Architectures of Cohabitation

Architectures of Cohabitation pursues the idea that human and non-human species form an inseparable community. This means that the built environment never belongs only to humans, but that animals and plants have always been its inhabitants as well. To move toward more sustainable cities, we need to think of them not just as habitats for humans alone but also as co-habitats for other species.

Architectures of Cohabitation uses five architectural elements – floor, wall, facade, window, and roof – to present design approaches incorporating non-human species as users, occupants, and designers of architecture. In addition to 1:1 prototypes of cohabitation architecture, existing architectural projects and a catalogue of architectural elements for cohabitation are presented in the form of market-ready components, material studies, plans, and models in the walk-in showroom.

Under the concept of cohabitation, ARCH+ is investigating the relationship between human and non-human species in urban space in a multi-year research project. Following the exhibition Cohabitation at silent green in 2021, which focused on artistic approaches, the Cohabitation urban explorations, a comprehensive discourse series, and the ARCH+ publication released in April, the project concludes this year with the exhibition Architectures of Cohabitation at SCHAU FENSTER in Berlin. Building on previous findings, this exhibition focusses on concrete architectural solutions.

In the symposium in the series Zoopolis Berlin at the Floating University, architects and artists involved in the project will discuss with other experts from animal welfare and cohabitation how to incorporate cohabitation into architecture and planning to make them more ecological and inclusive.