1. Research is revealing an increasing number of positive effects of nature for humans. At the same time, biodiversity in cities, where most humans live, is often low or in decline. Tangible solutions are needed to increase urban biodiversity.2. Architecture is a key discipline that has considerable influence on the built-up area of cities, thereby influencing urban biodiversity. In general, architects do not design for biodiversity. Conversely, urban conservation planning generally focuses on the limited space free of buildings and does not embrace architecture as an important discipline for the creation of urban green infrastructure.3. In this paper, we argue that the promotion of biodiversity needs to become a key driving force of architectural design. This requires a new multi-species design paradigm that considers both human and non-human needs. Such a design approach needs to maintain the standards of the architectural profession, including the aim to increase the well-being of humans in buildings. Yet, it also needs to add other stakeholders, organisms such as animals, plants and even microbiota.New buildings designed for humans and other inhabitants can then increase biodiversity in cities and also increase the benefits that humans can derive from close proximity to nature. 4. We review the challenges that this new design approach poses for both architecture and ecology and show that multi-species-design goes beyond existing approaches in architecture and ecology. The new design approach needs to | 5People and Nature WEISSER et al.
Anthropic activities negatively impact natural and artificial ecosystems, necessitating interdisciplinary mitigation strategies such as multi-species building envelope designs. This paper introduces a computational multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology to support these envelope designs. We also propose a nested set strategy for key performance indicators (KPI) to strategically measure architectural and ecological performances. We integrate the strategy into a proposed hybrid MCDM methodology using computational design tools. The methodology was tested using a generic volume case study described by an architectural and ecological objective with varied priorities. Initial results highlight the computational interoperability of hybrid MCDM, informed by nested KPI set priorities, as support for multi-species building envelope designs.
Sustainability rating systems (SRS) aim to guide decisionmakers in the planning process by defining clear guidelines and metrics. Nowadays, this process usually requires further tasks and the involvement of multiple professional advisors that eventually increase planning complexity and lead to lower SRS implementation. In this paper, we explore generative urban models and multi-objective optimization of SRS metrics to potentially enhance SRS use in planning processes. Furthermore, we apply this framework to a case study that has not reached its SRS planning goals due to contradicting trade-offs between municipal and stakeholder objectives. The urban model reflects the stakeholder design requirements and constraints such as the desired floor area ratio (FAR), building types, and units' number while the SRS metrics act as optimization goals. As part of the process, we automate quantitative indicators from Israel SRS '360 Neighbourhood' to use them as optimization goals and to analyse their correlation and trade-offs. Through this process, we enable a generative exploration of high-performing design iterations relative to a chosen set of SRS goals. Such a framework can enhance the integration of verified sustainability goals in the planning process, thus informing the stakeholders of their decision trade-off's concerning SRS indicators in urban development.
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