"There are cracks in everything; that's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. Design is a dialogue between people and the world. Embrace curiosity, let technology meet humanity, and let design become the light that illuminates our lives.
"There are cracks in everything; that's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. Design is a dialogue between people and the world. Embrace curiosity, let technology meet humanity, and let design become the light that illuminates our lives.
This project aims to design a smart beehive suitable for urban home gardens, providing a new, safe habitat for bees and exploring ways for humans and nature to coexist in urban microecologies.
Background
It’s important to note that approximately 75% of global crops rely on insect pollination, with bees being the most crucial. However, over 40% of these pollinating insects are declining. This decline in bee numbers not only threatens food security but also disrupts biodiversity and ecological balance, potentially triggering an ecological crisis and impacting sustainable human development.
Therefore, research on bee conservation strategies, providing suitable habitats for them, and exploring intelligent and sustainable beekeeping methods are of great ecological, economic, and social significance.
Design Process
Prototyping revealed some issues with the internal frames, as shown in the image: if the frames were placed horizontally, honey would drip.
However, research revealed that the frames are typically placed vertically. Therefore, the honeycomb frames were placed vertically to prevent honey from leaking.
The second method is to rotate the entire hive 90 degrees so that the frames are vertical to prevent honey from leaking. The frame disassembly method is shown in the figure. The ventilation and cooling device remains in the center of the hive and will not affect disassembly.
Detials
3. A heating system is located at the bottom to provide insulation
4. The frame’s locking slots, which lock in three locations, form a stable triangular structure, providing added stability and preventing the frame from shaking.
Video