the tools and knowledge I have acquired through my studies. Initially drawn to designing large, modernist structures, my perspective shifted over the years towards creating architecture that is regenerative and deeply integrated with its environment. The challenges we face globally, particularly in urban settings, can be mitigated through designs that are regenerative, contextually aware, and treat the environment as a co-designer.
The practice of architecture should inherently be interdisciplinary. We cannot encompass all biological knowledge ourselves; therefore, co-design should include a continuous exchange across various fields to ensure that essential ecological and social parameters are integrated from the start, not tacked on as afterthoughts. The notion that adding green roofs or other sustainable features is too costly and can no longer be an excuse in our current environmental crisis.
Living in cohabitation means accepting the presence of insects, animals, and natural elements in our daily environments. Designing with this in mind not only aids the environment and promotes biodiversity but also enhances our own mental and physical health. If we step away from isolated concrete blocks and move towards interconnected, interwoven structures that embrace all components of our world—from the humidity and the sound of birds to the warmth of the soil under our feet—we can truly revolutionize our living spaces.
The paradigm shift needed in architectural education should move from focusing solely on built structures to a broader view that considers the dynamic interactions between built and unbuilt environments, humans, and nature, aiming to forge the best possible symbiotic systems.