Biodiverse City

Program Overview

As urban development continues to sprawl further into natural environments, our precious native flora and fauna are displaced and ecosystems destroyed. The Biodiverse City Inquiry Program aims to challenge students to rethink their relationship with the natural world, and to develop innovations that transform urban environments into sustainable, symbiotic systems that encourage biodiversity to flourish alongside people.

Students will empathise from multiple perspectives to develop awareness, appreciation and understanding of threats to biodiversity and the effects of urbanisation and population growth. They will have an opportunity to work with real world data, conduct fieldwork and contribute to citizen science. Students will think creatively to generate ideas and use critical thinking and problem solving to produce prototypes that consider factors such as materials, production processes, cost, safety and sustainability/environment.

Students will be introduced to a range of prototyping technologies and techniques such as 3D modelling, digital sketching and drawing, microcomputers and coding, app development, carboard prototyping and sensor technology. The program concludes with students pitching their design solution to a wider audience and receiving valuable feedback on their product and process.