Multispecies Inhabitation: Reimagining Entanglement in Urban Nature

Since 1970, 69% of wildlife populations have declined as humanity has made exponential advancements since the industrialization and 1 million species face extinction.

Urbanization is one of the main drivers behind biodiversity loss. It significantly contributes to climate change, habitat destruction, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and the spread of invasive species and diseases. It's important to understand how these challenges are deeply interconnected.

Urban nature holds socio-cultural significance. However, urban nature also includes ecology—something we cannot fully control or predict.

Non-human species do not conform to the rigid boundaries imposed by human-made maps. 

Their spatial requirements vary significantly depending on the species: frogs depend on small but specific habitats to sustain viable populations, whereas swallows traverse vast transnational distances as part of their natural migratory patterns. 

These contrasting needs underscore the complexity and diversity of non-human spatial behaviors, which often transcend the limitations of human-centered planning.

The harbor has potential as a refuge for marine life, but its industrial design lacks features to support biodiversity. Boat traffic stirs up sediments, harming small fish, and the wooden deck at Islands brygge blocks sunlight, limiting plant growth. 

The proposal suggests creating habitats, opening the deck for light, and adding wave attenuators. A wooden structure with an eco-concrete skin would provide habitat, reduce boat impact, absorb waves, and let sunlight reach the underwater ecosystems.

On a quiet Saturday morning in late November, golden light warms the harbour pavement. A man gathers mussels along the quay, while others explore the design emerging through the water surface. They touch, pause, and peer into crevices where water and small creatures live.

On one of the hottest days of summer, people gather on the deck at Islands Brygge to enjoy the sun. An overcrowded harbor bus filled with tourists passes by along the shimmering waterfront. Beneath the deck, marine lives grow on submerged structures, attracting birds that come to feed.

Today the site is used for sports, affecting the soil quality. The flat terrain and water table makes the site prone to flooding. 

Our design balances recreational and ecological needs by identifying locations for sports and wetlands. A water system with wet meadows to support multispecies life ad lead water away from sport areas. Bird towers connect the football fields across the water system and increases soil quality through soil aeration. The towers are used by birds, football and wildlife spectators.

In the July holiday season, the Kløvermarken is in its off-season, with few football matches occuring. Taking advantage of the quiet, birds search for insects in the patchy, overgrown grass that has reclaimed the field. People visit the aeration tower, watching the birds from above as the soil slowly breathes again beneath them.

On a cloudy weekday afternoon, people who left work early gather to play a casual game of football. Children stroll with their families, wandering near the adjacent wetland. They spend the afternoon exploring the plants growing by the water and chasing balls that have drifted into the stream.

The highly designed, baroque park demands intensive maintenance, leading to high waste production and the removal of decaying elements deemed “ugly,” which distances visitors from ecological realities. 

In response, our design introduces on-site decomposition of maintenance waste to build a complete ecosystem, enrich soil biodiversity, and foster awareness of nature’s less aesthetic aspects. Interaction between people and soil life is encouraged through hot compost seating and tables, and cold compost areas with native perennial plant beds—blending function with ecological restoration.

On a cold winter weekday, an elderly woman takes a walk through King’s Garden after lunch. Wearing a thick coat, she strolls with her dog and stops to rest at a compost bench and get warm. As she sits, the gentle heat seeps in, and after a while, she takes off his coat to cool down.

On a weekend morning, a family head out for brunch. On the way, children spot the compost playground in King’s Garden and beg to stop, so the parents get coffee and agrees to wait. As the kids play, parents warm themselves at compost’s table.

The current promenade and water mirror leave no space for birds, while the polluted water harms water quality and aquatic life. 

In response, our design introduces a littoral zone for nesting areas, materials and improve water conditions. The design features a soft edge on the left side to encourage multispecies interaction, and a harsher edge on the right to offer birds a more secluded nesting area. Bird islands are introduced, both as nesting habitats and natural water purifiers.

On a spring day, a child living in a building beside Peblinge Lake goes for a walk with their parents. Near the soft edge of the lake, the child approache a swan nesting at the edge. Feeling threatened, the swan hisses and chases after the child, who runs back to their parent.

After finishing a late shift, a person walks along the lakeside path, heading across Dybbølsbro to meet friends at a restaurant in Nørrebro. Through the mist of rains, they catch a glimpse of the cattail field and the bird island, where birds have settled into their nests.