Sebastiaan van Kints
Explore Lab
The Embassy of Metropolitans
The effects of increasing biodiversity loss remain largely invisible for unaware urban citizens, while our coexistence is extremely important for our well-being and survival. Therefore, we need an embassy for global biodiversity in the city with local species as ambassadors. A place that facilitates various meaningful and joyful encounters between humans and other urban species, increases consciousness of interdependency.
Above an existing parking lot in Amsterdam, a hybrid forest arises. Composed of a rigid, industrial frame and shape shifting, dynamic vegetation. Clusters of repurposed silos shelter human functions, while housing local species of bats and birds in its façade. The planting scheme provides specific year round habitat for these local species.
The used materials are either repurposed or local and bio based; Amsterdam’s confiscated hemp stalks were inoculated with psychedelic mushroom mycelium to make functional insulation panels with integrated solar collecting glycol tubing or nest boxes.