NURTURE. RESEARCH. HARVEST. REPEAT

Abstract

The deprivation and loss of biodiversity is one of the most alarming environmental problems of today’s, threatening precious ecosystem services, animal, and plant existence, as well as human welfare. This project attempts to create a win win situation between human and city animals. Ethical farms like guano, feather, worm, and insect farm are introduced to the laboratory building, where building reliant animals can nest and in return they give back to the university. At the same time real time experiments can take place as the faculty of ecology and biodiversity are in the building. A special root with experimental walls is placed on the façade of the building to provide a space for material innovation regarding among other nesting boxes. As designing for nature can be unpredictable the new intervention is fully modular and flexible for future upgrade and change, thus making the building future proof.
The new added façade is made almost exclusively of timber modular components and local ecofriendly materials. It serves as a place for discussion, interaction and testing new materials and ecological processes. As the first seen building of the campus, it should mediate the profile of the whole campus. Biodiversity and ecofriendly design are some of the most important priorities of Utrecht University. This nature inclusive façade can act as a biodiversity hub for animals and humans. The building gives nesting, breeding and foraging opportunities for birds, bats, and insects. These spaces are transformed into labs and farms to create a healthy circle of life with 0 waste. The nest is used by the animals and in return they provide guano for fertilization of the trees of the campus, feathers for insulation and most importantly pollinate the local plants. These open labs and farms can be accessed by scientist, entrepreneurs, students, and visitors.