Wild Mile, Chicago, USA

Shelter Shell halves have been installed within the Wild Mile in Chicago, integrated into the shallow-water zones created by the project’s suspended floating wetlands. Positioned directly on the shallow substrate, the shells provide additional refuge for small fish and aquatic invertebrates as they move through and forage within these protected areas.

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The idea is similar to the familiar cave or castle placed in a home aquarium, but writ large and deployed within a river environment. The shell creates an immediate refuge while its textured surface provides opportunities for colonisation and habitat development. The installation sits within an increasingly active urban ecosystem; beavers are regular visitors and can often be seen swimming through the shallow floating-wetland habitat on summer evenings.