Growing up in the French Alps as the daughter of a beekeeper, nature is something that has always been close to heart to Marlène Huissoud and central to her work as a designer and artist. When designing the beehive for Sir Ian Blatchford, Marlène wanted to break away from the traditional, house-like beehive, and create something more organic.

"I wanted this insect habitat to reflect nature. This hive looks like a log and harks back to one of the oldest techniques for beekeeping that exists, because it is also a refuge for wild bees, somewhere they can make a home in the wild. I didn’t want it to be all about making honey – this piece is about helping bees to live." - Marlène Huissoud