Dumpsite to Wetland: Biomimicry Meets Urban Design

Your first introduction to biomimicry might have begun with the all-too familiar chimes of a TED talk. The applause, the pacing of the presenter, and then, that inevitable point of no return. It clicks. It sticks. Because just like that, biomimicry hooks itself into you. Much like a burr clinging to fur.  

For Brittany Trilford, an urban designer from New Zealand, it was this 14-minute TED talk by Michael Pawlyn that introduced her to the wondrous world of biomimicry. And then, ten years later, that spark had her knocking on Learn Biomimicry’s door and entering into the Biomimicry Practitioner Programme.

Site-Specific Solutions: Addressing the Needs of Rohan Island

Brittany’s passion for biomimicry and urban design poured through her Practitioner project in a challenge that was site, community, and context-specific. Determined to create a space for nature at the design table, Brittany focused on a site in Prague - a dump that was in dire need of healing. 

In the words of Brittany: “My challenge, as well as the city’s, is to manage flooding, but also to heal this landscape physically & socially, and connect communities, both human and nonhuman.”

Ecosystem Innovation

As she progressed through the program, Brittany unearthed the layers of healing needed for Rohan Island, leading her to the co-star of her discovery - wetlands. "There's a lot to love about wetlands - the river's kidney," she says. 

She designed a Wetland Park, a multifaceted ecosystem, empowered by a diversity of materials, processes and places to enhance community life. 

The park offers a space where people can reconnect with nature—meandering through rewilding-bioswales, squelch in the mud, and clamber over filtering rocks, and witnessing the ecosystem’s evolution over time.

Feedback Loops and Adaptation: The Vision for a Biomimicry Hub

But having all the right components isn’t enough for nature to thrive. Nature uses feedback loops, reevaluates data and adapts to changing conditions, a lesson Brittany took to heart. She envisioned a Biomimicry Hub at the park’s core—a research facility that would engage both the public and local government in ongoing consultations and adaptations.

Breaking Barriers and Moving Forward: From Activist to Urban Designer

From her days as a young activist speaking at the UN Earth Summit, and now as a Local Pathways Fellow, Brittany remains determined to ensure that "regenerative solutions are on the democratic design table". 

Her new 10-month journey is dedicated to "rewilding" urban developments in her local context—the only project of its kind in the Czech Republic! This work continues her innovative efforts at the CH+K Research Lab, where she explores adaptive use, education, materiality, and housing in urban design.

Key Takeaways: The Potential for Your Own Biomimicry Journey 

Whether it’s been ten days or ten years since your TED talk moment, you too, can hop right into the world of biomimicry. You can bring it to your work, your passion, and even your city. Biomimicry isn’t just for urban designers or architects; it’s for anyone at a tipping point, addressing real challenges, and navigating the complexities of regulations and policies.

In Closing 

Your journey in biomimicry can be as dynamic as Brittany’s—one that ebbs, flows, and eventually pours into a meaningful, site-specific project that makes a lasting impact.

You can read more about Michael Pawlyn's book, "Biomimicry in Architecture" here.

You can view Brittany's LinkedIn here. 

Take a look at her full project below:  

Thanks for reading! You can read about more examples of biomimicry in urban design here.

Stay Wild,
The Learn Biomimicry Team

PS - if you are interested in applying biomimicry to your own project - check out the Biomimicry Practitioner Programme to learn more.