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We compose habitats,
places made of living matter and pulsating ideas
for trade shows, events, exhibits and retail.
Beeliever is a refuge for wild bees, built using wood, PaperStone® and Greencast®. It is the first product of materieuniteXnature - a research and development project aimed at generating inclusion towards a new environmental consciousness, through sustainable design at the service of nature.
When form follows nature, and not just function, beautiful things can happen.
A refuge for wild bees that becomes a point of reference for an environmental education project.
Beeliever is a wooden shelter for wild bees, integrated into the urban context to allow insects to nest.
The idea stems from an interdisciplinary research that combines zoology, biodiversity conservation and sustainable design. A new project for materieunite, created in collaboration with Diana Giaisa Rinaldi, Beeliever’s designer, and Riccardo Mattea, an environmental guide and passionate hiker of solitary bees.
Beeliever is the first product of materieuniteXnature, a research and development project that aims to generate inclusivity towards a new environmental consciousness.
We want to use our expertise in sustainable design to create products that serve the environment and the species that inhabit it.
Beeliever is designed as an educational experience for citizens to explain the importance of biodiversity conservation and to raise awareness, especially among the younger generations.
Beeliever’s Bee Residents.
When we talk about bees, the majority of known species are actually wild bees that do not produce honey. Wild bees, also known as solitary bees, are incredible insects that play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity. According to the FAO, they are responsible for pollinating approximately 75% of the world’s food crops and preventing the extinction of many plant species. In Europe, there are approximately 2,000 species of wild bees, with around 1,000 present in Italy.
Contrary to popular belief, wild bees are not aggressive at all. They can be approached and observed from a close distance without any problems. Moreover, they are much more efficient at pollination compared to honey bees.
However, around 1 in 10 species are at risk of extinction due to massive urbanization and intensification of agriculture. In fact, in urban environments, they cannot find suitable places to lay their eggs, while in rural areas there is a lack of flowers for their nutrition.
This is why Beeliever was created: to introduce artificial shelters designed specifically for the nesting of these animals in urban spaces. In return, these small guests help protect the biodiversity of public green areas, increasing the resilience of ecosystems to climate change.
The purpose of Beeliever is to positively inspire the new generations, with a concrete example of integrating nature in built environments, through a simple and modern aesthetic.
The first prototype of Beeliever was installed in the city of Terni in April 2021, in a public flowerbed in Viale Ottaviani. Its design was adapted to the specific needs of the bees in central Italy.
The refuge for wild bees is composed of a few elements, all made exclusively of sustainable materials. A sturdy structure placed on a pole, with three modular, removable, and reusable nests inside.
The separation into different nesting units and the presence of modular elements bring a series of benefits. In particular, it prevents and blocks the spread of molds and parasites inside the refuge and allows for easy removal, transportation, maintenance, and repair of the nests, unlike some disposable alternatives on the market.
Finally, once its life cycle is over, Beeliever can be easily disassembled and disposed of. Its small size helps to minimize environmental impact and production costs.
The majority of the structure is made of marine plywood, a material that is resistant to weathering and durable even without treatment.
The graphic elements and roof protection are made of PaperStone®, a composite material made from 100% FSC®-certified recycled paper and cardboard.
One side of the nesting modules is made of transparent and recycled Greencast® acrylic panel for monitoring the larvae growth during educational activities.
All the elements have been cut and made using a CNC milling machine, a widely used and easily accessible machinery. In this way, Beeliever can be produced anywhere, using local materials, thus contributing to a reduction in emissions due to transportation and allowing data to be collected on wild bees from all over the world.
Inclusion, education, and sustainable innovation are the main pillars of the environmental education project of materieuniteXnature.
Beeliever has been designed and produced by materieunite, involving a network of local institutions in the area of the city of Terni. Other prototypes can be installed in other neighborhoods as an opportunity to revitalize more marginalized areas and poorly maintained green spaces.
As an environmental education project, Beeliever allows monitoring the growth of larvae throughout the year through transparent panels, normally covered by a wooden door that protects the bees when there are no ongoing activities. In addition, the entire experience can be enriched and enhanced with multimedia content through the QR code on the information board.
Our goal is to iterate and develop the design of the next Beeliever prototypes while still maintaining the main concept. By periodically collecting scientific data and feedback on the user experience, it will be possible to evolve the design of Beeliever over time, in a continuous process of innovation.
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