Biodiversity refers to the variety of species, their genetic variation and their habitats, explains an article from Arch Daily. The spread of urban areas across natural environments worldwide is threatening biodiversity, but recent studies have shown that cities can also support an array of plants and animals - some of which have larger populations in urban environments than in rural landscapes.
Architecture is one factor in fostering biodiversity, by creating habitat opportunities as part of new developments - such as planted roofs and green facades. Arch Daily writes that although construction processes are highly disruptive for local fauna and flora, “controlled development and approaches like Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), where components are fabricated off-site, can significantly minimize the impact”. Biodiversity conservation is even more critical for developments on brownfield sites, which feature rich ecosystems, the article explains.
Several cities have shown leadership in addressing biodiversity loss. For example, Singapore has unveiled a "City in Nature" strategy that will see it add 300 more hectares of gardens and parks by 2026. It also plans to implement species recovery solutions for 100 species of plants and 60 species of animals.
While the value of urban areas for biodiversity conservation is still being established, writes Arch Daily, there is a growing acknowledgement that cities are vital in developing solutions to the global biodiversity crisis. However, reversing biodiversity loss requires the participation of numerous actors, “from scientific bodies, authorities and urban planners to architects”.
