Students and recent graduates from architecture and vocational programs across Denmark were invited to imagine and create aesthetic and functional habitats for bats, bees, hedgehogs, and other species that struggle to find refuge in our cities.
From principles to practice
The competition was grounded in two Desire-principles: Biodiversity and Aesthetics. These principles contributed to the ambition to explore how we can create, build, and live with a sense of care for the planet and all its inhabitants - both humans and non-human alike.
Urban space is a designed space, shaped by and for people. Very little is left to wilderness. If nature is to return, we must give it more space. And since cities are so heavily built and designed, we have every opportunity to make coexistence a fundamental principle. By adopting a biodiversity and planetary perspective, the participants were asked to view urban spaces not only as means to support our human needs but also as places for multispecies inclusion.
Architecture is more than buildings. It can nurture care, connection and coexistence. It offers the possibility to create spaces where life in all its forms can thrive, even in the densest urban landscapes. The challenge was not only to design functional habitats but to make them aesthetically appealing and integrate them into the city’s visual expression. The aim was to encourage the creation of habitats that go beyond animals’ practical needs and enrich the city’s visual identity. When design choices embrace beauty as well as function, they affirm the presence of animals in urban life and spark a vision of cities where humans and other species coexist in harmony.
Winning projects
The competition honoured one first prize winner, four projects as joint runners-up and four honourable mentions. The first prize went to the project Opbrud ('breakup) by Laurits Evald Thingholm, from The Royal Danish Academy.
Opbrud rethinks urban surfaces by breaking up asphalt to let soil breathe and nature reclaim space. Cracks create habitats for plants, insects, and small animals while improving water absorption and biodiversity. Instead of adding new materials, the project utilises what is already there, transforming empty asphalt into living ecosystems.
More information to be found at Utzon’s website (only in Danish).
