about us

plant-based.space is an information-sharing and networking service created by The Monomoy Company. It provides research, develops tools, creates partnerships, links professionals, and otherwise helps like-minded individuals advance buildings based on nature.

why plant-based.space?

Concepts like “organic,” “free from,” and – perhaps most intriguing of all – “plant-based” have been used by companies to create entirely new, highly attractive product lines. Given their success elsewhere, it is not surprising that such terms are entering the vocabulary of buildings.  

We like “plant-based” not just because it is well known and highly valued, but also because it communicates a goodness you know without asking. At a time when net zero carbon and healthy indoor environments are atop occupier lists, buildings that convey these credentials have a winning strategy.

As we enter a period defined by “zero” (carbon, water, waste, toxins, plastics … you name it, the list is only going to grow), we think nature sets the example. What plants do — use 100% renewables, detoxify the environment, consume water carefully, nourish human health, and biodegrade without harm — is a masterclass in the future of buildings.

And what plants need — natural light, clean air, fresh water, organic materials, and biodiversity — are the ingredients of the most successful places. That’s not just us talking, it’s also the Harvard Business Review. 

Three simple words

“Biophilic” (or more nature-driven) design has been around for decades. “Biomimicry” is another term —again decades old — that has been used to define how inanimate objects (like buildings) can more sustainably perform operations by copying natural principles, such as the circular economy.

But we like plant-based.space is an emerging framework because it has several advantages – not least of which is in the name. Biophilia and biomimicry are not immediately understood by a wide audience. Plant-based on the other hand, is a fast-growing idea that can be understood and appreciated by anyone.

On a more practical level, several countries have adopted new regulations that require more bio-based materials in buildings. It will be impossible to meet future policy compliance and best practice expectations without buildings heavily made of —  and modelled on — nature.  

A strategy based on plants is not as far-fetched as it may initially sound. Ideas that have been at the fringe, including net zero carbon and wellness, are now top selling points for buildings. We believe that a plant-based approach is the next idea in real estate to move from niche concept to mainstream acceptance.