Arts Thread

The Biome Observatory is located in East Wick, Hackney, on the fringe of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Lea Valley Nature Reserve. The project imagines a global facility of international excellence placed within a species rich urban constructed wetland, supporting scientific research into urban wetland ecology, ecosystem conservation, restoration, and habitat management. The concept seeks to synthesize architecture, urban space, sustainable and environmental strategies within the urban landscape. The design explores relationships between building form and nature, as entwined spaces in which to spend time, encouraging the idea of connectivity and immersion within nature and the urban environment. Globally, wetland habitats have seen a decline of approx. 87% over the last 300 hundred years, endangering wetland animal species through habitat loss, pollution, climate change and draining of land for agriculture and development use. The UK currently has 175 identified wetland sites. Wetlands are described as ‘kidneys of the natural world’, the Biome Observatory will focus on the benefits of creating a vision of a water resilient future for our planet, to assist with challenges posed by climate change in an urban context. Harnessing and celebrating the benefits of a constructed wetland, supporting urban heat Island (UHI) mitigation, habitat provision and water management systems. Creating an environment to nurture ecology, extending, and strengthening existing habitat provision locally, through social and community enterprise to create an exemplary model for future sustainable cultural projects with social, community, education, and scientific engagement. The Biome Observatory embraces Global Sustainable Development Goals, Circular Economy principles and Net Zero Carbon Strategies by generating energy from renewable sources, offering energy back to local sources and extending this self-sustaining approach to the careful selection of materials within the architectural design concept. In recognition of the need to protect, conserve and restore wetlands, Water and Water related Ecosystems were included within the Outcome of The First Global Stock take at COP28, and the Freshwater Challenge initiative was implemented globally. “The value of wetlands lies not just in their beauty but in their ability to sustain life and promote well-being.” Sir David Attenborough