The Architecture Foundation (AF) launched an international competition this week to design urban beehives.
Over the past two years the world's bee population has dwindled. Bees play a vital role in pollinating both wild and farmed plants. According to Kate Canning of the Twickenham and Thames Valley Bee Association says that bee-keeping has increased in popularity amongst young urbanites.
The competition was organized by AF on behalf of inmidtown -- a ‘business improvement program' which aims to enhance the biodiversity of a number of areas in central London. The competition aims to complement an existing scheme by inmidtown which provides free beekeeping training courses. Other designs which help promote biodiversity, such as bird boxes and planters, are also accepted.
The deadline for entries is November 28 and shortlisted designs, as selected by a jury, will be showcased at the British museum in February 2012.
More information about the competition, including entry requirements, can be found at http://goo.gl/y31VZ.
Some resources providing information about urban beekeeping can be found at bees-online.com, urbanbees.co.uk , beginningbeekeeping.com andliveurbanloverural.com among others.
