Citybee

Para qué sirve

CityBee lets people easily build urban shelters for solitary bees, helping protect pollinators and bring biodiversity back to cities.

Qué te inspiró

In Korea, public interest in pollinators mainly focuses on honeybees, leaving solitary bees—which comprise over 90% of bee species—largely unnoticed. Yet these bees play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity and are increasingly threatened by rapid urbanization and habitat loss. Inspired by this issue, I sought to create more than just passive protection for bees—I wanted people to actively participate in ecological restoration. This led to the concept of a modular shelter system that citizens can assemble themselves, providing tangible and visible ecological experiences to inspire coexistence between bees and people in urban.

Cómo funciona

CityBee is a lightweight, modular shelter system designed to provide safe habitats for solitary bees in cities. The modules are easily assembled without tools, making them accessible to all ages. Each module offers customizable entrances tailored specifically to various solitary bee species, allowing users to select and configure units according to their local environment. A translucent outer shell protects the bees from predators while enabling observation of their activities, serving dual roles in protection and education. CityBee modules can be conveniently installed in urban spaces with adequate sunlight, such as walls, rooftops, balconies, or park fences, effortlessly creating decentralized ecological nodes within the city.

Proceso de diseño

The design process began with research into solitary bees and the challenges they face in urban environments. Interviews with ecologists and urban planners informed our understanding of bee behaviors, species characteristics, and the constraints of urban spaces, guiding initial sketches for structures that support coexistence between bees and humans. Early prototypes tested various materials, entry sizes, and assembly methods, gathering data on bee behavior and user feedback. Iterative improvements led to a lightweight, tool-free assembly system optimized for repeated installations. We selected translucent materials to balance sunlight penetration, protection, and visibility. In the final phase, real-world tests on balconies and branches demonstrated how the concept evolved from a static structure into a comprehensive urban ecological network.

Qué lo hace diferente

Traditional bee hotels typically come in fixed forms, unable to effectively accommodate diverse bee species or varying urban environments. In contrast, CityBee offers a modular structure that users can customize according to local bee species and site-specific conditions, resulting in exceptional flexibility and scalability. Beyond mere functionality, CityBee is designed as a participatory ecological experience, encouraging visual interaction between people and bees. Its translucent shell facilitates observation and harmonizes visually with urban spaces, serving as a thoughtful element of public design. CityBee is not just a shelter for bees—it's an innovative urban ecological platform connecting nature, cities, and people.

Planes para el futuro

Our next step is to implement CityBee pilot installations in urban parks, schools, and residential communities to test user engagement and ecological impact. We aim to refine materials for sustainability and cost-efficiency, preparing for wider commercial production. Eventually, we envision partnerships with local governments and environmental organizations, expanding CityBee globally as an accessible, educational tool that fosters urban biodiversity and ecological awareness.

Premios

Spark Design Award(Platinum) https://galleries.sparkawards.com/index.cfm?year=2024&entry=98ADC67D-0903-C317-64AD835DC1DD3315