Understanding the future of architecture as being rooted in design research, Archi-Tectonics proposes a new architectural approach to reverse the consequences of global warming through Monsters and Mutants.

“No longer can we limit ourselves to minimizing our carbon footprint; we need to actively reverse climate change,” writes Winka Dubbeldam. “The focus should be on creating an architecture with agency—to create healthier and better environments for humans and non-humans, to not only survive the array of floods, storms, forest fires, and mudslides, but turn around the devastating path we are on.”

By learning from the untapped potential of plant intelligence—a field largely unexplored in architecture—Archi-Tectonics’ regenerative design strategies aim to transform negative environmental impacts into positive, adaptive outcomes. These strategies seek to make cities more resilient, which is beneficial for both humans and non-humans in the face of climate change and ecological challenges.

The monograph delves into Archi-Tectonics’ pioneering masterplan for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where the 47-hectare park with seven buildings implemented this revolutionary concept for the first time. Designed in collaboration with !melk Landscape and Thornton Tomasetti Engineers, the project emulated organic intelligence, going beyond conventional sustainability and “sponge city” approaches. This resulted in a series of new architectural taxonomies: Hybrid and Earth Buildings, part nature, part architecture, that are inherently resilient, resource-efficient, and capable of healing the ecosystem.

“What if the solution to global warming did not come from human inventions, computational models, or technological advancements?” the book asks. “What if the answer lies within nature itself—within the intelligence of plants, their adaptation to environmental stress, and their inherent survival mechanisms?”

Archi-Tectonics’ commitment to research-driven innovative design is embodied in their extensive portfolio of buildings and masterplans across four continents over the last 25 years, including ongoing mixed-use development projects in Albania. Their work has been exhibited and presented internationally, with solo shows and lectures in Rotterdam, Bogotá, Milan, Munich, Venice, Berlin, and at global forums and climate conferences including COP Dubai, AIA New York, UIA Copenhagen, CTBUH Singapore, and TED Edinburgh.

Published by Park Books Switzerland, Monsters and Mutants by Winka Dubbeldam and Archi-Tectonics, was edited by Julie Cerelli and designed by Ben Fehrman-Lee. With contributions by renowned architects and theorists such as Carlo Ratti, Thom Mayne, Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, and Justin Korhammer, the book offers a critical exploration of how multidisciplinary collaboration and innovative thinking can address pressing environmental issues, transforming potential crises into opportunities to regenerate future cities.

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