Material Innovation and Interspecies Design in unEarthed / Second Nature / PolliNATION
Presented during the 2025 edition of La Biennale di Venezia, the project unEarthed / Second Nature / PolliNATION brings together architectural experimentation, ecological systems thinking, and advanced material research. Curated by architect Enric Ruiz Geli and academic Anne-Lise Velez, the initiative places strong emphasis on how material-driven design can contribute to ecological regeneration. It explores the idea that architecture can serve not only human needs but also those of other species, particularly pollinators, by shaping environments that support biodiversity through deliberate material and spatial strategies.
Cloud 9: Climate-Responsive Structures and Biobased Systems
At the core of this vision is a body of work developed by Cloud 9, a Barcelona-based architecture studio known for its integration of digital processes and environmental innovation. Their contribution to the project focuses on ephemeral, pollinator-centred structures conceived for climatic responsiveness and low environmental impact. These buildings, situated in different locations and climates, share a design ethos rooted in adaptability, modularity, and the use of biobased or digitally fabricated materials. While some respond to coastal conditions using layered, erosion-resistant construction systems, others integrate passive cooling strategies and naturally ventilated forms that operate with minimal mechanical input. All emphasise a circular approach to design and construction.
Academic Research with Material and Social Impact
The exhibition also features applied research from the Virginia Tech Honors College, where students and faculty have developed projects that combine systems design with ecological and social challenges. One project addresses sustainable agriculture by introducing robotic systems for managing silvopasture environments, aiming to reduce workload and enhance biodiversity through intelligent land monitoring. Another explores modular design in confined environments, developing a capsule-based sleep system tailored for use in space, with attention to psychological wellbeing, thermal regulation, and spatial efficiency. Other research focuses on inclusive transport, proposing seating solutions for aircraft that accommodate wheelchair users while maintaining commercial viability. Further work links material design with social access by creating educational infrastructure for incarcerated learners, developed to meet both practical constraints and pedagogical goals.
Toward Regenerative Design Practices
Together, these projects represent a growing design culture that is grounded in ecological intelligence and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Rather than focusing on form alone, they demonstrate how material selection, fabrication methods, and spatial systems can respond to broader environmental and social conditions. The approach reflects a shift toward regenerative thinking in architecture and design—one in which built environments support living systems and material innovation is seen as an active agent in ecological repair.
Design as a Networked Act of Restoration
unEarthed / Second Nature / PolliNATION frames these initiatives within a broader ambition to cultivate a global network of environmentally engaged designers and researchers. While the exhibition in Venice provides the physical platform, the deeper narrative lies in the experimental processes and research outcomes that foreground new relationships between materials, spaces, and life systems. For architects, interior and landscape designers, and product developers interested in biobased materials, circular construction, and climate-responsive systems, the work presented offers practical models and conceptual pathways for future design.
Source: Virginia Tech Honors College, Cloud 9
Photos: Marco Galloway / Virginia Tech Honors College