Exploring multispecies urban futures: An integrative literature review of emerging socio-ecological imaginaries, pathways and design implications

Abstract

The biodiversity crisis highlights the need to rethink urban planning, reimagining cities as places for combined human-nature flourishing. New narratives of environmentalism advocate for reconfiguring human-nature relationships to account for the complexities of interdependent ecological and social systems. New theoretical frameworks have emerged to guide urban development to be more inclusive towards other species. However, despite their growing influence, these propositions imply such a level of abstraction that their practical implementation remains challenging. Envisioning cities that welcome other species, protect their welfare and ensure sustainable environments and livelihoods remains a critical challenge for planning, systems of ethics and politics, and imagination.

This thesis investigates an emerging and expanding framework referred to as multispecies transitions. It researches possibilities of translating its diffuse theoretical concepts into the urban context, identifying pathways for practical applications. Additionally, it considers the potential of Design for Sustainability Transitions (DfST) to support this translation. The research examines emerging narratives in academic discourse, framing the findings through the lens of socio-ecological imaginaries to illuminate the cultural, conceptual, and systemic barriers and enablers of change. The research is motivated by a pressing need to guide urban planning and design for sustainability practices toward fostering biodiversity and multispecies flourishing.

The methodology involves an integrative literature review of 73 academic publications across disciplines concerned with multispecies thinking in the urban context. The review synthesises key insights into a conceptual typology, termed the "Typology of pathways for multispecies urban futures." This typology identifies and describes in depth seven thematic pathways representing the diverse actions and interventions proposed by the authors. The findings are further contextualised through the DfST framework, mapping how designers for sustainability can engage with these pathways to address biodiversity challenges in urban contexts.

The findings highlight the emergence of urban imaginaries characterised by a renewed focus on life, although practical applications remain diffuse. They reveal the need for systemic interventions at multiple levels, from materials and design to shifts in governance structures and deeply ingrained societal perceptions. This approach requires further interdisciplinary actions involving collaborative radical imagination to raise awareness, unlearn outdated practices, and develop new methods for understanding socio-ecological dynamics. The thesis contributes to ongoing discussions on multispecies transitions by providing a structured framework for understanding and advancing the various directions of these concepts, highlighting the significance of DfST in this endeavour.