Hybrid Habitats: Bio-Tech for Development

The Graduate Architecture, Urban Design, and Landscape Architecture programs (GAUD) at Pratt Institute are proud to participate in the Biodesign Challenge (BDC) 2025 with their project submission Hybrid Habitats: Bio-Tech for Development, led by Visiting Professor Dr. Sandra Piesik.

Students: Alara Ata, Ren Henniger, Lucius Hu, Andreas Palfinger, Mithila Sunil Patil, Anand P. Popat, Bhavya Manish Prajapati, Kayla J. Reyes, Aysin Bahar Sahin, Falguni Sakpal. Rundong Ying

With special thanks to Dr Lars Dietrich and Dietrich Lab, Columbia University.

Hybrid Habitats: Bio-Tech for Development explores the transformative potential of biotechnology and biomaterials – specifically the 7,000-year-old date palm – to reimagine the future of biodesign in desert and arid environments. This project leverages the date palm, an abundant agricultural byproduct, alongside living organisms such as the bacterium Kocuria rosea, to propose innovative, bio-circular, and regenerative design solutions.

The proposal envisions new bioregional architectural scenarios that respond to the urgent
global challenges of desertification, biodiversity loss, and extreme heat. By capitalizing on the excellent reflectivity of date palm leaves, Hybrid Habitats recommends adaptive façade systems tailored for vulnerable regions. These systems integrate modular desert canopies, geometric patterns inspired by palm shade, and bio-hued, sensor-driven components influenced by the organic motion of microbial life.

Rooted in the principles of modularity, circularity, and ecological intelligence, Hybrid Habitats offers a scalable, intergenerational vision of sustainable living, ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to a bio-integrated future.