Research is revealing an increasing number of positive effects of nature for humans. At the same time, biodiversity in cities, where most humans live, is often low or in decline. Tangible solutions are needed to increase urban biodiversity. Architecture is a key discipline that has considerable influence on the built‐up area of cities, thereby influencing urban biodiversity. In general, architects do not design for biodiversity. Conversely, urban conservation planning generally focuses on the limited space free of buildings and does not embrace architecture as an important discipline for the creation of urban green infrastructure. In this paper, we argue that the promotion of biodiversity needs to become a key driving force of architectural design. This requires a new multi‐species design paradigm that considers both human and non‐human needs. Such a design approach needs to maintain the standards of the architectural profession, including the aim to increase the well‐being of humans in buildings. Yet, it also needs to add other stakeholders, organisms such as animals, plants and even microbiota. New buildings designed for humans and other inhabitants can then increase biodiversity in cities and also increase the benefits that humans can derive from close proximity to nature. We review the challenges that this new design approach poses for both architecture and ecology and show that multi‐species‐design goes beyond existing approaches in architecture and ecology. The new design approach needs to make ecological knowledge available to the architectural design process, enabling practitioners to find architectural solutions that can facilitate synergies from a multi‐species perspective. We propose that a first step in creating such a multi‐species habitat is the design of buildings with an ecolope, a multi criteria‐designed building envelope that takes into account the needs of diverse organisms. Because there is no framework to design such an ecolope, we illustrate how multi‐species design needs to draw on knowledge from ecology, as well as architecture, and design computation. We discuss how architectures designed via a multi‐species approach can be an important step in establishing beneficial human–nature relationships in cities, and contribute to human well‐being and biodiversity conservation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

In interior space planning, the furnishing stage usually entails manual iterative processes, including meeting design objectives, incorporating professional input, and optimizing design performance. Machine learning has the potential to automate and improve interior design processes while maintaining creativity and quality. The aim of this study was to develop a furnishing method that leverages machine learning as a means for enhancing design processes. A secondary aim was to develop a set of evaluation metrics for assessing the quality of the results generated from such methods, enabling comparisons between the performance of different models. To achieve these aims, floor plans were tagged and assembled into a comprehensive dataset that was then employed for training and evaluating three conditional generative adversarial network models (pix2pix, BicycleGAN, and SPADE) to generate furniture layouts within given room boundaries. Post-processing methods for improving the generated results were also developed. Finally, evaluation criteria that combine measures of architectural design with standard computer vision parameters were devised. Visual architectural analyses of the results confirm that the generated rooms adhere to accepted architectural standards. The numerical results indicate that BicycleGAN outperformed the two other models. Moreover, the overall results demonstrate a machine-learning workflow that can be used to augment existing interior design processes.

This perspective paper explores the concept of multispecies design in architecture, focusing on the building scale. Historically, architects have prioritized human needs, neglecting nature’s integration in urban settings, leading to environmental and social challenges. To address these issues, a new multispecies approach that promotes the integration of ecological knowledge into architectural design has evolved. This paper aims to map existing concepts, challenges, and gaps in this novel multispecies approach, focusing on the building scale design process and suggests a roadmap for its implementation. This paper analyzes the existing literature and current architectural practices. This analysis is complemented by the findings from an architectural design studio that have highlighted real-world challenges not readily apparent in the literature. By promoting a multispecies architectural paradigm, this research not only underscores a transformative approach to building design but also positions multispecies design as an essential strategy in combatting the challenges of declining biodiversity and escalating climate change.

Population growth, urbanization, and climate change have significantly contributed to environmental degradation, posing severe consequences for humans and other species. By integrating ecological objectives with human-centric goals, a path towards a sustainable, multi-species future is possible. Current sustainable design principles have shown positive environmental impacts by addressing human-centric objectives such as enhancing green infrastructure, energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and more. However, the incorporation of multi-species design criteria remains unresolved. This paper proposes a conceptual framework in which human-centric and ecological design objectives are defined and associated through the selection of key performance indicators (KPIs) represented by numerical thresholds. But, while the objective-KPI relationship is an established path in architectural design, the same does not apply for preserving and promoting biodiversity. The proposed conceptual framework identifies, defines, and associates the relevant objective-KPI relationships for all stakeholders and becomes the basis for evaluating the project computationally. Such an approach is currently lacking.

The construction industry is a major contributor to global CO₂ emissions, necessitating sustainable alternatives for building materials. Additive manufacturing (AM) using wood-based composites offers an eco-friendly solution for thermal insulation applications. This study explores the thermal and mechanical properties of wood powder–carboxymethyl cellulose composites fabricated via liquid deposition modeling (LDM). Six formulations incorporating industrial wood waste from beech and oak, with varied particle sizes, were developed to evaluate their extrudability, structural stability, and insulation efficiency. Material characterization included thermal conductivity testing via the transient plane source method and compressive strength assessment following ISO standards. Results indicate that particle size and wood species significantly influence material properties. Finer wood particles yielded higher compressive strength, whereas coarser particles exhibited lower conductivity, enhancing insulation performance. The best-performing formulation (B2: beech wood, medium particle size) demonstrated a balanced thermal conductivity of 0.188 W/m·K and compressive strength of 3 MPa. To assess large-scale buildability, a 3D-printed block component (200 × 350 × 220 mm) was fabricated. A refined formulation with reduced water improved print stability, demonstrating the viability of LDM for producing rigid, lightweight insulation blocks. This research establishes a foundational understanding of AM wood composites for thermal insulation, offering insights into material formulation, printability, and structural behavior. The findings underscore the potential of bio-based AM in sustainable construction, paving the way for scalable applications of wood waste in energy-efficient building systems. Future work will focus on optimizing binder composition, refining printing strategies, and exploring reinforcement techniques to enhance mechanical properties while maintaining thermal efficiency.

Emerging regulations in the context of sustainability have placed renewed attention on construction protocols, including consideration of end-of-life, waste reduction and a shift to bioplastics. However, much research is required on the integration and compatibility of bioplastic materials and their performance concerning construction industry standards. Parallel to the material perspective, increased efforts are placed on additive manufacturing (AM) processes in architectural design and their potential contribution to sustainability through experimentation with new materials, enhanced performance prototyping and reduction in material use. Within this context, the following paper develops a framework towards large-scale additive manufacturing examining bioplastic compounds for architectural components with acoustic performance. A design workflow outlines the component geometry and micro-structuring for both scattering and absorption. It explores the ability to expand on the acoustic behaviour of the chosen materials through printing techniques such as pull printing, fiber printing and dynamic structure printing, within a robotic FDM setup utilizing non-planar tool path design. The robotic workflow developed, outlines a material-informed calibration of bioplastic compounds, their predicted acoustic compatibility to the construction industry, and highlights the potential of such AM workflows to align with current sustainability goals.