As the world’s insect population plummets, it is becoming more and more important to create insect-friendly habitats. Now, you can have one right in your own backyard! French designer Marlène Huissoud has just unveiled “Please Stand By” — a series of sculptures designed to be safe shelters for insects living in urban areas.
The collection comprises a series of “hotels” designed specifically for pollinators such as bees, wasps and butterflies. Made out of unfired clay in neutral tones to keep them as primitive as possible, the furnishings are covered in a natural binder to make them resistant to extreme weather. The insect accommodations are punctuated with multiple holes to let the insects move around freely.
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According to Huissoud, her inspiration for creating the insect homes comes from a recent scientific study that shows that more than 40 percent of insects are in decline, and the situation is getting worse every year. In order to bring attention to the plight of the world’s insect population, the artist created the insect-friendly habitats to offer a safe refuge for the critters to nest and hibernate within urban areas.
“We have been selfish,” Huissoud said. “We all have used resources of our dear planet. But it is not a time to cry, it is a time to act. As a designer, it is important to design a chair at some point in your career, and I liked the idea of dedicating my first chair to insects and not humans, asking humans to ‘Please Stand By’ and look at nature and wildlife in general with a new eye.”
The unique collection was first unveiled during London’s Design Week, but it can now be found in Huissoud’s studio in Paris. She hopes to install the pieces in various gardens in order to help support the insect population.
Via Dezeen
Photography by Valentin Russo and Chloe Bell via Marlène Huissoud
