In the Some Kind of Nature atelier we adopt a radical, non-anthropocentric approach to climate emergency using dialogic, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and speculative design methods. We place the climate and biodiversity emergency central to our teaching taking guidance from the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We not only recognise that carbon emissions need to be rapidly reduced to avert dangerous climate change, but that we need to reverse ecological damage that is occurring. A singular focus on carbon, therefore, won’t remedy the wicked problems of the climate and biodiversity emergency.

We know that the impacts of climate change are not shared equally, nor fairly, between humans, and between past, current, and future generations, and we take those differences between humans into account in our approach. We equally recognise that non-human species have intrinsic value and do not exist solely because of their usefulness to humans, as we are all interconnected. In response to the needs and rights of non-humans, we decentre humans from their privileged position and by creating designs that elevate the needs and rights of non-humans, we posit that we can create a fairer and ecologically responsive world.

Interdisciplinarity is at the core of our team and approach (social science x landscape x architecture), and we extend that collaborative and dialogic ethos to more-than-human actors.

This year, our atelier worked in the Holt Town area of Manchester, engaging with the post-industrial heritage of the area.