How to create a balance between human settlements and non-human dynamics?

Excerpt from the Europan 17 catalogue of results, read the article from:

Céline Bodart (BE) – PhD architect, researcher Gerphau Laboratory, teacher at the Paris-la-Villette school of architecture

Whether on former industrial soils or infrastructural sites, river-beds or -banks, urban squares or in-between spaces, what is at stake, for some projects of Europan17 competition, is the restoration of a balance between human settlements and non-human dynamics. It appears that the re-naturalisation gesture is not claimed as an end in itself. 
The re-naturalisation becomes a strategic part of new trans-forming processes, animated by the will to shift and trouble the dominant narratives inherited from decades of massive urbanisation of living milieus. Such processes insist on the necessary renewal of the principles guiding the urban design: how can the re-naturalisation gestures orientate alternative ways to thicken and soften the project footprint?

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Åkrehamn (NO), Winner – GRØNN OG GLAD. A COMMUNITY OF ALL BEINGS