Architecture Center Houston Announces The Architecture of Bees
Architecture Center Houston is proud to announce its upcoming exhibition, The Architecture of Bees, opening Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 6-8 pm23e, and on view through Friday, August 26. Curated by architect and beekeeper Wendy Heger, AIA, The Architecture of Bees is an immersive educational visual arts exhibition that brings together designers, architects, naturalists, and beekeepers to illustrate the importance and influence of bees in humans design and construction.
Human interest in honeybees dates back to prehistory, at least 15,000 years ago. Humanity’s study of bees over the millennia illuminated the brilliance of the hexagon shape found in their hives and nest design, their organizational and communication techniques, their thermal controls, and the role they play in pollination and the food supply.
Exhibition highlights include
- A human-scale Bee Space, enabling visitors to walk into and experience the spatial dimensions of a beehive.
- A celebration of the hexagon – the fundamental shape which makes up honeycomb, it is ideal for economizing labor and resources while maximizing storage volume and strength. The exhibition highlights examples of contemporary architecture employing the hexagon as key construction and design component.
- A commissioned illustration, by architect and designer Marcus Martinez, AIA, of honeybees descending on Downtown Houston.
- Methods of cooling and heating human homes and office buildings that find similarities within bee colonies. Bees have an amazing ability to regulate the temperature of their hives using their bodies.
- An explanation of the sophisticated and complex mass communication of bees, is key to the success and survival of the hive. Worker bees use the “waggle dance” to communicate distance, direction, and quality of nearby nectar, directing workers to resources. A waggle dance pattern will wind its way through the gallery.
- And, a living beehive contained in a case.
The Architecture of Bees is accompanied by several public programs including bee-keeping courses and pollinator walks in collaboration with Buffalo Bayou Partnership; a Biophilia and Bees lecture; and a beehive-inspired architectural workshop for kids.
More information on The Architecture of Bees exhibition, associated public programs, and other news from Architecture Center Houston may be found at www.aiahouston.org, or on Facebook at Instagram using #ArCHofBees.
MAJOR SPONSORS:
National Endowment for the Arts; Innovative Environments, City of Houston, Houston Arts Alliance
PROGRAMMING PARTNERS:
Buffalo Bayou Partnership, UltraBarrio, Page