On International Biodiversity Day 2025, we showcase 15 architecture projects that explore the importance of the connection between the constructed environment and natural ecosystems. The architecture in these projects demonstrates this idea of fostering biodiversity, restoring habitats, and reshaping how architecture and nature can coexist. From urban jungles to natural havens, each project is a manifestation of architecture’s shifting ecological obligation.
A home shaped by the land and nature. Malhar is a 4,400 sq. ft. weekend home, set in the middle of a 6-acre farm in Payyannur. It’s a place for music, nature, and friendship. Imagined as a warm, open space where friends who love folk art, greenery, and quiet moments could feel at home. Malhar isn’t just a house, it’s a rhythm. It’s a space that listens as much as it speaks with nature.
Nestled in the Himalayan foothills by the Ganges in Rishikesh, the Lodsi Community Project for Forest Essentials is a net-zero, off-grid facility. Sensitive to site topography and climate, it stays within the original footprint, using renewable energy and local resources to create an energy-efficient, contextually rooted production unit.
Subterranean Ruins are multifunctional earth-caves designed around existing trees and terrain, blending into nature. Locally sourced materials and community craftsmanship shaped these spaces. Boulders, rocks, and voids form courtyards for homestays, schools, gatherings, or artist residencies, creating a low-impact, inclusive habitat.
Bringing back the traditional living charm and focusing eco-conscious lifestyle, this unique cave-like residence in Coimbatore. With only 25% construction and 75% focus on nature, the design minimises carbon emissions and creates a self-sustaining structure. And, just like a cave, the design creates organic forms, blending in with the surrounding topography.
Nestled into a sloping site, this eco-sensitive design weaves office spaces with sky gardens, shaded balconies, and a solar-roofed landscape spine. With minimal land disturbance, native vegetation, and climber-covered trellises, it celebrates biodiversity and sustainability, creating a workplace deeply rooted in nature.
This 705 metres long nature walkway is constructed without damaging a single tree in the forest. Built on low-impact pile foundations, the bridge protects tree rootings and keeps natural water flow intact.With over 100 species of trees planted along the trail, it is a haven for biodiversity. The Malabar Hill Forest Trail shows how cities can grow with nature, not against it.
Nestled in Wada’s reserve forests near Mumbai, Maativan farmhouse embodies environmental consciousness through biophilic design. Using raw materials, organic forms, and climate-responsive planning, it fosters a deep human-nature connection. Blurring the line between built and natural, it offers an immersive, sustainable living experience rooted in harmony with its forest surroundings.
The Titan Campus reimagines the workplace with a sustainable, biophilic design around a bio-lake. Terrace gardens at every level offer outdoor workspaces, reduce heat, and boost energy efficiency. Open-air layouts, natural light, and green systems make it a future-ready office design.
This incredible transformation spans over 50,000 sq.ft. in Assam. The design uses terraces and walkways instead of heavy digging. With a plantation of over 2,50,000 sq.m. of trees and plants, the space brings back local wildlife and becomes a living botanical garden in the open. Further, the design improves the mobility of pedestrians & cyclists while creating open, breathable spaces in this densely populated area.
Built around natural rocks and trees on site, the house is an elevated structure to preserve natural drainage and ensure minimal footprint. Constructed using poured earth and raw earth concrete, the home uses sustainable building techniques, with ferrocement used for its lightweight form. Winterfell House seamlessly blends modern design with nature, creating a home that fosters a holistic connection with the environment.
This Business School blends seamlessly with its landscape, drawing from earth, sky, and water. Designed as scattered blocks among existing trees, it mimics forest paths and enables cross-ventilation. Architecture here becomes a vessel of generosity, framing nature and uplifting users.
Kondan Retreat redefines hospitality by integrating social, regional, and ecological consciousness. Only 16% of its 30-acre site is built, with land preserved for reforestation and resource harvesting. Inspired by traditional architecture, the design respects natural slopes, trees, and waterways, creating a low-impact, immersive retreat in harmony with biodiversity and place.
This simple, modular, mobile shelter is designed for resilience. Transportable by truck or boat, it ensures dignity and basic amenities in crises. Built with local, natural materials like bamboo, grass, or mud, it adapts to regional crafts, celebrating community, ecology, and cultural identity. Moreover, without disturbing the surrounding nature, the Worker’s Pavilion sets an example of how architecture can integrate nature and context through simple design.
India’s first platinum-rated, net-zero Green Waste-to-Energy Campus in Gujarat, designed by INI Design Studio with Abellon, spans 17 acres. Processing 2,20,000 tons/year of waste into 7.5 MW clean energy with zero human involvement or toxic emissions, it powers 15,000 homes while prioritizing water conservation and a lush microclimate.
Embracing the concept of heritage preservation, ‘Sanctuary’ captures the essence of a 200-year-old Portuguese villa. The enchanting landscape design, adorned with creepers that grace the villa’s ruins, evokes a sense of resilience and creates a serene atmosphere. By seamlessly weaving art and nature into every design element, the space tells the building’s history while inviting visitors to immerse themselves in its natural beauty.
These 15 projects demonstrate that architecture can be a meaningful partner of biodiversity. By considering natural systems as part of their designs, architects are creating human habitats that regenerate rather than just sustain. As we celebrate Biodiversity Day, let these examples guide us, showing us how our buildings can support life, regenerate landscapes, and play a further role in maintaining the delicate balance in our ecosystems.