Sierra Bainbridge and James Kitchin, "Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet" (Axio, 2026)

Sierra Bainbridge and James Kitchin, "Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet" (Axio, 2026)

From New Books in Architecture by Marshall Poe

May 31, 2026 · 1h 3m

About this episode

This episode discusses regenerative design and its impact on biodiversity, climate change, and social equity through the work of the nonprofit design practice MASS.

Regenerative design is a way of building that heals our planet and our communities by halting biodiversity loss, reversing climate change, and improving social equity. Over the last decade, the nonprofit design practice MASS has proven that we can yield positive social, environmental, and economic results through a series of projects in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Seeking Abundance : Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet (Axio, 2026) argues for reducing the harm our building activities wage in our environments and that we can—and must—help people and the planet thrive together. The proof? MASS's projects represent a coherent and replicable philosophy that responds to local ecologies and transforms lives. This groundbreaking new book, co-edited by Sierra Bainbridge and Alan Ricks, examines how the power of multidisciplinary collaboration, regenerative practices, and community engagement can actively contribute to a healthier, more harmonious world. The evidence of these works can be found in three case studies, focusing on The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, and The Ilima Primary…

People in this episode

Host: Marshall Poe

Guests: Sierra Bainbridge, James Kitchin

Topics covered

  • regenerative design
  • biodiversity
  • climate change
  • social equity
  • community engagement
  • multidisciplinary collaboration

Keywords

  • regenerative design
  • biodiversity loss
  • climate change
  • social equity
  • community engagement
  • MASS
  • case studies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MASS, The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, The Ilima Primary School

Books & works: Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet

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