City parks and green spaces can be important habitats in our towns and cities and biodiversity is vital for all life on Earth because it makes life as we know it possible. Yet the future of a million species of animals, plants, and fungi is now under threat, and we are probably heading for the sixth mass extinction of natural/biological diversity. We must preserve what natural diversity we still have through more knowledge and better protection.
In collaboration with experts with PhDs in the areas of Palaeontology and Biology, Vestre has studied how we can increase biodiversity through innovative furniture design and interventions. Through this approach, research-based knowledge has been applied to the development of new design concepts. High biodiversity is dependent on varied habitats and urban areas can contribute to this by letting nature be nature and by giving plants, animals, and fungi the time and space they need to complete their entire life cycle.
Our aim is to work towards a better understanding and greater awareness and reverse the negative trend through functional outdoor furniture that supports natural processes, such as the degradation of fallen timber. Many insect species are in decline because of a lack of habitats and food sources in urban areas, yet an apparently lifeless log can hide a teeming universe of flora and fauna in microscopic habitats. If we are to take care of nature, we must realise that are a part of it, and we must understand more about it. We also need to appreciate that natural systems are often small, disordered, and in the process of breaking down. Through this approach, we have developed outdoor furniture that will help to increase biodiversity in urban spaces – Vestre Habitats.
During this webinar you will learn more about the urgent need for action in our urban areas if we’re to halt the destruction of biodiverse habitats and turn the urban jungle into spaces that teem with life. We’ll look at a number of test site case studies, where clients are helping us put users at the heart of our development process through real life testing. You’ll also meet the designers behind this inventive range that is aimed at both us and our fellow creatures. We’ll consider their thought processes and how their initial enthusiasm led to the creation of these unique products.
If we are to prevent a sixth mass extinction, we must develop greater awareness, engagement, and alternative courses of action. Vestre Habitats represents the start of a project to safeguard biodiversity throughout our urban spaces.