HABITAT is the result of a joint effort by DS, VenhoevenCS architecture+urbanism, IVAM (University of Amsterdam) and Wim Timmermans (lecturer Larenstein) as part of The Green Architecture Competition. HABITAT is finalist in the competition HABITAT believes that the city is part of the overall ecosystem and therefore needs to be treated like one. “The built environment is not only an environment for humans but should also provide a habitat for animals, insects and plants. At the same time we look for integrated solutions that use the new qualities to solve existing problems of strong densification and growing cities.” The research resulted in a series of specific to increase biodiversity in the built environment, while at the same time adding architectural vernacular. “In the process of the project, we’ve found partners who understood added value for their activities. These partners help us testing our ideas ‘on the ground’. We are working together with the owners of an abandoned industrial area on the Amsterdam waterfront, a local craftsman school and we have tested some of the measures we are proposing in our own building already. HABITAT is an on-going process. “We’d like to organise a network of all the existing initiatives and new stakeholders to create enough power to actually change the city. Next to this ‘facts on the ground’ approach we will also continue with our research partners to develop the tools to be able to measure and steer the initiatives so they can have an optimal effect for the ecosystem.” The Green Architecture Competition has been organized by the Dutch Architecture Institute and the ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and rewards research into intelligent spatial design that is able to increase biodiversity.
