ELECTIVE REPORT ON
“LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN”
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of degree of Bachelor of Architecture (V-Year) degree program.
Submitted by MOHD FARHAN Guided by AR. ARSHIYA AHMED
FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE & EKISTICS, JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA, NEW DELHI-110025 2019-2020
FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE & EKISTICS, JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA, NEW DELHI-110025
CERTIFICATE In the partial fulfilment of the B.Arch. (V-Year) degree program, this is to certify that ‘MOHD FARHAN’ has worked on the Elective entitled “LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN” under my guidance and supervision.
AR. ARSHIYA AHMED Elective Guide
Prof. S.M. AKHTAR H.O.D
AR. HINA ZIA Dean
External Examiner 1
External Examiner 2
DECLARATION
I, MOHD FARHAN, hereby declare that the Elective entitled “LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN ‟ submitted in the partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (5th Year) is my original research work and that the information taken from secondary sources is given due citations and references.
MOHD FARHAN Bachelor of Architecture (V
Date: 29 /11/ 2019 Place: New Delhi 2019-2020
th
Year)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Any kind of project, report or research is incomplete without the guidance of Almighty. The true excellence comes from his divine and we all are nurtured by him. There are people who guided me through the core of it. This dissertation report has no exception. I would like to thank my dissertation guide Ar. Arshiya Ahmed who have helped me throughout the process and sympathize my ideas. Also, I would like to thank my family and friends whose feedback helped me make my work inspiring and admireable.
TABLE OF CONTENT : ABSTRACT:.............................................................................................................................................8 INTRODUCTION:....................................................................................................................................9 AIM:.......................................................................................................................................................9 OBJECTIVE:.............................................................................................................................................9 SCOPE:.................................................................................................................................................10 RATIONALE:..........................................................................................................................................10 THESIS COMPONENTS:.........................................................................................................................11 METHODOLOGY:..................................................................................................................................11 WHAT IS LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY?......................................................................................................12 HISTORY:..........................................................................................................................................13 The European school:...................................................................................................................14 The American school:...................................................................................................................14 SCIENCE OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY:..................................................................................................15 LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY PRINCIPLES:..................................................................................................16 LANDSCAPE COMPOSITION:........................................................................................................16 STRUCTURE:.................................................................................................................................16 FUNCTION:...................................................................................................................................16 CHANGE:......................................................................................................................................16 COMPONENTS OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY:........................................................................................17 MATRIX:.......................................................................................................................................17 PATCHES:......................................................................................................................................18 CORRIDORS:.................................................................................................................................19 LANDSCAPE DESIGN:............................................................................................................................22 WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE?..........................................................................................22 WHAT IS LANDSCAPE DESIGNING?...................................................................................................23 TYPES OF LANDSCAPE:.....................................................................................................................23 I.
The Primary landscape.........................................................................................................23
II.
The natural landscape..........................................................................................................23
III.
The cultural landscape.....................................................................................................23
DESIGN APPROACH:.........................................................................................................................24 SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES:.............................................................................................................24 SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES FOR LANDSCAPING INCLUDE:....................................................................25 NON-SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES INCLUDE:........................................................................................25 ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN:.......................................................................................................................26 ABSTRACT:........................................................................................................................................26
INTRODUCTION:...............................................................................................................................26 ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN AS A METHOD TO MAINTAIN BIODIVERSITY:..............................................27
Target species need to be selected at the beginning of the planning process:....................27
Critical needs of the target animals can be identified based on the species life-cycle:........28
The requirements of the animals can inspire the design of the green space:......................28
MAKING ANIMAL-AIDED DESIGN WORKABLE FOR THE LANDSCAPE:..............................................29 CASE STUDY:.....................................................................................................................................30 APPLICATION OF AAD TO THE REFURBISHMENT OF AN APARTMENT BLOCK FROM THE 1960S IN MUNICH, GERMANY:....................................................................................................................30 SPECIES-SPECIFIC DESIGN COMPONENTS (HOUSE SPARROW):....................................................31 DESIGN:................................................................................................................................................33
TABLE OF FIGURES: Figure 1 THESIS COMPONENTS GRAPH................................................................................................11 Figure 2 METHODOLOGY GRAPH.........................................................................................................11 Figure 3 LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY TRIANGLE...........................................................................................12 Figure 4 LANDSCAPE CONSCIENCE.......................................................................................................13 Figure 5 HISTORY OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY........................................................................................14 Figure 6 ECOLOGY AROUND US............................................................................................................15 Figure 7 LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY PRINCIPLES.........................................................................................16 Figure 8 COMPONENTS MAP...............................................................................................................17 Figure 9 MATRIX...................................................................................................................................17 Figure 10 PATCHES...............................................................................................................................18 Figure 11 CORRIDORS..........................................................................................................................19 Figure 12 PATTERNS IN CORRIDOR.......................................................................................................20 Figure 13 IMPLEMENTATION OF PRINCIPLES IN A LANDSCAPE............................................................21 Figure 14 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT..............................................................................................22 Figure 15 URBAN PLANNING IN AAD...................................................................................................27 Figure 16 LANDSCAPE FEATURES IN AAD.............................................................................................29 Figure 17 DESIGN PROPOSAL...............................................................................................................30 Figure 18 LANDSCAPING DETAILS........................................................................................................31 Figure 19 LANDSCAPING DETAILS........................................................................................................32
LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY AND ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN
ABSTRACT: ‘Landscape ecology’ falls under the broader heading of ecology, focusing on the correlations between spatial patterns and landscape characteristics. Landscape ecology also considers the effects of land use on natural resources such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, lakes, rivers, streams, and other natural settings. These ecological considerations make it possible to manage landscape use to minimize negative effects on the environment. ‘Animal Aided Design’ (AAD) as a methodology for the design of urban open spaces, to integrate conservation into open space planning. The basic idea of AAD is to include the presence of animals in the planning process, such that they are an integral part of the design. Since my project is – Wildlife Conservation: Research and Media Centre with Eco- Tourism, I have majorly emphasized on using every inch of the Sanctuary land in order to provide green spaces, conserved areas and various landscape elements to capture the eyes of public visiting to see the flora and fauna. Also, the Researchers: Scientist, Biologist, ornithologist, zoologist, Aquarist, Aviculturist will be reading the ecology for their personal or faculty’s projects. The report focuses on evolving role of landscape planning in space, management and its role in altering the physiology of Humans as well as Animals and Birds.
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INTRODUCTION: A landscape is an area of land of any size that contains a specific pattern that impacts and is impacted by various ecological processes. Landscape ecology studies these specific patterns and how various elements within the landscape interact to cause change. Landscape ecology seeks to use the theories from these observations to solve environmental challenges.
AIM: ● ● ● ● ●
The report aims at learning and understanding about the landscape feature in a wildlife sanctuary/or any wildlife prone area. Aim of this project is to study the importance of sustainable and animal friendly landscape design strategies in buildings and spaces related to it. The aim is to understand various landscape feature and their effects on the user psychology as well as animals and birds. The aim is to study about various elements and techniques that can help the whole project perform better in terms of sustainability. To study the landscape elements, significance of landscape designing and animal aided design ( Animal friendly ).
OBJECTIVE: To fulfil the aim of this report, various short term objectives have been targeted, which are summarized as follows: ● ●
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● ● ● ● ●
Studying the psychology of the flora and fauna by providing them a homely conserved environment. The intent of the report is to research that will persuade the users I.e Animals and Birds by RE-THINKING WILD using integrated behaviors and concepts. This research identifies the exciting developments in landscaping technologies and to know the strategies that can be effectively used in the overall sanctuary development, so that the final energy consumption can be reduced. To design a green and sustainable landscape. To provide open and interactive spaces in the design. To apply passive design techniques in order to adhere sustainability. To study the movement in spaces. To study application of landscape furniture depending upon the utilities of spaces.
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●
To understand the designing and shaping the environment also scheming the interactive and resting places including the pathways.
SCOPE: ●
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To enhance the landscape in order to provide a healthy and serene environment and to improve the psychology and behaviour of the flora and fauna as well as users. To analyse the contribution of sustainable landscape design in overall building efficiency. To understand the working of landscape ecology. To study important function of well-designed open space for everyone and understand the psychological effect it has on the Animals and Birds in the surrounding. The importance of connecting indoor and outdoor spaces. Design details for access, seating, shelter, planting, wildlife interest. Guidance on how to create high-interest, multi-season, low-maintenance landscapes to maximize interest and enjoyment.
RATIONALE: This topic is closely related with my wish to do raise the Importance of wildlife and Its conservation to maintain the biodiversity ahead. Thus, the main consideration during the design process was to establish a research facility in a modern form and sustainable design to help the researchers study the Animals and Birds at Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary. The design of the Wildlife Sanctuary focuses mainly on altering the psychology and behaviour of the fauna in order to improve their circle and to provide them safe and calm surroundings for which various calming elements such as water streams and forest area are used.
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THESIS COMPONENTS:
Figure 1 THESIS COMPONENTS GRAPH
METHODOLOGY:
Figure 2 METHODOLOGY GRAPH
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LANDSCAPE WHAT IS LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY? Landscape ecology involves the study of patterns in landscape structures. Patches are habitat areas that vary in size, shape, number, and location. Patches can cluster in an area with a number of them coexisting in small proximity, or they may occur in more isolated fashion. Corridors separate patches, serving as boundaries. Corridors can have a variety of characteristics, such as straight or curvy perimeters or a narrow or wide width. Corridors may also be continuous or disconnected. The matrix is the landscape that surrounds patches and corridors.
Figure 3 LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY TRIANGLE
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HISTORY: Although landscape ecology and this specific study of the ecology is relatively new, it has roots that date back to Europe during the post-World War II era. In researching the history of landscape ecology, evidence shows air photo research during this period that led a German biographer to use the term "landscape ecology" as he looked at the importance of spatial arrangements when managing the ecological environment.
Figure 4 LANDSCAPE CONSCIENCE
In the 1980s, technology progressed to a point where scientists were able to observe, record, and analyse spatial arrangements locally and over vast areas of land. Scientists used satellite and aerial imagery for these observations. Current technology with computers and computer models provides scientists with the ability to glimpse into the future of the environment, enabling them to make more sustainable choices. Landscape Ecology as a discipline has two evolutionary lines, which might be caricatured as the "European School" (which is also strongly represented in the United States and elsewhere), and the "American School" (which is also common in Australia and elsewhere).
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The European school: ● ● ●
Very long history (as long as ecology itself, almost). Emphasis on typology and classification and mostly is concerned with "built" systems. In the U.S., it is found more often in Landscape Architecture, Planning, or Design schools than in Biology departments.
The American school: ● ●
● ●
Comparatively young, gaining a high profile in the U.S. only after the early 1980's. Launched, for practical purposes, by a workshop at Allerton Park (Risser et al. 1984). This was a pivotal meeting because the meeting decided what landscape ecology was about: its intellectual domain (what would be considered "interesting") and the tools of the trade (officially sanctioned approaches). In contrast to the European school, much more of a focus on natural systems (or at least, semi-natural ones such National Parks). Is much more invested in theory and models, including some extremely abstract ones.
Figure 5 HISTORY OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY
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SCIENCE OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY: The science of landscape ecology actually includes numerous sciences under the broad umbrella of landscape ecology. These sciences include anthropology, geobotany, geomorphology, soil science, and zoology. In combining these areas of science to make up landscape ecology, it is possible to observe how interactions between these separate areas affect various ecological processes.
Figure 6 ECOLOGY AROUND US
Human activity and flawed landscape designs have led to a variety of environmental issues that threaten the earth, including air and water pollution, the spread of invasive species, loss of biodiversity, and significant climate changes. Urban development, industrialization, and disappearing eco-scape are principle threats to the natural environment.
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LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY PRINCIPLES: To understand landscape ecology, we have to focus on some of its important principles: LANDSCAPE COMPOSITION: Composition involves the genetic makeup of populations, identity and abundance of species in the ecosystem, and the different types of communities present. STRUCTURE: Structure involves the variety of habitat patches or ecosystems and their patterns, the size and arrangement of patches, stands, or ecosystems including the sequence of pools in a stream, snags and downed logs in a forest, and vertical layering of vegetation. FUNCTION: Function involves climatic, geological, hydrological, ecological, evolutionary processes such as seed dispersion or gene flow.
and
CHANGE: Change involves the continual state of flux present in ecosystems.
Figure 7 LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY PRINCIPLES
Applying the principles of landscape ecology enables management of land use, animal and plant populations, and natural disturbances.
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COMPONENTS OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY: A landscape consists of three main components:
Figure 8 COMPONENTS MAP
MATRIX: The matrix, the dominant component in the landscape, is the most extensive and connected landscape type, and it plays the dominant role in landscape functioning. If we try to manage a habitat without considering the matrix, we will likely fail to provide what wildlife need in that area.
Figure 9 MATRIX
The characteristics of matrix structure are the density of the patches (porosity), boundary shape, networks, and heterogeneity. If an area has been broken up but the patches are fairly close together, the patches are still dense enough to be useful for animal movement. MOHD FARHAN
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PATCHES: Patches are nonlinear surface areas that differ in vegetation and landscape from their surroundings. They are units of land or habitat that are heterogeneous when compared to the whole. They include four different types: Disturbance, Remnant, Environmental resource, and Introduced.
Disturbance patches are either natural or artificial. They result from various activities, including agriculture, forestry, urbanization, and weather (i.e., tornados, hurricanes, ice storms, etc.). If left alone, a disturbance patch will eventually change until it combines with the matrix.
Remnant patches result when humans alter the landscape in an area and then leave parcels of the old habitat behind. Remnant patches are generally more ecologically stable and persist longer than disturbance patches.
Environmental resource patches occur because of an environmental condition such as a wetland or cliff line.
Introduced patches are ones in which people have brought in nonnative plants or animals or rearranged native species. Animals moving from one area to another can also bring in these non-native elements.
Figure 10 PATCHES
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CORRIDORS: The final landscape component is the corridor, the strip of land that differs from the matrix on either side. Corridors are areas that link patches together, serving as highways or conduits for organisms to transfer or move from patch to patch. Corridors are a unique mixture of environmental and biotic attributes from the surrounding matrix and patches. They have origins and types similar to those of patches: there are disturbance, remnant, environmental resource, and planted corridors. There are also stream corridors such as the path followed by a river or stream and the strips of streamside vegetation so important to migrating wildlife
Figure 11 CORRIDORS
Corridors function in several ways to provide habitat for various species, especially the smaller ones like chipmunks. Line or narrow strip corridors are mainly dominated by edge species, whereas wider strip corridors, which may have mostly interior species, function for better movement of animals.
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Corridors can serve as a conduit for movement or act as a barrier or filter (which may serve as a barrier to gene flow). For example, roads can serve as an almost complete barrier to amphibian movement, ultimately isolating individual populations.
Figure 12 PATTERNS IN CORRIDOR
Corridor structure and function depend on a variety of different factors: Degree of Curvilinearity, Breaks, Narrows, Nodes, and Connectivity
Curvilinearity, or the twisting and winding of the corridor, has functional ramifications related to edge. A higher degree of curvilinearity increases edge. Breaks occur where the matrix divides up a continuous corridor. They may not affect movement for some species, but for others—particularly plant species—they may stop the flow of species, genes, and energy through that system. Narrows, caused when some of the corridors narrow down, keep some species from moving through the restricted area. Nodes are corridor intersections, where, according to studies from England, numerous interior species are sometimes found. Connectivity of corridors should be maintained—that is, they should be kept continuous and unbroken.
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Figure 13 IMPLEMENTATION OF PRINCIPLES IN A LANDSCAPE
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LANDSCAPE DESIGN: WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE? Sustainable architecture is architecture that seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space and the ecosystem at large. Sustainable architecture uses a conscious approach to energy and ecological conservation in the design of the built environment. The idea of sustainability, or ecological design, is to ensure that our actions and decisions today do not inhibit the opportunities of future generations. For example, the design of a sustainable urban drainage system can: improve habitats for fauna and flora; improve recreational facilities, because people love to be beside water; save money, etc. Sustainability appears to be a new addition to the traditional Vitruvian objectives of the design process: commodity, firmness and delight. But it can be seen as an aspect of both firmness and commodity: an outdoor space is likely to last longer and give more commodity to its owners if it requires low inputs of energy, water, fertilizer etc., and if it produces fewer outputs of noise, pollution, surface water runoff etc.
Figure 14 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
WHAT IS LANDSCAPE DESIGNING? MOHD FARHAN
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Landscape is the art of designing, planning and management of land, arrangement of natural and man-made elements, application of cultural and scientific knowledge with concern for resources conservation so that the resultant environment can serve a useful, healthy and enjoyable purpose. Landscaping is an integral part of our culture and plays an essential role in the quality of our environment, economic wellbeing of the people, as well as their physical and psychological health, it is a way of maintaining and enhancing the quality of human life by protecting the health of the biosphere and husbanding the key resources of the air, water, land and minerals. Landscape is one of the most cost-effective tools for improving and sustaining the quality of the environment whether in the school environment, the city, the suburbs or the country. Through our garden and landscapes, we acquire a personal awareness and responsibilities for the environment while we relieve the tensions and frustrations of everyday life. Environmental sustainability programs attempt to reduce the use of physical and renewable resources, rather than toxic materials, the protection and restoration of natural habitats and environmental values for their liveability or beauty. Landscape design should harmoniously connect human innovation with the nature that surrounds it. Design that considers responsible use of natural resources, environmental sustainability, and minimal stress to natural ecosystems will benefit everyone. Not only can human economy flourish, but the environment's natural ecosystems can be maintained and even enhanced.
TYPES OF LANDSCAPE: There are three basic types of landscape: Primary, natural and cultural landscapes. I. II. III.
The Primary landscape occurs from the purely natural factors without human interference. The natural landscape is a creation that emanates from the first stage of transformation of the natural environment by human interference. The cultural landscape becomes obvious when the changes introduced by human activities are so deep and basically involve maintenance of the newly attained stability only by constant interference of man.
DESIGN APPROACH:
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Design factors include objective qualities such as: climate and microclimates; topography and orientation, site drainage and groundwater recharge; municipal and resource building codes; soils and irrigation; human and vehicular access and circulation; recreational amenities (i.e.: sports and water); furnishings and lighting; native plant habitat botany when present; property safety and security; construction detailing; and other measurable considerations. Design factors also include subjective qualities such as: genius loci (the special site qualities to emphasize); client’s needs and preferences; desirable plants and elements to retain on site, modify, or replace, and that may be available for borrowing of scenery (―shakkei‖) from beyond; artistic composition from perspectives of both looking upon and observing from within; spatial development and definition—using lines, sense of scale, and balance and symmetry; plant palettes; and artistic focal points for enjoyment. There are innumerable other design factors and considerations brought to the complex process of designing a garden that is beautiful, well-functioning, and that thrives over time. The up-and-coming practice of online landscape design allows professional landscapers to remotely design and plan sites through manipulation of two-dimensional images without ever physically visiting the location. Due to the frequent lack of non-visual, supplementary data such as soil assessments and pH tests, online landscaping necessarily must focus on incorporating only plants which are tolerant across many diverse soil conditions SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES: Sustainable landscape architecture is a category of sustainable design concerned with the planning and design of outdoor space. This can include ecological, politically correct, social and economic aspects of sustainability. For example, the design of a sustainable urban drainage system can: improve habitats for fauna and flora; improve recreational facilities, because people love to be beside water; save money, because building culverts are expensive and floods cause severe financial harm. The design of a green roof or a roof garden can also contribute to the sustainability of a landscape architecture project. The roof will help manage surface water, provide for wildlife and provide for recreation.
Sustainability appears to be a new addition to the traditional Vitruvian objectives of the design process: commodity, firmness and delight. But it can MOHD FARHAN
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be seen as an aspect of both firmness and commodity: an outdoor space is likely to last longer and give more commodity to its owners if it requires low inputs of energy, water, fertiliser etc., and if it produces fewer outputs of noise, pollution, surface water runoff etc. SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES FOR LANDSCAPING INCLUDE:
Global Climate Change
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Pesticide Toxicity
Non-Renewable Resources
Energy Usage
Native plant
NON-SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES INCLUDE:
Soil contamination
Air and water contamination
Persistence of toxic compounds in the environment
Non-sustainable consumption of natural resources
Greenhouse gas emissions
Invasive species
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ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN: ABSTRACT: Biodiversity underlies many of the ecosystem services demanded by humans. For cities, the design of ‘green infrastructures’ or ‘nature-based solutions’ has been proposed to maintain the provisioning of these services and the preservation of biodiversity. It is unclear, however, how such green infrastructure can be implemented, given existing planning practices that generally ignore biodiversity. Urban open spaces are normally designed by landscape architects with a primary focus on plants, aesthetic design and functionality for human users. As a consequence, conservation of species only plays a minor role, in fact, protected animals are often considered detrimental to the design, e.g. when the need to conserve a protected species demands modifications of a building project. Conversely, conservationists are often in favour of protected areas, also in cities, with little access for humans and no human design. INTRODUCTION: ‘Animal-Aided Design’ (AAD) is a methodology for the design of urban open spaces, to integrate conservation into open space planning. The basic idea of AAD is to include the presence of animals in the planning process, such that they are an integral part of the design. For AAD, the desired species are chosen at the beginning of a project. The requirements of the target species then not only set boundary conditions for the design, but also serve as an inspiration for the design itself. The aim of AAD is to establish a stable population at the project site, or contribute to population growth of species with larger habitats. AAD thus allows a combination of good urban design with species conservation.
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ANIMAL AIDED DESIGN AS A METHOD TO MAINTAIN BIODIVERSITY: The rationale underlying AAD is that conservation and landscape architecture can only be successfully combined if biodiversity preservation is integrated into the landscape architectural design process. Thus, AAD aims at good design for humans that benefits animals. We focus on animals, as conservation is mostly about animals; but our approach may also encompass plants, fungi or other groups of organisms. Our method is based on the following premises: 
Target species need to be selected at the beginning of the planning process:
Selecting target species before the detailed planning of a building or road construction commences offers the possibility that species requirements are considered in the landscape architectural design. This is in sharp contrast to the current situation, where a completed or advanced design is confronted with the requirement of species that need to be protected. Thus, we suggest to treat the presence of animals as any other requirement or constraint in the design of an open space, such as the layout of a playground for children, an open-air cinema, or the number of benches or parking spaces required. If this is the case, the habitat requirements of species have the same priority in the planning process as do other functions of the open space – not higher, but not lower either. Because the needs of animals thus become an integral part of the planning process, the current time-delay between initial project development and the consideration of biodiversity is avoided.
Figure 15 URBAN PLANNING IN AAD
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Critical needs of the target animals can be identified based on the species life-cycle:
The rationale of critical needs is that if the green space provides specific requirements, a viable population of the target species could live in the planning area. AAD thus requires a reductionists approach to the natural history of the species, to identify those elements in the native habitats that are indispensable for the animal. Examples of critical needs are the animal‘s food sources, the requirements for nesting sites, or protection from predation, e.g. protection from cats for young birds in the early phase after fledglings have left their nest. The critical needs represent the Hutchinsonian niche of the animal in the open space. In case of a species with large home ranges the designed green space may only make up a small contribution to the habitat where a population lives, but it can become an important part of it.
The requirements of the animals can inspire the design of the green space:
For most critical needs, it does not matter for the animal how they are implemented, in particular how they ‘look’, as long as the solution offered fulfils its functional role. For example, many bird species require a sand bath and a water bath for dusting, drinking and bathing respectively, but there are many examples showing that birds accept a variety of structures acting as sand or water bath. In a landscape architectural design of an open space, it is very simple to provide such critical needs. As long as the texture of the sand, or water depth and quality meet the requirements of the animal, it will accept this and the structure will fulfil its function for the animal. Thus, the need to provide a water bath and sand bath is not a constraint for the designer, but may instead inspire the design. This is why we refer to our method as Animal-Aided Design, i.e. design that is enriched, also in its beauty for humans, through including the needs of animals. Importantly, the solutions for the critical needs of animals can and should be multifunctional, i.e. also serving the needs of humans. For example, open water enriches any green space and can be provided by small structures like a small fountain or even an open bowl, thus benefitting both humans and animals such as birds. But this is also true for other needs, a sand bath needed by birds, for example, can be integrated into structures as different as a footpath, a vegetation-free space on a green roof.
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Figure 16 LANDSCAPE FEATURES IN AAD
MAKING ANIMAL-AIDED DESIGN WORKABLE FOR THE LANDSCAPE: The biological knowledge required to make an open space suitable for particular species is, however, not easily available for landscape architects. As a consequence, it will not be apparent to a landscape architect, which animals could theoretically be used for AAD at the beginning of the planning process. In addition, even if the landscape architect does choose a target species, e.g. by selecting a species that already occurs in the planning site, it may be difficult to obtain the information on how to adapt the open space to the biology of the species. Consulting a biologist about the habitat requirements of the target species may help, but even a biologist will need to do some research on the habitat requirement of the species, and, for many species, the critical needs will not be absolutely clear, due to lack of knowledge of natural history.
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CASE STUDY: APPLICATION OF AAD TO THE REFURBISHMENT OF AN APARTMENT BLOCK FROM THE 1960S IN MUNICH, GERMANY: Such residential areas consisting of several apartment blocks with rental flats were built after the Second World War all over Germany and are now in need of refurbishment including the green space around them.
Figure 17 DESIGN PROPOSAL
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The aim in this theoretical (i.e. not realized) study was to refurbish the building face with increased insulation as an adaptation to climate change, to increase the attractiveness of the greenspace, and to use the public and semi-public space as contribution for the green infrastructure of the city. Target species were the common swift (Apus apus), the starling (Sturnus vulgaris), the common pipistrelle (Pippistrellus pippistrellus), the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), all of which breed in the front (faรงade) of a building, provided suitable nesting boxes are placed into the outer walls of the building. In the case of the sand lizard a sandy soil suitable for egg-laying can be provided on the ground close to the building. A) Design layout of the central area in the restored residential area. SPECIES-SPECIFIC DESIGN COMPONENTS (HOUSE SPARROW): The house sparrow lives in colonies and often breeds indoors. Nesting opportunities are provided in the Eastern fronts of the building. As the species has a very small home-range, all critical needs such as seeds and insects for food, shrubs for shelter, a water bath, a dust bath and nest boxes are provided within a circle of 50m radius.
Figure 18 LANDSCAPING DETAILS
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Figure 19 LANDSCAPING DETAILS
B) Detailed AAD planning for house sparrow where the different pictograms show where in the urban green space particular critical needs of the species are fulfilled. For the house sparrow, all of these needs are fulfilled within 50m of the nest boxes. In the AAD-approach, the planner has to show in the design for the development where a particular species can meet each of the critical needs of the animal. (Design by Rupert Schelle, Georg Hausladen and Sophie Jahnke).
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DESIGN:
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