Inviting Species as Kin: A Design Framework for Sensory Encounter and Habitat Resilience through the Western Purple Martin

Abstract

This thesis proposes a Multispecies Design Framework built at the intersection of Animal-Aided Design (AAD), as described by Thomas E. Hauck and Wolfgang W. Weisser, and Kincentric Ecology, as articulated by Enrique Salmón. AAD provides efficient methods for translating a species' ecological requirements into spatial parameters. Still, it remains focused on functional provisioning and rarely fosters relational bonds between humans and non-human species. Kincentric Ecology, conversely, articulates the shared commitments that connect humans and non-human species as kin, but it offers limited operational guidance for spatial design. Bringing these two theories into dialogue, this research develops a framework organized around three layers: ecological demands, which address the nesting, feeding, and habitat requirements of the target species; sensory kinship, which creates the conditions for humans to notice, encounter, and develop emotional reciprocity with their non-human co-inhabitants; and habitat resilience, where the two methods converge to sustain the future of the target species over time. The Western Purple Martin (Progne subis arboricola) serves as the primary design collaborator throughout this research. This thesis conducts a post-occupancy evaluation of active nesting sites along the Seattle marine shoreline and a conceptual redesign of the inactive nest site at Jack Block Park. It investigates how multispecies design might move beyond merely providing functional habitat to invite humans and the Western Purple Martin into a shared, perceptual, and resilient coexistence.