Schueco

 

THE TASK

Pick a city in Asia. This may be the city you live in or one that you are familiar with.
Evaluate the loss of natural habitats and ecosystem services.
Understand the impact of this loss on the well-being of humans and other species.
Propose new elements and networks that will invite Nature back and restore ecosystem services.

This year, you decide the scale and boundary of the intervention. Your proposal can be at the city-scale; it can be a retrofitted neighbourhood; or it can be a prototype for a building typology, say an office tower. Regardless, you must justify your decision on the basis of necessity, impact and replicability.

Remember that this challenge cannot be solved with an ad hoc addition of greenery and water to an urban fabric. It also cannot be solved by architects and planners acting alone. Entrants are encouraged to consult a biologist or an ecologist, where possible, or at the very least, make inroads into available knowledge on natural systems. The goals of co-existence and partnership with Nature can only be reached if there is an understanding of how natural and urban systems can be integrated. Your approach should illustrate a win-win solution for both humans and Nature.