Urban Beehive: A co-evolutionary relationship Part 1 Project 2015 Roman Lovegrove Architectural Association London | UK Prompted by the declining bee population and the fact that one in five of London’s population suffers from pollen-related allergies, an intricate new park and tower typology is proposed across the city to strengthen the ‘co-evolutionary relationship’ between bees, people and nature. It is based on homeopathic remedies, including the consumption of honey, which, through exposure to the allergen, slowly increases patients’ tolerance. Connecting existing parks, a colour-coded network of radial planted strips is laid across London to help bees efficiently forage. Structures located at their intersections symbolise flowers, representing nature’s rightful place in the relationship, whilst functioning as a giant apiary. The patient humbly traverses the structures and interacts with the wax structure from inside, with a bee-related library, honey bath and honey bar. The transparency of the tower changes seasonally as the bees’ wax structures grow and shrink on the outside. The patient, ascending the tower, experiences three levels of increased exposure to pollen, gradually increasing their tolerance. The tower is designed to surpass the point where pollution prevents the pollen from rising further, and hosts an area of respite for hay fever sufferers, with spectacular views across the city and a helipad to fly off on. Tutor(s) Lily Jencks Jessica Reynolds Tatiana von Preussen