Swansea Shares Its Biophilic Journey with the Biophilic Cities Network
12th September 2026
Swansea’s journey towards becoming a more nature connected city, and the role of Project REPAIR within that journey, was recently shared with partners from across the international Biophilic Cities Network.
Geoff Proffitt and Penny Gruffydd presented at a Biophilic Cities Network Partner Meeting, introducing Swansea as the Network’s newest partner city and sharing how nature recovery, green infrastructure and biophilic thinking are being embedded across the city.
The presentation explored Swansea’s transformation from a city shaped by heavy industry to one increasingly focused on restoring nature and creating greener, healthier places. It highlighted how this work is being supported through policy, partnership working and practical interventions, from green roofs, rain gardens and sustainable drainage to nature recovery and coastal resilience.
A major focus was the Biome, the pioneering city centre retrofit development at the heart of Project REPAIR.
The former Woolworths building is being transformed into a mixed-use development incorporating social housing, commercial space, extensive planting, roof gardens, glasshouses and innovative approaches to energy and food production.
For Project REPAIR, the Biome provides a unique opportunity to explore what happens when biophilic principles are put into practice. Researchers are examining the development from a range of perspectives, including environmental performance, lived experience, wellbeing, policy and governance, while also exploring what can be learned from the process and how that learning might inform future developments.
The presentation highlighted the importance of collaboration in making this work possible, including the partnership between Swansea University, Swansea Council and Natural Resources Wales that underpins Swansea’s membership of the Biophilic Cities Network.
Sharing Swansea’s experiences through the Network provides an opportunity for Project REPAIR to contribute its learning to a wider international conversation about biophilic cities, while also learning from other places working to put nature at the heart of urban life.