Speculative design for envisioning more-than-human futures in desirable counter-cities: Fid-Bau Portal

Speculative design for envisioning more-than-human futures in desirable counter-cities

Edwards, Ferne / Pettersen, Ida Nilstad

Abstract The city has long been regarded as the domain of humans. Residing above the physical constraints of nature, such detached and dualistic anthropocentric perceptions tend to universalize, marginalize and de-politicize the value and possible co-benefits of human/nonhuman nature connections. Recognising a need to re-conceptualise the city as a multispecies space, we analyse outcomes from an interdisciplinary Master's subject that sought to encounter, restore, protect and co-exist with more-than-human species. Students were encouraged to step beyond their disciplinary boundaries to develop innovative strategies that could reconfigure human/nonhuman relationships within the city of Trondheim, Norway. Through their work, visions of alternative, possible futures emerged. Such alternative visions can be powerful: speculation can challenge and transform the linear, dualistic understandings of the city, and shape and redirect innovation practices. This article explores students' visions of multispecies cities to consider their contribution to just and sustainable transitions literature, analysing them with respect to design for sustainability transitions, teaching transdisciplinarity and the concept of the counter city.

Highlights • The more-than-human city counters dualisms between human and nonhuman natures. • Alternative visions are needed to redirect urban trajectories towards sustainability. • We examine student work that explores possibilities for human/nonhuman coexistence. • Three speculative, possible more-than-human city futures emerge. • We discuss implications for teaching transdisciplinarity, design and the counter-city.