The Urban Biodiversity Observatory (OBU) is a research project that analyzes online conversations to study relationships between humans and other species in urban areas. Led by the Density Design research lab at the Politecnico di Milano's Department of Design, the project is part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), funded by the European Union and the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
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OBU was conceived and designed by Alessandra Facchin, Michele Mauri, Gabriele Colombo
Web design: Bianca Bauer, Benedetta Riccio
Development: Matteo Visini
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As urbanization accelerates, promoting biodiversity in cities has become essential. However, urban biodiversity initiatives often conflict with local characteristics, citizen needs, and stakeholder economic interests, sparking intense debates. Across online forums, websites, blogs, and social media, diverse actors present arguments, advocate for causes, and share images and comments to express their positions. The web provides invaluable data for understanding the multiple actors, voices, and perspectives shaping urban biodiversity discussions.
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Drawing on media studies and digital sociology frameworks—including controversy mapping, digital methods, and issue mapping—this project demonstrates how digital data can illuminate biodiversity perceptions in urban contexts. Through visual narratives, the Observatory shows how data from social media comments, digital images, online news, and videos can map urban biodiversity debates, revealing the complex relationships between humans and other species in cities.

Through the collection and analysis of digital data and information visualization, the Observatory develops narratives about human coexistence with plants and animals in Italian cities. It also provides access to its underlying data, allowing researchers and interested individuals to explore these topics independently.