This triptych is our interpretation of Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” (1480-1490). The painting, as the original, can be read from left to right, with every panel holding essential meaning to the whole. Bosch depicts God presenting Eve to Adam in Eden on the left panel, Sinful Existence in the middle, and Hell on the right. The result, contrasting the other panels, is eternal damnation of humans following their succumbing to temptation.
On the other hand, if we change our approach to our living environment from the beginning, the result on the right panel can be optimistic, contrary to the original work. In our painting, we exhibit animals presenting tools for nature inclusive design to the people, the Guides and the ‘Kernbiotopenkaart’ of Rotterdam on the left panel. In the middle, a symbiotic existence between humans and nature, and an optimistic future on the right. We display this through exemplary projects from Rotterdam, where coexistence with nature is currently being designed and realised.
On the reverse of the triptych, Bosch painted the world after the Third Day of Creation, when the waters were separated from the earth and the earthly Paradise created. We mapped the world’s decline in biodiversity following the rapid growth of cities. This is a call to act! Designers, apply the investments we make to the cities to turn the tide for all that lives on earth.
What are we waiting for?
The current rise of the global population is inevitably approaching 10 billion. This growth, however, only takes place in cities. Therefore, we can consider the urban environment as the future human biotope.
Meanwhile, the global wildlife population faces the sixth mass extinction wave. In the race to the bottom, the fall of diversity is less drastic in urban areas than outside them. More and more animals and plants flee to our cities, however the numbers per species are dropping.
What are we waiting for? It is time that we, designers of the human biotopes, serve in the interest of all living creatures. The next step is for civilization to regenerate life on Earth. Therefore, we should invent new design theories, starting with educating for a nature inclusive design approach. Simultaneously, we should work on aesthetics that make urban wilding desirable and feasible. If we do succeed, they will ask: how did they do it? They achieved this just in time, strategically, and with the power of beauty.
Input projects: DS landschapsarchitecten, Gemeente Rotterdam, H+N+S Landscape Architects, De Urbanisten, Frits van Dongen Architects and Planners
