Bioregioning; Design, Ecology and a future

The 2024 CDW keynote speech introduced the concept of bioregioning, an approach that challenges traditional sustainability models and advocates for a deeper, more meaningful relationship between design and the land. Justin McGuirk, Director of the Future Observatory, and Ying-Chao Kuo, principal architect at Bio-architecture Formosana, each shared their perspectives on this transformative framework. They emphasized the necessity of rethinking not just design practices, but also the very stories that guide them, urging the design community to explore alternative ways of being and doing that can contribute to ecological resilience and societal change.

Bioregioning, according to both speakers, is not just an ecological design principle but an active, participatory process that redefines the boundaries of sustainability, incorporating local knowledge, culture, and natural resources. Their insights into bioregioning not only highlight its potential to address the environmental challenges of today but also suggest that it could serve as a tool for societal transformation.

After giving a brief introduction to Future Observatory, a national design research program for the green transition at the Design Museum, Justin McGuirk expounded on the concept of bioregioning as an active, participatory process where the land itself becomes the starting point for design. Unlike traditional design practices, which often begin with client demands within defined political borders, bioregioning shifts the focus to the natural, historical, cultural context and the specific conditions of a given region.

This approach emphasizes that design should not be an imposition on nature but a collaboration with it. As McGuirk pointed out, this shift in thinking is essential for addressing global environmental crises. Rather than simply focusing on reducing waste, carbon emissions, or other symptoms of environmental degradation, bioregioning encourages designers to ask deeper questions about how human activity interacts with ecosystems. What resources does the land provide? What challenges does the landscape pose? How can we design with these features in mind, rather than against them?

Justin McGuirk

A key concept in bioregioning is “-shedding,” a term coined by Future Observatory during the development of the inaugural issue of the Future Observatory Journal. This online journal, launched in April 2024, focused on “bioregioning” as its first theme.

The concept of “-shedding” was introduced as a way to understand bioregions beyond administrative borders which often fail to respect the ecological systems of a region. McGuirk illustrated this with the example of the US-Mexico border, which cuts right across the natural flow of the watershed. Alternatively, the term “shed” —— derived from its Old English meaning as a boundary line —— redefines boundaries as interconnected networks shaped by landscapes, natural systems, and material flows, rather than rigid territories.

A fibershed, for example, connects farmers, wool processors, textile producers, and consumers. Expanding on this idea, McGuirk proposes other sheds, such as watersheds and desertsheds, to illustrate material-based networks that shape sustainable industries. By evolving “shed” into a verb——shedding——McGuirk emphasizes the potential of reweaving resilient, localized systems. This perspective encourages rethinking resource flows, production cycles, and collaborative networks to build industries aligned with ecological and regional dynamics.

Material Cultures is a compelling case study of -shedding practices in action. The British architectural practice explores bioregional building by using non-extractive, grown materials like wood, straw, and hemp instead of high-carbon materials such as concrete and steel. They also explore ways to support the local cultivation of these natural materials. The Mosaic Landscape project aims to grow timber sustainably in the UK without dependence on imports. Rather than relying on environmentally damaging monoculture plantations, the project promotes mosaic land management——integrating diverse crops alongside timber to foster a resilient and localized ecosystem.

Another major theme of the keynote was “Brief from the Land,” a proposition in relation to the idea of -shedding put forth by McGuirk and his team at the Future Observatory. This proposition reflects a departure from human-centered design toward a more holistic approach, emphasizing that the land provides the framework for design decisions, guiding material choices and drawing from local knowledge. By designing with the land, rather than imposing external systems, designers can create more resilient, sustainable practices that work in harmony with their environment.

Building on this idea, architect Kuo demonstrated this approach through his Sea Ranch Project in Taiwan, where the design process was guided by the characteristics of the region, including the local climate, vegetation, soil and more. Kuo and his team grounded the project with extensive research on the local area, designing buildings that respected the natural landscape rather than disrupting it.

Complementing the notion of “Brief from the Land,” three other propositions were also introduced by McGuirk——Alternative Prospecting, Topofacture, and Material Resonance.

The first of these, Alternative Prospecting, challenges the conventional approach of sourcing raw materials directly from the earth. Instead of extracting virgin resources, this concept advocates for utilizing “cooked” materials——those already processed and in circulation. This method, often referred to as urban mining or above-ground mining, promotes recycling and repurposing materials that would otherwise be discarded.

Similarly, Topofacture, derived from the Greek “topos” (place), redefines traditional manufacturing by rooting production in local landscapes and knowledge. Rather than applying standardized industrial methods, topofacture emphasizes site-specific approaches, utilizing local materials, skills, and cultural expertise.

Finally, Material Resonance builds upon the notion that materials are inherently connected to their place of origin, but similar environmental conditions can lead to parallel material expressions in different regions. Instead of scaling up a single material globally, we can foster cross-regional learning and adaptation.

As Kuo emphasized, integrating local knowledge and materials is not just a stylistic choice but a necessity in bioregioning. By shifting from extraction to circulation, anchoring production in local contexts, and identifying material parallels across regions, these ideas challenge conventional industrial models and promote bioregionally attuned design and manufacturing practices, placing the land at the center.

Ying-Chao Kuo

While circular design has become a cornerstone of sustainability conversations, McGuirk and Kuo proposed that bioregioning can offer a fresh perspective that complements circular design. In its narrower sense, circular design is usually associated with practices such as minimizing waste, reusing materials, and reducing the environmental footprint, which are all crucial elements of sustainability.

Bioregioning, on the other hand, offers a broader, systemic framework that can elevate circular design by encouraging a more holistic view. Instead of merely focusing on the material side of circularity, bioregioning calls for designs that are integrated into the local ecosystem including built environments as well as local knowledge networks, and that regenerate natural resources. It invites designers to create systems that are not only efficient but also restorative——systems that align with the rhythms of nature and that contribute to the long-term health of the land and its inhabitants.

For example, McGuirk shared the Atelier Luma project in Arles, France, where architects use locally sourced materials like rice husks and sunflower residue, which would otherwise be discarded. By advocating for materials to remain local, while allowing ideas to proliferate, their approach challenges the traditional growth model, focusing on the regeneration of a specific region rather than scaling things up.

Bioregioning expands the potential of circular design by placing it within a specific ecological and cultural context. Ultimately, bioregioning offers a pathway to sustainability that is not just about efficiently reducing harm but about actively restoring and strengthening the environments we depend on.

A significant portion of the keynote addressed the political dimension of bioregioning, emphasizing the need for decentralized governance models that align with ecological realities rather than rigid jurisdictional divisions. McGuirk and Kuo both emphasized that for bioregioning to succeed, there needs to be a shift toward decentralized governance that empowers local communities to make decisions based on the needs and characteristics of their own landscapes. This shift challenges conventional government structures, requiring councils and local authorities to collaborate across administrative boundaries.

McGuirk highlighted the importance of local knowledge in shaping sustainable practices, noting that communities are often better equipped to address environmental challenges than centralized governments or corporations. For example, farmers and land stewards possess invaluable insights into the region’s ecology, such as flood patterns or soil behavior. He argued that for bioregioning to be effective, communities must have the autonomy to create solutions that are tailored to their specific needs, rather than relying on top-down policies that may not reflect the realities of the land.

Cultivating local knowledge and fostering stewards are also essential to this decentralized approach. Kuo noted that the next generation of architects, urban planners, and designers must be equipped with the tools to understand and apply bioregioning principles. However, he acknowledged that the challenge of implementing bioregioning on a large scale requires not only changes in design practices but also in political and economic structures that currently prioritize growth over sustainability.

The final key point discussed in the keynote was the need for a new narrative around sustainability and design. McGuirk referenced philosopher Michel Serres, who argued that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue but a crisis of storytelling. He emphasized that the dominant narrative of industrial growth, which prioritizes constant expansion and resource extraction, has led to the environmental crises we face today. McGuirk stressed that the future of design lies in shifting these narratives, moving away from a growth-oriented story toward one that values ecological balance, social resilience, and cultural regeneration.

McGuirk and Kuo both argued that bioregioning offers a powerful alternative narrative. Rather than viewing sustainability as a set of technical solutions, bioregioning reframes it as a cultural shift——one that redefines our relationship with the land and each other. As McGuirk concluded, “We are not just trying to slow down growth; we are reimagining what it means to live in harmony with the earth.” Bioregioning, then, is not just a design methodology; it is a story about how we can live together more sustainably and harmoniously with the natural world.

The keynote presentations by Justin McGuirk and Ying-Chao Kuo at the CDW 2024 conference offered a vision of the future where design is not just about addressing the symptoms of environmental degradation, but about the fundamental way we relate to the land. Through the lens of bioregioning, design becomes an active process of engagement with the natural world, guided by local knowledge, cultural context, and ecological needs. By challenging traditional narratives of growth and progress, bioregioning offers a transformative approach to sustainability——one that recognizes the power of local communities, the wisdom of nature, and the necessity of reimagining our future. This keynote not only provided insights into a new framework for sustainable design but also called on designers, architects, and citizens alike to rethink the stories we tell and the futures we are building.