Invitation

Our AcrossRCA collaboration examined how the design of park facilities can influence behaviour and, in turn, impact our response to climate change. Research confirms that a disconnect from nature has significant consequences, reducing ecological empathy and making it harder to consider the environmental impact of our choices. With 68% of the world’s population projected to live in cities by 2050, access to nature is becoming a privilege, leaving many emotionally detached from climate concerns. If we are increasingly removed from nature, how can we expect people to care enough to protect it?

Despite London’s many green spaces, our observations revealed that people often remain absorbed in their phones rather than engaging with their surroundings. This led to a key insight, being in nature is not enough; active engagement is essential. Our group explored how design could encourage urban residents to connect more deeply with nature by fostering playfulness, shifting perspectives, and enhancing sensory engagement.

We prototyped an evolution of the bench, aiming to facilitate deeper immersion in the natural environment. Our research highlighted that benches are often positioned to face paths or roads, encouraging people-watching rather than nature-watching. In response, we designed a bench offering two distinct viewpoints, allowing users to consciously choose between social observation and a more immersive experience with nature.

Through this project, we explored how design interventions can reshape behaviour and strengthen our connection to green spaces. If urban environments are designed to encourage engagement with nature, they may help nurture a mindset that values and protects the natural world.