ANIMAL ARCHITECTUREIngo Arndt

We are all familiar with architecture designed by human beings. Yet architecture by animals for the most part goes unnoticed, although they were building nests, dams, and huts when we still dwelled in caves. From the tiny nest of a hummingbird to the largest structures created by animals, the coral reefs, there are constructions that continue to amaze us even today.

Over a period of two years, the award-winning nature photographer Ingo Arndt traveled around the world in pursuit of his images. He took pictures of the mounds, up to two meters tall, created by tiny wood ants in their indigenous woodlands as well as the colorfully decorated mating arenas of bowerbirds in West Papua; he presents enormous beaver dams in North America or previously unknown termite fields in Australia.

His photography focuses on structures with their extraordinary architecture and captivating aesthetics. Besides their dwellings, the different animal species, the builders, are shown. The motifs from the wild are supplemented by a selection of studio photographs whose detailed views open up a world that otherwise remains hidden the complexity of a wasp’s nest, the winding interior of a nautilus, or the artful grass network of a harvest mouse nest.
In addition to a high degree of visual aesthetics, ANIMAL ARCHITECTURE also supplies interesting information about biology and has numerous fascinating stories to tell about animal architects, including their applied construction principles and tricks.

The German edition of the illustrated book ARCHITEKTIER (ANIMAL ARCHITECTURE) was published in summer 2013 by Knesebeck. This magnificent volume brings together the most beautiful photos from the project. The book also supplies interesting information about biology and has numerous fascinating stories to tell about animal architects, including their applied construction principles and tricks. A visual delight for everyone who loves Nature. The book is also available in English, French, Japanese and Chinese. More information and orders here.