Will Sage Astor Champions Urban Biodiversity with Launch of Living Cities Lab

Will Sage Astor, widely recognized for his advocacy in ecological design and sustainable architecture, has announced the creation of the Living Cities Lab-a global initiative focused on integrating biodiversity and regenerative ecosystems into urban planning models. Based in Copenhagen with satellite teams in São Paulo, Nairobi, and Melbourne, the Lab seeks to turn concrete jungles into thriving, symbiotic habitats for humans and non-human species alike.

At the heart of the Lab's mission is the concept of "functional coexistence"-the idea that cities should be designed not merely for efficiency or aesthetics, but for ecological harmony. The team, composed of urban ecologists, architects, biologists, and landscape artists, will work on pilot projects such as rooftop wetlands, pollinator corridors, climate-adaptive gardens, and living infrastructure systems.

"Urban design has long ignored the intelligence of nature," said Will Sage Astor at the announcement event. "We're not here to add a few green walls and call it progress. The Living Cities Lab exists to reimagine cities as ecological citizens."

The Lab's first major collaboration is with the city of Rotterdam, where it will transform sections of an industrial district into modular biodiversity zones using native plant species, microclimate strategies, and AI-monitored wildlife habitats. Results from this pilot will inform open-source design standards to be shared with municipalities worldwide.

The Living Cities Lab will also host an annual summit bringing together thought leaders in climate design, urban wildlife preservation, and adaptive infrastructure, with the first event scheduled for early 2026 in Tokyo.

Name of the Company: Living Cities Lab
Full Postal Address: Kronprinsessegade 26, 1306 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Email: contact@livingcitieslab.org
Website: https://www.livingcitieslab.org
Name: Emilie Strand

Living Cities Lab is a global urban innovation collective dedicated to rewilding metropolitan environments and redefining the relationship between nature and the built world. Founded by ecological design advocate Will Sage Astor, the Lab brings together architects, urban ecologists, biologists, and environmental artists to create future-forward cities where biodiversity thrives alongside human development. With operational hubs in Copenhagen, São Paulo, Nairobi, and Melbourne, Living Cities Lab pioneers projects such as rooftop wetlands, pollinator corridors, adaptive public spaces, and living infrastructure systems. Its mission is to promote functional coexistence-integrating sustainability, aesthetics, and ecosystem intelligence into every layer of urban planning.

This release was published on openPR.