Hasta La Ideas

In most parts of the world, we can’t exactly say that new architecture has been kind to our feathered friends (or any part of our environment for that matter). In a time of urban sprawl, pollution and environmental degradation, London-based Aaron Dunkerton‘s project “Bird Brick” is a nice nod to the role design could be playing in our less than healthy relationship with the environment. We’ve seen some similar projects, most notably the Brick Biotope by Micaelaa Nardella and Oana Tudose at “FABRIKAAT” during Salone Milan 2012, but Kingston University grad’s approach seems to bypassing some potential structural issues by sticking to the brick making basics.

Using a traditional brick-making process and the help of MGH Freshfield Lane in West Sussex, UK, Dunkerton created a five-part brick system that provides a cavity for House Sparrows to nest. The house sparrow population in the UK has decreased by an alarming 70% in the last 50 years. Not surprisingly, pairing well-considered design with an endangered species is a pretty simple recipe for a project that strikes that sweet spot between design and doing good.

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