Pigeon Commons
From Control to Coexistence: Designing for the Citizens We Overlook
Pigeon Commons is a social design project that reimagines the relationship between humans and pigeons in the city, shifting from control and exclusion towards coexistence. Rather than treating pigeons as pests, the project positions them as overlooked urban inhabitants and indicators of broader ecological imbalance, proposing a more inclusive, life-centred approach to how cities are designed and shared.
At its core, the project proposes a modular pigeon tower system that functions as both habitat and interface—supporting safe nesting for pigeons while creating opportunities for human interaction, care, and awareness. By integrating architectural, ecological, and social considerations, Pigeon Commons explores how design can expand the idea of “urban users” beyond humans, fostering more empathetic, adaptive, and multispecies urban environments.
Thesis Project, 2025
NABA, MA Social Design
(Graduated with 110/110 e lode, with honours)
Advisors:
Davide Sala, and, Marina Malavasi
Shortlisted in the NABA Design Award 2026 in 1:1000 Scale Thesis
The Topic
How can design reframe the way we perceive and coexist with urban animals, shifting from control and exclusion towards shared, multispecies living?
The Problem
Cities are designed primarily for humans, often treating non-human species—like pigeons—as problems to be managed rather than inhabitants to be considered. Current approaches rely on deterrence, displacement, or control, reinforcing negative perceptions while failing to address the root ecological imbalance. This creates a disconnect between humans and urban wildlife, where coexistence is replaced by conflict and invisibility.
The Solution
Pigeon Commons proposes a shift from reactive control to intentional coexistence through a modular pigeon tower system. The design provides dedicated habitats, enables humane population management, and makes care visible within the city. Acting as both infrastructure and communication tool, it fosters awareness, reshapes public perception, and integrates pigeons into urban life as co-inhabitants rather than nuisances.
The Strategy of Pigeon Commons
Dedicated Space
for Pigeons
Birth Control
Programme
Controlled Feeding Zone
Pigeon Commons
Not to
eliminate pigeons,
but to reframe coexistence.
The Balance is Key
Interior
(for the pigeons)
Shelter
Population Control
Communication
Functionality
= Coexistence
Exterior
(for the people)
Perception
Acceptance
The Pigeon Nesting Modules
The Pigeon Tower Structure
The tower uses a layered structure with three primary vertical supports and twelve secondary horizontal elements, ensuring durability and adaptability across contexts and climates.
Its base slides open for caretaker access—enabling egg managements, birth control managements and health checks—and locks securely to prevent unauthorised entry. When closed, it functions as a droppings tray, allowing waste to be collected and reused as fertiliser, supporting both maintenance and ecological value.
The tower’s modular system allows it to adapt in scale, form, and material to different urban contexts while maintaining a consistent function for coexistence.
To secure the modules, the tower uses tool-free clip locks inspired by existing commercial systems, making assembly intuitive and easy to use.
The Roof
The roof is the final layer that ties the tower together, combining functionality with local cultural expression to foster acceptance and care.
The Pigeon Commons is more than just a home for pigeons, it is a tool for communication & education, and a step forward coexistence in the city.
With signage or QR codes at the towers, they become a public learning tool. It can shifts perceptions, and encourages care for non-human neighbours. It’s a tool for both ecology and education.
The Thesis Book
The project unfolds from a theoretical exploration of social design and transpecies architecture into a critical analysis of human–pigeon relationships, examining perception, conflict, and existing urban management strategies. It then moves through typological research on traditional and contemporary pigeon towers, before developing architectural considerations through a multispecies lens. Building on these insights, the final section presents the Pigeon Commons proposal—a modular, site-adaptable tower system that integrates ecological function, cultural expression, and public communication to support coexistence in urban environments.
The Typological Research
