In the Schumacher Quarter in Berlin-Tegel<\/a>, degewo AG is commencing the construction of a sustainable urban neighborhood using resource-efficient timber hybrid construction. A sponge city approach, low-car mobility, and an ecological low-exergy network for heating and cooling form the basis for climate-adapted, high-quality urban spaces. With Animal-Aided Design, biodiversity is integrated into the planning process from the very beginning: through the targeted design of habitats for selected animal species, ecological diversity becomes an inherent and integral part of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n<\/div> From September 27 to November 9, 2025, we are part of the exhibition Stadt Land Fluss<\/a>, curated by UnDesignUnit. We present the AAD Toolbox for Neuperlach, a tool for shaping new forms of human\u2013animal coexistence in the city. Rathausgalerie Munich, Free admission<\/p>\n<\/div> From June 6, 2025 to January 25, 2026, we will be part of the exhibition WEtransFORM<\/a> \u2013 On the Future of Building. Curated by the Bundeskunsthalle in cooperation with the New European Bauhaus, the show presents around 80 international projects on sustainable architecture and urban development. We are presenting our AAD Catalogue for Oberbillwerder, which focuses on promoting biodiversity and fostering human\u2013animal coexistence in Hamburg\u2019s new district. Bundeskunsthalle Bonn, Free admission up to 18 years<\/p>\n<\/div> The winners of the two-stage design competition for the future development of Tempelhofer Feld have been announced. Studio Animal-Aided Design warmly congratulates the selected teams on their compelling contributions. We are pleased that our concept Convivial Grounds was among the 20 designs chosen for the second phase from a total of 165 submissions. Our approach aims at an ecological transformation of the field through the establishment of woodland steppes and the targeted support and connectivity of locally occurring animal species and their habitats. We based our design on the trophic relationships and habitat requirements of these species, linking them to human needs and uses \u2013 in line with the principles of Animal-Aided Design. Although our project was not selected among the winners, we regret that ecological functionality and connectivity played only a minor role in the final decision. In the context of the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, we believe these aspects must be addressed with ecological depth and not merely treated as symbolic gestures.<\/p>\n The documentation of the winning entries can be found here via the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development<\/a>. Our contribution from the second phase is published here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div> The SWR2 Wissen programme from June 20, 2025, explores urban biodiversity with insights from researchers and practitioners. Among them is Thomas Hauck, who explains how Animal-Aided Design integrates animals into urban planning. Listen here: to the programme<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> With our new qualification as DGNB Biodiversity Manager, we support you in the nature-based design and successful certification of your outdoor spaces. We provide expert and reliable guidance throughout the entire certification process for building- and neighborhood-related outdoor areas, in accordance with the DGNB System for Biodiversity-Promoting Outdoor Spaces. We are authorized to officially submit your projects to DGNB for certification and assist you with all necessary steps \u2013 from initial consultation and pre-check to pre-certification and the successful issuance of the certificate.<\/p>\n<\/div> The City of N\u00fcrnberg has honored WBG N\u00fcrnberg \u2013 a housing development company \u2013 in its 2024 Environmental Award. This award recognizes the company\u2019s commitment to the protection and support of wildlife. WBG N\u00fcrnberg collaborated with the Studio Animal-Aided Design for the pilot project “Quartier Langwasser S\u00fcd”.<\/p>\n Link to press release<\/a><\/p>\n Link to Project: Quartier Langwasser S\u00fcd, N\u00fcrnberg<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> The survey “There is a place for every animal, but not in my back yard: a survey on attitudes towards urban animals and where people want them to live” shows that people have clear preferences for the placing of different animals in an urban context. Learn more about the research findings and how this knowledge can contribute to targeted conservation measures and environmental education programs.<\/p>\n Follow the link to the article here<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> The videos explain our mission and method, design with the life cycles of target species and the world’s first construction project with AAD in Munich.<\/p>\n Follow the link to our YouTube channel<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> The documentary by Bayerischer Rundfunk follows the planning and construction of a residential complex on Brantstra\u00dfe in Munich, where the Animal-Aided Design method is being applied in practice for the first time.<\/p>\n<\/div> The Brantstra\u00dfe in Munich is the world’s first project, which is based on the concept of Animal-Aided Design.<\/p>\n Financed by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection the project combines the needs and requirements of humans and animals in urban planning and promotes the coexistence of humans and wild animals in the city.<\/p>\n Animal-Aided Design: a project from Munich<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> The Studio Animal-Aided Design is involved in the project “Creating NEBourhoods Together” in Munich, Neuperlach. Funded by the EU the project is one of five lighthouse projects developing sustainable, inclusive and beautiful cities and regions all over Europe as part of the New European Bauhaus initiative.<\/p>\n Creating NEBourhoods Together<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> Animals live in our cities and have become their inhabitants. The article “A different kind of neighbour” by Petra Ahne (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) deals with how animals can be integrated into urban planning and gives examples of projects that have already been realized.<\/p>\n FAZ: A different kind of neighbour<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> Different cities, different players, one goal: urban nature. In the hectic everyday life of a big city one often doesn’t even realize the abundance of species in our cities and communities. But as numerous studies show, cities often have a much higher richness of species compared to the surrounding landscape, as they offer various habitats and ideal locational conditions in a very small space.<\/p>\n The studio Animal-Aided Design was involved in the video clip “Stadtnatur: Artenreicher Leben – Tierfreundliche Geb\u00e4ude und Quartiere (Urban nature: increasing biodiversity in your daily life – animal-friendly buildings and neighborhoods)” by the German Federal Environment Ministry which draws attention in particular to animal species that inhabit buildings. This is because roofs and facades of buildings offer habitats which function as refuges for endangered, rare and legally protected animals and plants. To ensure that animals and plants will find these conditions in urban open spaces in the future, various players promote the creation and maintenance of suitable habitats: from nesting boxes on buildings, to vegetation areas on roofs and in the surrounding area, down to the use of animal-friendly light sources in public open spaces. In order to provide valuable habitats for animals, it is essential to integrate the needs of species into landscape architecture and urban design.<\/p>\n The video is available on YouTube:<\/p>\n Urban nature – animal-friendly buildings and neighborhoods<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> In the context of the exhibition Cohabitation in June 2021 in Berlin, the biologist Wolfgang W. Weisser, the architect Marc Frohn and the landscape architect Thomas E. Hauck wrote the “Manifesto for an Architecture of Cohabitation”. The manifesto was currently published in ARCH+features 108 and is part of the exhibition “Architectures of Cohabitation” at SCHAU FENSTER, Lobeckstr. 30 in Berlin.<\/p>\n Ausstellung Architectures of Cohabitation<\/a> Studio Animal-Aided Design was commissioned to apply AAD to the open space of Biotopia – the Natural History Museum of Bavaria in Munich – as part of the new planning of the museum. We are looking forward to the cooperation with Atelier Loidl and Staab Architekten.<\/p>\nExhibition Stadt Land Fluss<\/h2><\/span>
Exhibition WEtransFORM<\/h2><\/span>
Tempelhofer Feld Design Competition \u2013 Studio Animal-Aided Design & Nikola Pohl Selected for Second Phase<\/h2><\/span>
Radio Programme \u2013 Biodiversity in Cities (in German)<\/h2><\/span>
Ready for DGNB Certification?<\/h2><\/span>
WBG N\u00fcrnberg Receives Environmental Award from the City of N\u00fcrnberg 2024 for Animal-Aided Design<\/h2><\/span>
New Article in the Journal of Urban Ecology<\/h2><\/span>
Learn more about AAD with our videos: What is our mission? What method do we use? How do we design for animals? Where can I find a project with AAD?<\/h2><\/span>
TV Documentary about AAD: WG mit Wildtier \u2013 Neues Bauen in der Stadt (in German)<\/h2><\/span>
The world’s first project with AAD method completed in Munich<\/h2><\/span>
AAD is project partner in the New European Bauhaus project “Creating NEBourhoods Together Neuperlach” (Munich)<\/h2><\/span>
Article in the FAZ on the topic: Biodiversity and Architecture<\/h2><\/span>
Urban nature – video clips: increasing biodiversity in your daily life – animal-friendly buildings and neighborhoods<\/h2><\/span>
Manifesto for an Architecture of Cohabitation<\/h2><\/span>
\nARCH+ 247 Cohabitation<\/a>
\nManifest f\u00fcr eine Architektur der Cohabitation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>AAD for Biotopia in Munich<\/h2><\/span>