The Bio-Integrated Design Open Series 2021

Dr Benjamin Mills, University of Leeds

How the evolution of plants and fungi has altered Earth's climate 

We often think about the effects that a changing climate will have on the Earth’s biosphere, especially on the plants that we require for food. But on longer timescales, the plants and fungi that cover Earth’s surface exert a considerable control over the composition of our atmosphere, and our climate. In this talk, Dr Benjamin Mills will give an overview of the history of plants and fungi on Earth, explain what we know about how they evolved and came to dominate the continental surface, and what consequences this has had for our planet’s surface chemistry, its climate, and for our own evolution. 

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Dr Kostas Grigoriadis

UCL The Bartlett School of Architecture and Director of Continuum Design and Architecture

This lecture will discuss the gradual assimilation of multi-materiality in architecture and the implications that this will have on design methodology, and the fabrication and construction of structures and buildings. The talk will include examples of Dr Grigoriadis’s PhD and Google Fellowship work, as well as projects from Research Cluster 8 in The Bartlett Architectural Design MArch programme. 

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This lecture will present three distinct research trajectories and their convergence. The research work explores the role of automation, orchestration and indirect design control and their agency in multi scale structures and systems that are capable of adaptation, development, and evolution.

Maj Plemenitas is an inventor, researcher, and designer. His recent academic appointments include Co-Directorship of the MA/MLA Landscape Architecture Program at UCL Bartlett School of Architecture, the leadership of B-Pro MArch Architectural Design and Urban Design research clusters as well as the MA/MLA Landscape Architecture Design Studio One. He is the Founding Director of LINKSCALE and the Co-Founder of AMPHIBIOUS Lab. Plemenitas is best known for his pioneering work in the field of Cross Scale Design (2011-ongoing) and Growing Islands and Resilient shorelines with In-situ Forces and Materials (2010-ongoing).  He develops multi-scale spatial, temporal and operations strategies, systems, and structures in Architectural, Urban and Landscape context. For his original contribution to research, innovation, and design, Plemenitas received a range of awards and grants including the inaugural Sir Peter Cook Award for the best design research work in the generation, 10⁻⁹] LINK [10⁹, the Innovation in Construction Award and the Holcim Asia-Pacific Prize for the project In-Situ Network: Growing Islands and Resilient Shorelines. Plemenitas lectures internationally at leading international institutions including the Center for Architecture NYC, Carnegie Mellon University,  the Architectural Association, and Harvard GSD as well as at numerous peer-reviewed conferences in Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia. He exhibits globally in venues including the Royal Academy of Arts, Venice Biennale, and Roca Gallery amongst others. Plemenitas has written and published numerous publications and peer-reviewed papers on the role of cross-scale design and autonomous generative production of islands and resilient shorelines.

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Climate risk is a function of the climate hazard, exposure and vulnerability. Risk is unevenly distributed around the world, especially with regards to vulnerability - a product of inequality in levels of socio-economic capacity to cope with and adapt to climate change. Socio-economic dimensions such as income, governance, urbanization, as well as human capital or gender inequality are some of the complex determinants of how well a community or a country can deal with climate change. The way in which these dimensions may or may not change over time needs to be accounted for in analyses of impacts of climate change. In this talk, I will present how an innovative framework of socio-economic scenarios of the future can be used for assessments of climate change risk.

Marina Andrijevic is a doctoral researcher at IRI THESys, Humboldt University, Berlin

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The London plane is one of the most versatile and important urban trees outside of the tropics. This lecture will explore its origins, ecology and impact upon the urban environment. The lecture will also examine how, in a changing climate, urban biodiversity (including trees such as London Plane) are integral to our future well-being. The lecture will end with an open discussion. 

Dr Mark Spencer is an experienced and internationally respected botanist. His expertise covers many disciplines including forensic botany, the plants of North-west Europe, invasive species and the history of botanical science. He also works globally as a seasoned writer, public speaker and television presenter. As a forensic botanist, Mark has worked on various missing person enquiries, murders and other serious crimes.

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