Murrietta Public Library

 Concept:

In a world where honeybees are responsible for more than 30% of our food and vital keys to our modern food production, and still perceived as “bad” or “dangerous”, we are obligated to understand the bees at a deeper level and share that information for the well-being and harmonization of humankind and nature. Knowing this, as well as the harmless nature of docile honeybees when kept compassionately, we are embarking on an educational journey to shift the negative paradigm associated with bees.

Pachamama & Bee Leaf USA have teamed up to design, build, and install a customized observation beehive/s located inside of the Pachamama dining space. Working with Tecture Inc., a design and architecture studio located in Barrio Logan, San Diego, we are developing a safe, humane, and educationally enriching live honeybee installation that is the nexus of Science, Nature, Art, and Sustainability. 

An observation hive/s is a special beehive that is designated for research purposes as it’s walls have been replaced with a high durability transparent glass allowing for the visual exploration of a beehive without the perceived danger of “beekeeping” in an urban environment. 

The beehive, built into an enclosed glass box, will have access to the outside where they can collect resources, forage, and pollinate the neighborhood. Having the hive entrance at an elevated space, and facing the opposite direction of the public right of passage, the bees will be encouraged to forage away from the public. 

Furthermore, the beehive will be in full compliance with the County of San Diego Department of Agricultural Weights and Measures with the design allowing for us to inspect the colony for pests, harvesting honey, and ensuring docile genetics. After consulting the County Apiary Inspector, the design has been adapted to assist the bees while protecting the human population from unnecessary exposure. 

Our design in general is reflective of the San Diego Natural History Mueseum’s Observation Hive in that is can be easily moved, inspected on site, and used as a tool to reach a large percentage of our community while demonstrating what it means to be truly sustainable while actively supporting our planet. 

We understand that, in times like these, we must do more than is necessary to alarm the general public of the state of our environment and its fleeting nature. We understand that, through demonstrating live honeybee keeping, we can begin to illuminate our collective hive mind as a community.