UMoein Nodehi: Kusukela Empini Nokudingiswa Kuya Ekucabangeni Kabusha Indlela Esakha Ngayo
UMoein Nodehi: Kusukela Empini Nokudingiswa Kuya Ekucabangeni Kabusha Indlela Esakha Ngayo - i-podcast S5, E4
“Ngakhula abazali bami bengixoxela izindaba ngempucuko yasePheresiya yasendulo… futhi ngadala lolu thando olukhulu ngempucuko yasendulo.” UMoein Nodehi
Wazalelwa phakathi nempi.
As conflict tore through Iran, Moein Nodehi’s family fled in search of safety, eventually ending up in an immigration camp in Sweden.
Kodwa ngisho nakuleyo minyaka yokuqala engaqinisekile, kwakwakhiwa elinye izwe ngaphakathi kwakhe.
His parents kept hope alive by telling stories of ancient Persia — its gardens, palaces, civic systems and extraordinary buildings. Those stories stayed with him. So did the contrast he later witnessed when he returned to Iran as a boy: the visible scars of war set alongside the brilliance of ancient architecture.
Lokho kungqubuzana kokubhujiswa kanye nempucuko kwambumba.
Kwamenza wazibuza ukuthi sakha kanjani, kungani sakha, nokuthi izakhiwo zethu zidala umhlaba onjani ngempela.
“Okwenzeka kimi kumaphiramidi kwakujule kakhulu kunalokho engingakuchaza ngamazwi.” UMoein Nodehi
Years later, that questioning would take him from engineering school to major construction projects in Dubai, and then far beyond the mainstream industry altogether. Disillusioned by what he saw — buildings celebrated as symbols of innovation while human and environmental costs were ignored — Moein chose a different route.
Wahamba, wahamba kabanzi, wafunda kumaphrojekthi asezingeni eliphansi emhlabeni wonke, wagcina esesungula i-Biotonomy: inkampani egxile ekwakhiweni kwezakhiwo okusekelwe emvelweni ephatha izakhiwo njengezinhlelo eziphilayo kunemishini.
“I was really obsessed about how we are building our buildings, our cities, and really our civilisation.” Moein Nodehi
In this episode of Constructive Voices, Jackie De Burca speaks with Moein about exile, ancient wisdom, modern cities, water, heat, resilience, and why nature may hold many of the answers we’ve forgotten.
"The design decisions that we take for our cities, for our buildings, have a direct impact on our brain waves and our wellbeing.” Moein Nodehi
Kulesi siqephu
Jackie and Moein explore how buildings can work with nature rather than against it — and why that shift matters not just for carbon and climate, but for health, wellbeing and the future of cities. They discuss:
- indlela impilo kaMoein yokuqala phakathi kwe-Iran neSweden eyabumba ngayo umbono wakhe womhlaba
- kungani umklamo wasendulo wasePheresiya nowasehlane usanikeza izifundo ezinamandla nanamuhla
- lokho akufundile ngokushiya izakhiwo ezinkulu ezivamile
- how nature-based architecture can cool buildings, recycle water and reduce dependence on fragile infrastructure
- impumelelo yezindonga eziluhlaza eziphakelwa ngamanzi angcolile eMalaga
- why retrofitting existing buildings is both possible and urgent
- indlela izindawo eziluhlaza ezingayithuthukisa ngayo impilo, ezohwebo kanye nekhwalithi yokuphila
- where AI and robotics may help scale more affordable, nature-based building solutions
“The amount of money you save as a city by investing in making your buildings and your city healthy for people — it’s a no-brainer financially.” Moein Nodehi
Kungani le ngxoxo ibalulekile
Lesi siqephu simayelana nokungaphezulu kakhulu kwezakhiwo.
It is about memory, identity, courage and rethinking progress. Moein’s work asks a simple but profound question: what if our homes, hotels, neighbourhoods and cities were designed to behave more like ecosystems — resilient, regenerative, efficient and life-supporting?
Esikhundleni sokuphatha amanzi njengemfucuza, izinhlelo ezisekelwe emvelweni zingawahlanza futhi ziwasebenzise kabusha. Esikhundleni sokulwa nokushisa ngezinhlelo zokupholisa ezidinga amandla amaningi, izakhiwo zingaklanywa ukuthi zisebenze nge-physics, umoya ogeleza kuwo, umthunzi kanye nobuningi bokushisa. Esikhundleni sezindonga zasemadolobheni ezingenampilo, izakhiwo zingaba izindawo ezivuselela kabusha izinto eziphilayo, support mental wellbeing and even strengthen local economies.
Iphuzu lokushintsha ekwakheni
Enye yezingxenye ezithakazelisa kakhulu zesiqephu ukulandisa kukaMoein ngokushiya udumo nomholo wokwakhiwa kwephrojekthi enkulu ngemuva kokubona imikhuba ayenomuzwa wokuthi ayihambisani kakhulu nesithunzi somuntu kanye nomthwalo wemfanelo wezemvelo.
Leso sinqumo samholela eminyakeni yokufunda ngezandla kumaphrojekthi ase-Afrika, e-Asia, eCaribbean naseNingizimu Melika, lapho ahlangana khona nezixazululo zendawo, ezisebenzayo, zobuchwepheshe obuphansi futhi ezivame ukunganakwa. Kulokho kwavela umgomo weBiotonomy: ukuhlanganisa imibono esekelwe emvelweni esivele isebenza, futhi uyivumelanise nezinga lasemadolobheni.
“Uma uletha imvelo edolobheni, yilokho okukhanga abantu.” Moein Nodehi
Kusukela ekungabazeni kuya empumelelweni eMalaga
Isibonelo esivelele kulesi siqephu umsebenzi kaBiotonomy eMalaga, lapho uMoein nethimba lakhe balwela khona imvume yokufaka uhlelo lodonga oluhlaza oluphakelwa amanzi angcolile esakhiweni ahlanziwe.
Lo mbono waqale wachithwa. Kubikwa ukuthi izikhulu zazingabaza ukuthi uzosebenza. Kodwa lapho usufakiwe, lo msebenzi wachuma. Izitshalo zachuma ngoba amanzi asetshenziswe kabusha ayephethe izakhamzimba, futhi udonga lwaba ngaphezu nje kwempumelelo yobuchwepheshe - lwaba yindawo yokuxhumana nabantu. Abantu bashintsha imizila yabo ukuze badlule kulo. Lwaba yindawo yokuhlangana. Amabhizinisi aseduze abone ukwanda kwabantu abadlulayo. Lokho okwaqala njengokuhlola kwaba ukubonakaliswa okubonakalayo kokuthi izinhlelo zasemadolobheni eziluhlaza neziyindilinga zingasebenza ngokusebenzayo.
"Kwadingeka silwele ilayisensi... futhi abantu abaningi basitshela ukuthi, 'Sizonibona nihluleka ngoba lokhu ngeke kusebenze.'" UMoein Nodehi
Imiklomelo kanye nomthelela obanzi
Moein also reflects on some of the recognition Biotonomy has received, including an award linked to a humanitarian conflict-resolution project in Lebanon, where people from different backgrounds came together to build and learn practical regenerative design solutions. He also shares how later work in Spain helped shift perceptions and build confidence in what nature-based retrofits can achieve.
Umyalezo onethemba
Kunomuzwa onamandla wokuthi kungenzeka ukuthi kuqhubeke kule ngxoxo.
Moein is not waiting for perfect systems or perfect approval. He argues that cities, policymakers, developers and communities need to be bolder — to stop over-analysing risk to the point of paralysis, and start testing what better could look like.
His message to listeners is equally direct: you do not need to be an expert to get involved. If this way of building resonates with you, start learning, join the conversation, and take part.
Lalela isiqephu
Kusukela ekubalekeni impi kuya ekucabangeni kabusha impucuko ngokuklama, uMoein Nodehi uletha ingxube engavamile yokuhlangenwe nakho okuphilayo, ukuqonda kobuchwepheshe kanye nokucabanga okunemibono kulesi siqephu.
Lena ingxoxo mayelana nokuthi izakhiwo zingaba yini - nokuthi isintu singaba yini nazo.
Mayelana noMoein Nodehi
UMoein Nodehi ungumsunguli kanye ne-CEO ye I-Biotonomy, inkampani ehamba phambili ku-Nature-Based Architecture.
Sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15, eklama futhi esebenzisa amaphrojekthi angempela ahlanganisa izinhlelo zokuphila ngqo esakhiweni sezakhiwo namadolobha — ecabanga kabusha ngendlela aphatha ngayo amanzi, isimo sezulu kanye nemvelo.
His work supports developers and public institutions in creating buildings and cities with circular systems — reducing dependency on external resources while strengthening urban resilience and ecological balance.
He is also co-founder of Circular Living where he is focusing on merging Robotic Construction, Artificial Intelligence and Nature Based Architecture to develop self-sufficient buildings
Mayelana ne-Biotonomy
Biotonomy is a global development & education company that applies the principles of Nature Based Solutions, Biomimicry, and Innovative Technology to develop Autonomous buildings, communities and cities.
Our team of experts works to understand how nature solves complex problems, and then applies that knowledge to create innovative solutions creating a healthier and regenerative imvelo eyakhiwe.
Ngokugxila kakhulu ekubambisaneni nasemfundweni, sifisa ukuletha umhlaba lapho izakhiwo namadolobha kungagcini nje ngokusimama, kodwa futhi kunegalelo elikhulu ekubuyiselweni kwezinhlelo zemvelo.
Seyed M.Atighe chi
Izinyanga 2 edluleDear Nodehy,Hi,
We are proud of you, whatever you do is in favor of environment and healthier humans in future. Right now you have a great responsibility, please talk and advise
any individual and authorities around the world to increase their knowledge and responsibilities.
Please read Dr.Akira Miyawaki from Japan for his new method of afforestation which will help you a lot for your outdoor plantations.
I have a modified plantation method close to him that I will share it with you
in near future.
Dr.Seyed M.Atighe chi
UJackie De Burca
Emasontweni 4 edluleThank you so much for your comment and advice for Moein Nodehi.
He is very happy.
He said for you to contact him, if you wish, directly on LinkedIn noma ngokusebenzisa [i-imeyili ivikelwe].