ICFF Core77 WANTED Schools Workshop | 2024
Winner
SYMBIOME envisions a future where humanity adapts to a world transformed by climate change through a new form of symbiotic urbanism, a lifestyle where humans, infrastructure, and ecosystems evolve together in balance.
Inspired by the instinctive behavior of migration, SYMBIOME proposes mobile, regenerative cities that move cyclically across landscapes, healing the planet as they travel. These Symbiotic Infrastructure Modules (SIMs) enable human life to coexist with ecological renewal.
Context
By the year 2100, the escalating effects of global warming have rendered traditional, static cities unsustainable. Humanity transitions into nomadic settlements and fluid communities that migrate seasonally, echoing the natural rhythms of animals and ecosystems.
This vision reflects a radical rethinking of urban mobility, ecological stewardship, and collective adaptation.
Concept
SYMBIOME = Symbiosis + Biome
A living system where architecture morphs with nature.
A city that moves and serves the Earth.
Every movement of SYMBIOME replenishes the soil, regenerates ecosystems, and fosters coexistence between human, animal, and machine.
The System
Worldbuilding
At the core of the system lies the Big AI Clock, orchestrating migration, energy generation, and environmental monitoring.
The city’s modules or “parcels” shift positions to optimize ecological benefit. Drones assist animal migrations, data networks manage climate health, and the Bio Synchronization Devices ensure every layer of life remains in harmony.
The system scales across multiple levels, from city-wide structures to neighborhood clusters to individual mobile living units, all operating as dynamic, self-sustaining components of a larger planetary organism.
Energy Source
The mobility system in SYMBIOME harnesses renewable energies – geothermal, wind, and solar to power the Environment Data Network, an interconnected web linking both devices and green natural spaces. This network monitors the planet’s health and identifies locations in need of regeneration, forming the backbone of the entire system.
It enables three main functions:
- Sensors and drones collect data about animal migrations and ecological balance.
- That data is processed by the AI Clock, which guides human mobility and determines the city’s next migration.
- The built environment, composed of organic materials, grows, adapts, and repairs itself. When these materials disintegrate, they release energy — creating a closed-loop, circular economy.
Temporality
Temporality defines the rhythm:
Daily: Energy harvesting, micro-mobility, learning
Biannual: Large-scale transhumance for land regeneration
Personas
To ground the speculative vision, SYMBIOME introduces three archetypes:
- Dr. Aiden Corvus — The Shepherd
Chief Sustainability Officer, guardian of the city’s environmental harmony, leading the Great Transhumance.
Symbol: The Red Sweater — an honor for those who guide the city. - Sophia — The Educator
A teacher who redefines learning through interaction with the city’s dynamic ecology, teaching children about symbiosis and sustainable living. - Elara — The Deer
A non-human resident who experiences human–nature collaboration first-hand, guided by drones that restore balance to the forest.
Experiences
Each narrative illustrates a layer of coexistence:
- The Transhumance
A city-wide migration that rejuvenates the Earth beneath — where human, AI, and ecology align in orchestrated movement. - The Class
An educational ritual exploring symbiotic systems through moving urban parcels and biological analogies like lichen. - The Forest
A story from the animal’s perspective — witnessing the return of equilibrium and compassion to the built environment.
The World
SYMBIOME helps the environment regenerate as they move all over the planet leading to healthier ecosystems and more resilient urban spaces.
The project has fostered a sense of global unity and cooperation, as communities now move and thrive together, sharing resources and knowledge.
This nomadic lifestyle has not only enhanced the quality of life by reducing the stress of static living but also created a deeper connection between humans and nature. Through SYMBIOME, cities have become vibrant, sustainable ecosystems where technology and nature work in harmony, ensuring a thriving future for both humanity and the planet.