3D printed tiny homes for bugs? I’m in!
I’ve been visiting Fast Company a lot lately for some cool reads. I have not been disappointed. I found an article written on April 5th —
These tiny homes for ladybugs and spiders are designed to help them thrive
By Jesus Diaz | Full article link
“When the architect Angelo Renna read that there are, on average, 100 different species of spiders, centipedes, and insects living in any home, he didn’t start to itch. Instead, he decided to design houses for them.”
I’m back on the bug train and I couldn’t be happier. I don’t know why I’m so fascinated with bugs. Maybe it’s because they’re little badasses that wonder around improving the planet without even knowing they exist. Don’t get me started on ants, the masters of building beautiful, intricate colonies and are one of the strongest living things in the world; praying mantises, the definition of feminine power; or bees, the beautiful, hardworking, pollinators that make our flowers the way they are and also my long lost love of last semester that sadly ended up not going anywhere that will one day be a project for the future; BUT, getting back on track, this article made me smile.
“The study, which was published in The Royal Society’s Biology Letters, became the jumping-off point for his creative process. ‘It is a hidden biodiversity that we need to understand and support,’ the Italian architect tells me over email. He points to the fact that humanity has wiped out an estimated 60% of the animal (and insect) population of earth since 1970, according to another study, thanks to habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, and climate change–and we have the responsibility to do something to help our fellow earth dwellers.”
Jesus Diaz explained,
“Renna worked in collaboration with Francesco Carrasso, a wildlife specialist, to identify the local insect fauna living in a typical Italian home. Carrasso helped him develop the best possible structures to help those species live and thrive.”
The result — Lesser Homes, a collection of 3D-printed homes for insects that aims to be a practical home for bugs like spiders or ladybugs and serves as a public statement to call attention to the remarkable biodiversity that is all around us, even in our homes.
So next future project idea? Make cute tiny houses for bugs.
