Pollinators are considered keystone species for the vital role they play in sustaining plants that many ecosystems, and increasingly humans, depend upon for food. According to Regeneration.org, 75% of global food systems cannot function without them. It is then alarming that within the UK landscape, their habitats have dwindled significantly over several decades. Loosing almost all of their natural wildflower meadows, miles upon miles of wetlands and hedges. This project explores a possible explanation for this destruction, centred around the cosmopolitan and the mindset it festers. Leading to the greatest greenhouse emissions globally - 70%. We believe that physically separating people from nature, breads apathy and ignorance, psychologically misaligning the interests between previously symbiotic animal relationships, that can thrive together, greater than apart.
With this in mind we set upon a mission to create a home for pollinators within the newly built RCA Battersea Studio, which is the epitome of Industrial Britain. Engaging with and channelling the creativity of future generations of RCA Students & Staff, to design spaces that are once again cohabiting. Specifically within the confines of the outdoor spaces, that are at this time, shut off from all use, but show great potential to inspire and rejuvenate the life of pollinators and RCA inhabitants. Expanding upon projects before us such as Aric Chen's zoop.earth, that envisions inclusive networks of matter that incorporate "other-than-human life" in organisational decision making. And the RCA's very own Alumni Daisy Ginsberg, who eloquently visualises garden designs optimised for insects, in her pollinator.art eden project.
We decided that the single greatest impact a series of amateur garden designers and architects could have, would be to promote long term action within our local community. At this stage, not to heavily emphasise our particular design, but the steps leading up to it, and the ideology of regeneration as an intervention in its own right. Which we hope others after us will adopt as we have. Since this legacy can have far reaching implications into the future. For every regeneration project after us initiated by RCA inhabitants, leads to a possible state of local harmony.
Our RCA news publication imagines the unveiling of a garden within the courtyard of Battersea Studio, in 2025, two years from now. It's a prospective hindsight narrative that seeks to convince readers today that this future action is plausible and beneficial in the ways discussed by us.
