In a time when technology is becoming increasingly dominant, complex, and ubiquitous, the distinction between nature and artificial seems to blur. This is the essence of Next Nature, a philosophy and movement that advocates for a renewed perspective on nature, in which technology is not fought against but understood and integrated as part of what has become "natural".
What is Next Nature?
Next Nature is a concept developed by the Dutch philosopher, designer, and artist Koert van Mensvoort. He is the founder and director of the Next Nature Network, a non-profit organization that investigates how the relationship between humans, nature, and technology is changing and how we can consciously engage with it.
The traditional view of nature - that true nature is unspoiled, balanced, and harmonious - is, according to Next Nature, outdated. Instead, the philosophy posits that technology and nature merge and that we live in a dynamic reality where human actions and technological systems are as "natural" as ecosystems or biological processes.
As the Next Nature Network puts it: 'What is artificial today can be natural tomorrow.'
The Next Nature mindset
The philosophy of Next Nature revolves around a number of core ideas that invite a fundamentally different way of looking:
1. Humans are part of nature
According to Next Nature, humans are not separate from nature but are an integral part of it. Every technology we design — from smartphones to genetically modified organisms — contributes to an evolution that does not go "against" nature but is just as much a part of it.
This calls for a shift in thinking. Not: 'How do we restore nature to what it once was?', but: 'How do we design the future where technology and biology enhance each other?'
2. Technology has its own natural dynamics
Next Nature does not see technology as an instrument outside of nature, but as an increasingly complex, autonomous force that evolves on its own, similar to natural systems. Software, autonomous machines, genetic innovations, and global economies exhibit as much unpredictability and dynamism as a primeval forest.
This thinking requires that we do not simply try to control technology but learn how to co-evolve with it.
3. Imagining the future, not just predicting it
Next Nature focuses on speculative design and scenario thinking. By making possible futures tangible through exhibitions, fictional products, or concepts (such as lab-grown meat or alternative currencies linked to ecological value), conversations about technology and society are activated.
Application of Next Nature
This may all sound nice and good, but how is it applicable? Where do we already see Next Nature applications in daily or work life?
1. Design and product development
Next Nature encourages designers to think beyond traditional dichotomies, through speculative design and biological inspiration. Design concepts should not only showcase a product but also initiate a societal discussion about technology and nature. Examples include fictional companies or products that raise questions about ethics, sustainability, and identity.
With biologically inspired technology, the focus is on ideas that integrate natural principles (such as self-organization or evolution) into technical systems. For example, materials that repair themselves or generate energy through biological processes.
2. Business and technology strategy
For companies, Next Nature thinking means adopting ecosystem thinking. Instead of linear product life cycles, designing for circular or adaptive systems where products are part of broader ecological and social processes - moving away from chaos towards structured ecosystems. This aligns with current trends such as regenerative design.
We also enter a human-technology co-evolution: organizations must consider how products and services change human behavior and needs. Not only functionally but psychologically and socially. Tech is no longer an external tool but part of how people define themselves.
3. Public education and debate
Next Nature organizes museums, exhibitions, and educational programs that invite the public to reflect on the future of technology in relation to nature. This helps to spark a broader societal debate about ethics, sustainability, and innovation.
A fresh breeze
In a world where technological systems are ubiquitous, through AI-driven processes, genetic manipulation, autonomous vehicles, and bio-inspired materials, a revised view of nature is no longer philosophical but rather the next step in a business. Long-term thinking on this scale helps organizations think strategically rather than reactively to technological disruption.
It also becomes possible to harness new forms of creativity and design that generate products and meaning and engage the public and stakeholders in reflection on societal choices around technology.
Next Nature offers a fresh, provocative, and applicable philosophy for anyone working with technology, innovation, and design. Instead of idealizing nature as something we need to restore or protect, this line of thought invites us to view nature as something that is constantly changing. Just like ourselves and the technologies we create.
