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A new sustainable social housing showcase has opened in Brighton. The Wild House at the University of Brighton is designed to inspire policy makers and developers to rethink how homes can better connect people with nature. Built entirely from locally sourced materials, the Wild House demonstrates how housing can exist in harmony with the local landscape and support biodiversity, while enhancing human well-being and fostering community engagement.
The Wild House interior. (Image: University of Brighton) With one in five people in the UK living in areas deprived of green space, the project showcases how biodiversity-friendly materials can be used in social housing at scale, providing a blueprint for policymakers and housing providers while reconnecting people to the ecosystems they impact. The Wild House is an evolution of the multi award-winning Waste House at the University of Brighton’s city campus, repurposed into a pioneering sustainable ‘show home.
’ From walls crafted with Brighton’s natural chalk to timber sourced from nearby woodlands, every element strengthens the bond between people and the landscapes around them. Another interior shot of the house. (Image: University of Brighton) Alongside its ecological design, the house features interactive elements, including immersive soundscapes and augmented reality experiences, encouraging new ways to engage with the natural world from home.
The project is led by Dr Nicholas Gant in collaboration with fellow University of Brighton lecturer and researcher James Tooze, and Professor Alice Eldridge from the University of Sussex. The space inside The Wild House. (Image: University of Brighton) The exterior of the house.
(Image: University of Brighton) Soundcamp CiC and The Brighton and Hove Downs: The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere region are also key partners, bringing together leading expertise in arts, science, and technology to create a transformative living space. Dr Nicholas Gant, principal lecturer at the University of Brighton’s School of Art and Media and co-director of The Centre of Arts and Wellbeing, said: "Our Wild House is a testament to the power of design in shaping the way we live with and within nature. "It’s a collaborative experiment in reconnecting people with the ecological systems that sustain us.
"By embedding regenerative materials and interactive, sensory experiences into everyday living, we are rethinking what a home can be." The Wild House is funded by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+..
