Living Soil

Abstract

As designers and landscape architects at Inside Outside, we have long been captivated by the power of visuals in shaping environmental understanding. We embed research directly within our professional design practice, using visual strategies to explore and communicate complex environmental systems. Through a co-creative design research process, we explored soil as a vital ecosystem within urban landscapes. Across four stages, we focused on making the unseen life of soil visible through layered drawings, developed in collaboration with scientists and other experts. We aim to raise awareness of soil as a complex, living system; its biodiversity and its crucial role in supporting urban resilience. By integrating scientific knowledge with artistic interpretation, we seek to inspire a shift in how soil is perceived and valued within urban design practice.