Project by Hyoju Kim

This project proposes an architectural framework for the coexistence of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species understood as an ecological monster produced by human urban systems. Instead of pursuing eradication, the design explores how architecture can respond to unwanted species through nonviolent and non-domesticating strategies situated in the urban and ecological context of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

The system begins with a modular device installed on building façades near the park. During the summer months, when air conditioners are in use and lanternflies are most active, the modules attract the insects passively through light, airflow, curved surfaces, and pheromone diffusion. Built from discarded knotty wood and mesh, the curved modules are designed to match the lanternfly’s jumping behavior and preference for shaded vertical surfaces. The insects climb toward the light and remain inside without being trapped.

The modules collect honeydew secreted by the insects, along with rainwater and air conditioner condensation. This moisture is absorbed by the wooden structure through capillary action. Pheromones carried by airflow attract additional lanternflies, allowing the system to grow across the urban façade. Once sufficiently populated, the modules are disassembled and relocated to a controlled grove of Ailanthus altissima, another invasive species and the lanternfly’s host plant, within Prospect Park.

At this second site, the modules are recombined into larger structures that mediate ecological interactions. Shaped like umbrellas or trees, they prevent honeydew from reaching the ground, which would otherwise promote fungal growth. Designed to accommodate predators of various sizes, the structure increases the lanternfly’s exposure to predation and encourages its integration into the food chain.

At the end of summer, the structures are dismantled. The wooden components, softened and partially decomposed by the honeydew and fungal growth, are turned into compost. These parts are then reassembled into forest pavilions functioning as edible mushroom farms. The honeydew-enriched wood promotes the growth of mycelium. Visitors to the forest path encounter these gently swaying modules, where mushrooms diffuse light in various ways, offering a multispecies experience that invites reflection and new forms of relation.

This project does not offer a solution to invasive species. Instead, it asks how we should respond to the lives our urban systems have inadvertently produced. The spotted lanternfly becomes a mirror of the city’s failures and a call for ecological responsibility. This architecture is not a tool of control, but a spatial declaration of coexistence, slowness, and shared cohabitation.