Urban planning and design reflect the processes of social life and technological progress. With the acceleration of industrial growth in the 19th century, city dwellers soon experienced the noise, pollution, and other inconveniences caused by industrial enterprises. It took about a century for the idea that humans should be at the center of architecture, the environment, and urban planning to take hold in the second half of the 20th century. However, this idea, which seemed progressive at the time, is becoming regressive today: a person, serving their short-term wants and needs, eventually begins to destroy the very environment they live in. So, what would happen if the priority in urban development shifted from the needs of humans to those of bees?

What's Good for Bees is Good for People

According to Prof. Dr. Gintaras Stauskis of the Department of Urban Design at VILNIUS TECH's Faculty of Architecture, nature has historically played a fundamental role in the development of cities and has shaped their character. Cities are unimaginable without natural and landscape elements even today—they influence the well-being, health, mood, productivity, and quality of life of their inhabitants.

Nevertheless, with accelerating urbanization, increasing urban density, and growing developer interests, cities are losing more and more patches of nature.

"Humans are often selfish and destroy natural assets with their short-term desires, which in the long run affects them as well. For example, if more apartment buildings are needed, areas that could have become water retention ponds, public squares, or green corridors are built over," says the professor from the VILNIUS TECH Department of Urban Design.

The concept of human-centered design is now being questioned as cities face numerous internal and global challenges, such as climate change, prompting the consideration of other alternatives. One such alternative is the idea from entrepreneur and design specialist Jesse Weaver (USA), who suggests that we should first consider the needs not of humans, but of bees—small, vulnerable creatures that are highly dependent on the environment—because what is good for them will also be good for people and for nature.

"People have kept bees and lived harmoniously with them since ancient times. After all, they not only provide honey and wax but are also essential to the entire ecosystem. Bees are the primary pollinators of flowering plants, so if they were to disappear, agriculture would face a catastrophe," shares Prof. Dr. G. Stauskis.

The scientist will be giving a talk on this topic at the conference "Human and More-Than-Human Futures: Technological Innovations for Coexistence," which is organized by a consortium of Lithuanian science and business partners in collaboration with the world-leading Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA).

"The conference theme is 'the future is more than human,' but that sounds too technocratic to me. We must remember that even in very smart and technologically advanced cities, there must be a place not only for humans but also for nature, of which we are all a part. That is precisely why I am using this philosophical idea and proposing an alternative perspective, which I call 'a future that is less than human'—humans must be more attentive to the entire ecosystem, starting with a small, vulnerable creature, because, in the end, it will benefit them as well," the professor reflects.

Solutions that Harm Bees Ultimately Harm People Too

The concept of bee-centered design allows us to reflect on what we should focus on to preserve, revitalize, or restore natural elements in the city, because solutions that harm bees ultimately harm people too. For example, a major problem in the countryside is the use of chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers in agriculture, and the constant processing of food products. Meanwhile, cities lack trees that provide shade, green spaces, and unmown, flowering meadows that attract various insects.

"During a visit to Bavaria, Germany, I saw two parking lots designed next to each other. One of them had trees and flowering shrubs growing nearby, while the other was just a large paved area. In the first one, cars were already parked early in the day, people were sitting on benches, and various insects were buzzing. The second one was rather empty because such a place is unpleasant for both humans and bees—it's hot, dry, and exposed to the scorching sun," Prof. Dr. G. Stauskis gives an example.

Many problems also lie within the city's water management system. Currently, water in Lithuanian cities is not managed very sustainably—precipitation and snowmelt usually enter the storm sewer networks. Admittedly, one can find more than one suitable surface water management solution from earlier times. For example, the ponds in the Žvėrynas and Užupis districts of Vilnius are excellent elements of sustainable water management.

"The ponds in Užupis collect rainwater running off the slopes. The monks of the Missionary Monastery once raised fish here, and the rainwater flowing down the slopes irrigated the fruit trees in their orchards. Such frugal, rational use of resources—in this case, rainwater instead of drinking water—is one of the principles of sustainability," he shares.

Recently, progressive cities have been increasingly talking about urban gardens and urban agriculture—farming and gardening in urbanized areas. According to Prof. Dr. G. Stauskis, such cases also exist in Lithuanian cities, but most of them are historical, located next to older houses, for example, in the Žvėrynas, Šnipiškės, or Užupis districts.

"In the past, people were not in a hurry to pave every bit of free land with paving stones or tiles—they would plant flowers, grow vegetables, or something else useful. Now, most of these places have been destroyed, so to restore them, we must use innovative solutions, which are nothing more than forgotten old methods, just improved and supplemented with technology," explains the professor.

Balance – Is It Achievable?

Still, the question of how to find a balance between the needs of people and nature, amidst inevitable urban expansion and technological progress, remains a sensitive and unresolved issue. Is it even possible? According to Prof. Dr. G. Stauskis, urban planning and development are, first and foremost, a form of social agreement. This, however, requires educated specialists—landscape architects, urban planners—who can speak not only about aesthetics and functionality but also about sustainability.

"There is a shortage of specialists who can properly design, implement, and later maintain environmental projects because we have only been running the Landscape Architecture program for 5 years. Nevertheless, this program is very promising: students find employment in various private design offices and municipal companies right after their bachelor's studies," says the lecturer from the Faculty of Architecture.

It is not only knowledge that is crucial, but also the ability to communicate with representatives of different professions—for example, transport specialists or municipal employees. By collaborating and combining the knowledge of professionals from various fields, it is possible to make long-term, sustainable decisions that improve environmental quality, rather than short-sighted ones that only satisfy human needs. Students need to be taught this during their university studies.

"We need to cultivate the ability to communicate and collaborate, because only by working together can we achieve real change, give cities a human character, and turn them into places where people want to live—not just to sleep, but also to spend their free time," the expert adds.

However, the best results are achieved when the discussion includes not just specialists, but all stakeholders—residents of nearby buildings who are directly affected by the changes, as well as representatives from business, the public sector, and anyone else for whom the development plans are relevant. Although this tradition is not yet well-established in Lithuania and there is still a lack of practice, it is being used more and more often. Sometimes, new technologies are used to initiate discussion.

"We recently conducted a research project on gamified environments, which can help involve children and teenagers in the discussion. They often don't attend traditional meetings, so we don't hear their opinions, even though what we are creating, designing, and building is intended for future generations," shares Prof. Dr. G. Stauskis.

He emphasizes that, ultimately, real actions depend on the balance of power, but fortunately, it is shifting in nature's favor.

"I see positive signs—people, especially the youth, increasingly appreciate a high-quality environment with natural elements and understand its importance for their quality of life, so the ecological aspect in cities is becoming more and more important. And turning back to nature is ultimately beneficial for everyone—both for humans and for the smallest organisms," smiles the VILNIUS TECH professor.

A Vision-Oriented Approach

The conference "Human and More-Than-Human Futures: Technological Innovations for Coexistence" will take place on October 9–10 in Vilnius and Kaunas. It is organized by a consortium of twelve major Lithuanian universities, research centers, and companies, and is supported by the Research Council of Lithuania.

The goal of the conference is to understand complex technologies and explore opportunities for harmonious interaction between humanity, technology, and nature, where humans remain the leading creators and consumers. This will not be a traditional academic conference in the usual sense. The presentations will be vision-oriented, focusing on creating reactive and interactive futures, transitioning from smart to sensory ecosystems, where technologies and systems that learn and adapt are created. The conference is dedicated to analyzing the present and creating projections for a collaborative future. It will bring together various stakeholders—representatives from science, business, industry, politics, and venture capital—for a joint discussion on the challenges of technological transformations.