Winka Dubbeldam is a renowned Dutch-American architect, designer, and academic. She is the founder and partner of Archi-Tectonics, an architecture firm known for its cutting-edge, award-winning designs that integrate smart building systems with a focus on sustainability and innovation. ​

Human activity has impacted the environment to such an extent that many now consider the Anthropocene as a distinct geological epoch, marked by observable environmental changes. ​Recent research on plant intelligence has shown that plants possess an innate ability to react to environmental stresses, adapt, and mutate.

Not only can they survive environmental catastrophes, but they also enhance their phytoremediation capabilities while evolving into new forms of beauty. ​Some biologists refer to these adaptive organisms as “Hopeful Monsters”—organisms with significant mutations that can potentially establish new evolutionary lineages more resilient to future challenges.

As we face the next wave of the Anthropocene, where climate change and environmental extremes threaten our existence, architecture must learn from plant intelligence. It needs to transform, becoming adaptive, resilient, and capable of having a positive impact on its environment. ​Rather than simply adding vegetation to otherwise static structures, buildings themselves should incorporate nature’s intelligence, fostering symbiotic relationships with the environment and evolving into what can be described as ‘Synthetic Natures.’