Biophilia have given us a lasting bond with certain aspects of nature. For this reason, biophillia should not be seen as a target of design, but as a mean to connect people to the whole of nature. Biophilia are a mean to anchor endangered – but often biophobic - patches of ‘wild nature’ in the urban landscape.
These patches do not only serve biodiversity. More importantly, they provoke interaction with people in order to rebuilt affinity to endangered natural ecosystems, which are often far from the city. People’s affinity is crucial in an increasing urbanizing world where support for vital, but also biophobic ecosystems is declining. Located in the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam, the project shows the conversion of a former dry dock. Here biophobic wetlands are framed by a biophilic park landscape. ‘Cues to explore’ are added to provide triggers to explore the biophobic wetlands.
