Announcing Guillian Graves, Designer in Residence at Rog Design Days 2026

Trained as a designer, Guillian Graves has developed a unique practice that bridges scientific research and design innovation. Working alongside research centres and industry partners, his projects to inform more resilient and regenerative futures. Biomimicry, the practice of learning from living systems, lies at the heart of his work and serves as his primary approach to innovation.

During his residency at Center Rog, Graves will develop a regenerative design project More than Refuge that explores how design can actively contribute to ecological restoration in urban environments. Inspired by the coral reef ecosystem, this portable habitat will be installed in the Park izbrisanih and connected to the beehive on the roof of Center Rog. It is designed to support pollinators, fungi, insects, birds, and other urban species.

The project will be developed in collaboration with a network of scientific and ecological advisors, including peers from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN) in France and local arboriculture and ecology partners.

The More Than Refuge project also includes a strong citizen science component. Through the Slovenian Citizen Science Network, it will actively engage Center Rog volunteers as well as the wider citizen science community in Slovenia. Throughout 2027, volunteers will monitor the development and impact of this unique habitat.

More than Refuge is conceived not only as a designed intervention but also as a collaborative platform for ecological care, learning, and long-term stewardship. By bringing together scientists, designers, volunteers, and local communities, the project explores how urban residents can actively contribute to biodiversity while cultivating meaningful relationships with the more-than-human world.