The Multispecies Metropolis
We are very pleased to share with you an upcoming event in the Multi/Poly-species space. Richard Fadock, Mellon…
A conversation with Amy Haigh
We recently caught up with Amy for a more in depth conversation on her work, her thoughts and projects to come. Join us!
Amy Haigh’s Interworlding Objects
London-based interdisciplinary designer and storyteller Amy Haigh has produced for her diploma work at The Royal College of Arts, London a series of clever objects that cross the species divide and question the anthropocentric as well as the ontological boundaries of objects in general.
Buildings + Germs
... architecture and more specially buildings, are rather poor opponents against pandemics. Urban planning seems to have a shot, but buildings - their scale, their materials, their systems, are weak at best and more likely a fool's errand; wasting time, effort and money to combat a foe they cannot defeat at exactly a time when resources are slim.
Living in Expanded Times
We are living in unprecedented times. The arrival of the novel corona virus global pandemic in the early months of 2020 has essentially re-written how we live our daily lives - to say it lightly. There have been profound changes at every level of life. Firstly and most tragically is the loss of life. As of today’s writing, which is roughly 120 days into the US experience of Covid-19, over 460,000 deaths world wide.
Announcing: Contributing Editor, Amy Haigh
We are very pleased to welcome Amy Haigh to the Expanded Environment team. Over the next several weeks…
Other Coworkers: Animals in the Workplace
History would suggest that a coworking relationship between humans and nonhumans is rarely equal and is typically characterized by subjugation, sadness, and a controlled population expansion of “useful” species. GBHB demonstrates that another more equitable, more beneficial, more respectful cross-species coworking environment is possible.
AMBIGUOUS TERRITORY: ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, AND THE POSTNATURAL
Ambiguous Territory asks, can art and design avail new ways to approach contemporary challenges regarding the environment? What new worlds, and what new concepts of nature and culture can art and design reveal that other modes of inquiry and knowledge cannot?
Climate of Dissent – PROTEST DESIGN COMPETITION
Climate change is here. Temperature increases have led to droughts, famine, floods, displacement of thousands of people, and the rapid decline of many ecosystems. For the competition, participants will design an act of protest centered on climate change.
Announcing: Contributing Editor, Amartya Deb
We are happy to introduce our newest contributing editor to the Expanded Environment - Amartya Deb. Amartya comes to us from India often writing from locations in Dehli, Calcutta, Bangladesh and elsewhere.
Companion Species
Today’s cities, not only Western but cities in general, have almost no animal life in their cores, and if they do, it is strongly curtailed.
Weather Sites
Selected weather sites that stand out for their accuracy, visual techniques and levelheadedness.
OP-ED: Post-Harvey Houston
There should be no suggestions to the contrary - we have (willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or not - it doesn't really matter) created climate systems of massive power and energy and we have placed our cities in their paths. This was an act of Human. The faster we get a grip on this the faster we can face ourselves and our future.
Repost: Animals in Contemporary Architecture and Design
Jennifer Wolch & Marcus Owens analyze a sample of contemporary animal design projects...
Concrete Chimney Swift Tower
The evolution of the Chimney Swift is closely intertwined with modernity and the changing habitats of humans. Although originally nesting in caves and rotted trees, Chimney Swifts now primarily nest in, well -- chimneys and other man-made habitats. They adapted to chimneys in the first place due to a scarcity of standing, rotted trees - as these have a tendency to fall onto property and are quickly taken down.
Call for Writers
We'd like to invite you to become a guest contributor to The Expanded Environment. Click for more info.
Call for Works
We want to publish your work. Do you have a project that you think would look really sweet on The Expanded Environment? Are you interested in biology, architecture, ecology urbanism, interspecies art and various combinations thereof?
Urban Umwelt
Recently Ned presented via pre-recorded video at the "Untaming the Urban" Symposium at the Fenner School, Australia National University. The full-length (it's only 15 minutes) viedo is here for your viewing pleasure.
Intersections 2016
Intersections 2016 is a cross-disciplinary conference of quality of life, health, equity, development and environmental issues facing the growing Houston area. The goal is to foster synergistic thinking and collaboration by bringing different people together, and to demystify the mechanisms for creating sustainable change.
Anthropocene Mag.
Tiny houses and great cathedrals, carbon-neutral skyscrapers and Airstream trailers: architecture is among the greatest of human crafts. Just imagine if the same ingenuity and vision were devoted to building homes for animals.
Joyce Hwang: Bower
Bower is a series of architectural fragments that frame the landscape of ArtPark and host bird nesting boxes for various species.
Editors / Contributors
Content on the The Expanded Environment is provided by the following lovely people:
Natural Urbanism
Despite the fact that more than half of the world’s population today lives in cities, the attention given to urban ecosystems in the ecosystem services literature has yet been relatively modest.
Introducing Guest Contributors – Sarah and Brandon
This month we are thrilled to include the voices of two new guest contributors to the Expanded Environment team - Sarah Gunawan and Brandon Youndt. Sarah and Brandon will be featured regularly in the coming months and we thoroughly encourage you to check out their work and thoughts.
BioCity on NPR
Recently Ned Dodington spoke with NPR station KUHF, Houston Matter's Paige Phelps about the BioCity installation on display at Lawndale from January 22, 2016 to June 11, 2016. Check out the interview below!