Christine Mady, Susa Eräranta
Abstract In planning education, the role of design and exploration of non-anthropocentric actors remain in their early stages. This research builds on a studio course offered to urban studies and planning students within an interdisciplinary graduate programme in Finland. The studio aims to develop students’ planning skills by fostering design thinking to integrate knowledge and methods from various disciplines towards solving complex urban problems. In autumn 2024 and autumn 2025, the studios focused on rethinking streets for more-than-human life under climate change and different urban contexts. Design thinking was pivotal in advancing the interdisciplinary approach, fostering iterative exploration and teamwork, and equipping students to address intricate urban scenarios that emphasised inclusivity for more-than-human entities. By prioritising ecological and ethical considerations, students proposed urban solutions with a non-anthropocentric perspective. Integrating design thinking process and mindset in an interdisciplinary studio setting enabled students to foster multispecies considerations towards transformative, sustainable planning solutions.