Bio Mosaic is a community-driven modular set, designed to transform unused kerbside spaces into flourishing pocket forests. Its easy assembly and intuitive design aim to encourage broader resident participation in both construction and maintenance, shifting from traditional labor-intensive methods to a more inclusive, low-labor experience.
Lambeth brief
connected 栖息地
Brief
but what kind of stepping stones to build?
what's special about Lambeth?
Location with different enviromental factor: enable different viraty of plants to thrive
As this road is going down hill, soil at the bottom of the hill will be more moist than the soil on the top of the hill. Thus, different species will be chosen to plant at these two spots.
top of the hill
bottom of the hill
Light intensity
Humidity
Wild flowers grows the best in intense sun light and many shrubs and ornamental grasses like the shade.
Different plants have varied preferences for soil humidity due to their adaptations to specific climates and environments. These preferences influence not only where plants can thrive but also how they grow, reproduce, and resist stress.
what's special about Lambeth?
many other wildlife sites: each steeping stone would be different
Wild flower meadow
16
18
Pond
13
Bush
Grassland with relaxed mowing regime
Deadwood
3
Woodland
27
16
Lambeth has 33 wildlife sites and each have different species growing in them. When Kerbside species should be chosen base on their surrounding wildlife sites.
From the research:
Each steeping stone need to be different in size & height, depends on their environmental factors and souranded enviroment
Soil depth
Costantini, E.A.C.C.C.-I. et al. (2016) Soil indicators to assess the effectiveness of restoration strategies in dryland ecosystems
Plant species are chosen based on the factors above (light intensity, humidity, surrounded environment and surrounding wildlife sites), and different plants requires different soil height. Wild flower can grow in very shallow soil, while bushes and long grass need deeper soil to growth.
who will be building & maintaining?
In similar project & activities this has been a problem
what's special about lambeth
They are already doing it!
Community engagement
Bonding
As part of my qualitative research, I volunteered with the Lambeth Biodiversity Action Team (BAT) for five days throughout this project. The BAT team is well-established in Lambeth and has been actively engaging in biodiversity-related activities for decades. Recent projects include managing and monitoring the wildlife highway in Brockwell Park and transforming wasteland into biodiversity gardens.
During these days, I had many spontaneous conversations and structural interviews with the BAT leader and volunteers. Working alongside them, I gained an understanding not only of the present circumstances but also of the unspoken needs behind people's words.
Gradually connecting with my users has given me a broader perspective on their lives, extending beyond their time with the biodiversity action group. This insight into their desire to connect with one another has guided me to design for greater inclusivity in the development of biodiversity kerbside habitats. Having a personal connection with them is also one of my biggest motivations to advance this project.
motivation: the unspoken need
The majority of local volunteers for climate and biodiversity in Lambeth are retired elderly people. Although most of the volunteers are strong outdoor enthusiasts, heavy physical tasks such as digging tree holes and driving wooden stakes undoubtedly set a higher barrier for many elderly people who wish to contribute to biodiversity.
Labor intensive
Intricately built
The misaligned nails were damaged during the reassembly attempt.
Constructing fence in biodiversity garden require constant hammering.
Pain points
The majority of local volunteers for climate and biodiversity in Lambeth are retired elderly people. Although most of the volunteers are strong outdoor enthusiasts, heavy physical tasks such as digging tree holes and driving wooden stakes undoubtedly set a higher barrier for many elderly people who wish to contribute to biodiversity.
Labor intensive
Intricately built
'Have you ever used a digging stud? These are not for you and me!'
Design goal
Intuitive to build
low labor
will lead into
Adaptable
Community bonding
The construction method of kerbside habitats should be intuitive, easy to understand, and adjustable. This ensures that both biodiversity professionals and occasional neighborhood resident volunteers can participate in the building and maintenance process.
During the construction of kerbside habitats, discussion and collaboration should be encouraged. This includes designing construction methods that can be operated individually as well as collaboratively. Furthermore, the inclusiveness of these methods will encourage more residents to participate in the construction and maintenance processes. Regular and frequent gatherings will tightly knit the volunteers together, forming a closer community and facilitating discussions on biodiversity issues through conversation.
The structure of kerbside habitats should be adaptable based on the geographical location and suitable plants for the habitat, accommodating varying conditions like sunlight, soil moisture, and the needs of surrounding insect populations. Such adaptable design ensures that this construction method can be applied to many more sections of Lambeth, creating a broader biodiversity network within an urban setting.
The construction and maintenance process of kerbside habitats should be effortless, with tasks tailored for sustained labor, particularly as most volunteers are seniors over the age of sixty. Such design ensures inclusivity and encourages more people to participate in the building and upkeep of the habitats.
By lower the barrier for retired generation to join, we further encourage this, blah blah
Urban bio diversity
How can we employ cost-effective methods to transform Lambeth's kerbside into inclusive wildlife habitats that are easy for local communities to construct, adjust, and maintain?
Sharp corner
Curve
All of the four cell have this sharp corner, which is not very user friendly and scratch user all the time. This feature need to be removed in future iterations. The corner should be 90° or more to ensure safety.
I initially designed the cells with curves to give them a more organic appearance. During testing, I discovered that a curve shaped to fit the user's body helps them lift and carry the cells more easily, especially when they are full of soil and heavy.
However, in this iteration, the curve does not perfectly fit the human body. In the next iteration, I will continue to refine this curve to improve the ergonomics, making the cells easier to lift and carry.