Honorable Mention
2022 Skyscraper Competition

Chien-Ching Su
Taiwan

Insects, accounting for 80% of animal life on Earth, are the most diverse and largest group on Earth. However, both their diversities and numbers are declining around the globe due to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Without effective conservation measures, not only food shortage becomes serious because lots of pollinators disappear, but the whole ecological balance on the planet will break. The main goals of the project are to conserve insects’ diversity and restore their population. With artificial frameworks and the help of bees, the high-rise structure will be built as an insect habitat.

The inspiration for the design comes from a Slovakian Artist, Tomáš Libertíny, who cooperates with a swarm of bees to create many striking sculptures. The most famous beeswax sculpture in his works is the Nefertiti bust, finished by 60,000 bees cooperation. The question is – how does he produce these works “made by bees?” Firstly, he prints a 3D artificial framework of the sculpture, which encourages bees to build their hive above the framework. Then, he spreads some sugar to help worker bees work efficiently. After a while, bees will complete a striking sculpture made with beeswax.

The following steps are crucial to finishing the beeswax skyscraper. First, build the main construction to reinforce stability. Second, 3D printers will print frameworks within the structure. Then, bees will start to make honeycombs above the framework. We can say the construction work has already finished here; however, several amazing things will happen in the wake of the construction. As time goes by, the old beehives will gradually decay; bees will migrate to the higher location of the skyscraper since the decayed hives are unsuitable to live. The decayed beehives will be decomposed by different germs to become soil parent material; The fertile material contains 17 essential elements for plants. Therefore, some pioneer vegetable species start to root in the building; Gradually, more and more diverse ecological communities will form, and the healthy environment will become many kinds of insects’ habitat. Give insects more chance to survive.