BY NIGE
At Artecology, we believe the language we use shapes how people connect with our work. We understand well that the words we choose to use can either open doors or unintentionally close them. While technical terms are essential to describe our ideas, techniques, and principles, we’re aware that they sometimes risk alienating people rather than including them. For me, the journey of learning and refining our language has been fascinating, and deeply collaborative.
This process often starts with interactions that expand my own vocabulary, helping me articulate things I’ve long observed but struggled to describe. To illustrate, a pivotal moment for me came over a decade ago during a dinner with Swedish professor Göran Dahlgren at his home in Stockholm, I was in Sweden to speak a conference the next day. On that evening I was talking to Göran and his wife Rita about the sense of connection and trust that arises when we work collaboratively with community groups. The only word I had at the time for what I could sense happening was “vibe”, Göran kindly offered me a more precise term: Social Capital, meaning the networks of relationships and trust that help groups of people function in a moneyless transaction of skills and knowledge. It was a simple but profound shift that helped me better communicate the value of collaboration the very next day at the international conference I’d been ask to speak at.
Another term that has become central to our work at Artecology is the word bioreceptive. I first heard it from Richard Beckett, a brilliant lecturer at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London working on “bioreceptive” architecture at BiotaLabs there. At its core, bioreceptive simply means welcoming life, it’s about creating surfaces, spaces, or materials that actively support nature, whether that’s encouraging mosses to grow on a wall or designing urban spaces that invite biodiversity to thrive. Once again, here was a new word that neatly explained the work me and my team were already doing. It soon became part of the Artecology lexicon.
More recently, I encountered the term - Salutogenic Design. In following the fascinating work of Daniel Christian Wahl PhD, I discovered that salutogenic design focuses on creating environments that actively promote human wellbeing rather than merely avoiding harm to humans. It’s a concept rooted in health, and social sciences, emphasising factors that support human physical and mental health. This approach beautifully aligns with our work at Artecology, particularly our CoCreate projects. This particular method of ours isn’t just about making things; it’s about creating experiences that build and bind connections between people, places, and the natural world. When participants come together in an Artecology CoCreate workshop to build something tangible, such as habitats for wildlife, they’re also engaging in a process that fosters collaboration, shared purpose, and creativity. These workshops encourage people to see themselves as part of a larger ecosystem, nurturing a sense of wellbeing and agency that’s central to the idea of salutogenic design.
By designing workshops that focus on creating outcomes for both nature and people, Artecology CoCreate embodies the principles of salutogenic design. The artefacts we produce, whether bioreceptive panels, Vertipools, or other innovations, are tangible reminders of this connection, bringing the benefits of nature and community into the heart of the urban spaces where they are installed.
Why We Care About Language
At Artecology, we strive to be inclusive, not exclusive across the breadth of our work. If we use a technical term, it’s because it helps us explain an idea more clearly or connects us to a wider body of knowledge. But we also recognise that unfamiliar words can sometimes feel like barriers, and that’s why we always aim to explain the language we use, so that our work is as accessible as possible.
Words like “social capital,” “bioreceptive,” and “salutogenic design” and a whole host of others have enriched our understanding and practice. But their value isn’t in their complexity, it’s in their ability to help us communicate what we do and why it matters. In essence, they give us tools to invite others into our work, whether they’re scientists, community members, or simply people curious about how we can design for a better world.
The Journey Continues
As we continue to develop and evolve, we know our language will too. The beauty of this process is that it’s never static, it grows through conversations, collaborations, and the generous insights of others. And as it does, we’ll keep working to ensure that the words we use help more people connect with what we do. Because at the heart of Artecology is a simple idea: our work is for everyone, and our language should reflect that.
10 words often used in Artecology and there meanings -
1. Bioreceptive
Meaning: Surfaces, materials, or spaces that actively encourage life to grow on or within them.
In Artecology: This could mean designing concrete structures that support the growth of mosses, lichens, or marine life, turning man-made materials into habitats for nature.
2. Probiotic Artifacts
Meaning: Objects designed to actively support the health and growth of ecosystems, like probiotics do for the human gut.
In Artecology: These could be structures that enhance biodiversity by providing habitats, shelter, or other resources for wildlife, such as Vertipools or refugia tiles.
3. Prebiotic Design
Meaning: Creating spaces or systems that prepare the groundwork for life to thrive, like the “primordial soup” before life emerged.
In Artecology: This involves designing environments that support the very first steps of life, such as encouraging the colonisation of barren surfaces by microorganisms, plants, or other early colonisers. (Setting up the conditions for life).
4. Intentional Habitat
Meaning: Habitats that are deliberately designed and built to support specific wildlife or ecosystems.
In Artecology: This could include custom-built habitats for marine creatures, pollinators, or other species, tailored to the needs of local environments.
5. Nature Inclusive Design
Meaning: Designing buildings, spaces, or products that integrate and support nature rather than exclude it.
In Artecology: This approach ensures that human-made structures work harmoniously with natural ecosystems, like urban walls that double as green spaces or biodiversity-friendly sea defenses.
6. Eco-engineering
Meaning: Combining engineering with ecology to design systems that benefit both people and nature.
In Artecology: Projects like artificial reefs or eco-friendly coastal defenses that balance infrastructure needs with ecological enhancement.
7. Artificial Reef System
Meaning: Structures built to mimic natural reefs, providing habitats for marine life.
In Artecology: These might be carefully designed underwater systems that help restore marine biodiversity and support ecosystems in degraded or barren marine areas.
8. Ecological Enhancement
Meaning: Improving the ecological value of an area to support more biodiversity.
In Artecology: This could involve retrofitting urban spaces or coastal areas with features like Vertipools or refugia tiles to increase wildlife habitats.
9. Salutogenic Design
Meaning: Creating environments that actively promote physical and mental well-being.
In Artecology: Projects like Artecology CoCreate workshops embody this principle by fostering connections between people, nature, and communities, improving well-being for both humans and ecosystems.
10. CoCreate
Meaning: A collaborative process where people come together to create tangible outcomes that benefit both nature and communities.
In Artecology: CoCreate workshops might involve participants building wildlife-supporting artifacts like Vertipools, combining creativity, community, and ecological action.