Urban Reef sees the city as a living landscape, a reef. The city is a shelter for all life, not just humans. Anthropocentric planning oversees (non-)human stakes: densely urbanized areas become biodiversity deserts, urban heat islands and concrete flood areas. Porous spaces and microclimates benefit urban ecology and mitigate climate change. Algorithm-generated, 3D-printed Reefs provide varieties in humidity, porosity, materials and orientation to sun, wind and rain. The prints absorb water and heat, and function as urban ecological stepping stones. IoT sensors measure climate fluctuations, a playful ´Tamagotchi´ visualizes the data for bypassers. Urban Reef´s experiments with sculptures lead to new applications of the bio-inclusive city of the future.
(2021-2022 / 3D printed ceramics)