studio audal

studio audal is a nature-inclusive design studio providing landscape architecture, biodiversity consulting and bioengineering services.

With a strong focus on storytelling, circularity, ecological thinking and species inclusivity, and backed by data, studio audal creates intelligent landscapes and biodiverse environments that are site-specific, well-designed, and attuned to non-human life. 

Through their work, studio audal also aims to promote climate awareness in an engaging and inclusive way, as well as make sure that that nature-based solutions are integrated in policy-making and become a foundational approach to landscape architecture.

studio audal is led by Quentin Aubry and Zeger Dalenberg who together bring more than 17 years of expertise across landscape architecture, engineering, urban planning and biodiversity design. They often work collaboratively, together with architects, urban designers, ecologists, scientists, engineers, and local communities.

studio audal was founded in 2020 and is based in Rotterdam.


  • Creative director

    Quentin Aubry is a French architect and engineer from Nantes (ensanantes and École Centrale de Nantes). Subsequently, he joined the architecture firm MVRDV in 2017, where he became one of the initiators and lead Environmental Designers of MVRDV Climate. Advising and working side by side with the design teams, MVRDV Climate focuses on the decarbonation of the building industry and the introduction to more sustainable building technologies. His personal interest for biodiversity and ecology motivated him to found studio audal, as a small-scale test lab to experiment on nature-inclusive, animal-oriented and climate adaptive research by design. This has proven to be a successful recipe to find scalable, replicable urban and building integrated solutions. Quentin has worked on various buildings, masterplans and gardens throughout Europe.


  • Technical Director

    Zeger Dalenberg is a Dutch landscape architect (University of Edinburgh). He works on landscape and public design projects from the conception phase until construction. As a project leader at West 8, he was in charge of the design and developments of many international projects. In 2022 he joined the municipality of Rotterdam, where he currently works on thematic visions as a strategic landscape architect. Zeger focuses on transition plans, including mobility, energy and in particular biodiversity. Through the foundation of studio audal, Zeger experiments with plants and biodiversity on a small scale and applies this knowledge for larger scale decision-making at the municipality. Zeger is a registered landscape architect in the Netherlands and has worked in over more than 20 countries worldwide.

Nature-inclusive design process within studio audal

Nature-inclusive design process within studio audal

DESIGN APPROACH

Intelligent landscapes

We consider landscapes as a living entity by switching the narrative to species-inclusive thinking, telling stories of non-human inhabitants, uncovering their journeys and life-cycles, and designing with and for them.

NATURE-INCLUSIVITY

Biodiversity-centred approach towards landscape architecture is the guiding principle at studio audal.

We collaborate with ecologists and scientists, in order to best translate site-specific data into responsive landscapes, so natural ecosystems can be preserved and restored.

Circularity

We rethink the use of resources through circular approaches to landscape architecture, by prioritizing material reuse, biobased and local commodities. We aim for low carbon, positive climate impact by integrating bioengineering solutions.

Lasting impacts

Our designs create lasting positive social and ecological impact.

They are a learning ground to redefining  landscape architecture by highlighting the aesthetic qualities of thoughtfully engineered functions related to soil and water.

ESSENCE OF THE PLACE

We thrive to uncover the essence of the site through landscape architecture by taking into account local biodiversity, geomorphology, history, context, heritage and site-specific conditions of the place.

Story telling

Our designs aim at raising awareness about climate, ecology and biodiversity through storytelling. They inspire people to see landscape differently, sometimes even provoking to ask questions and seek hidden messages.

We make ecological knowledge more accessible through playful spatial interventions, interactions, sessions and learning tools.