The Favis urban apiary is designed to be an attractive, inexpensive and simple way for beginners and hobbyists to participate in the urban beekeeping movement. Based on the top bar hive style, this hive allows for simple, easy beekeeping by the user. Its construction mainly consists of molded plastic, with foam insulation and stainless steel legs. The overall design was inspired by modern architecture as well as the shapes and curves of natural honeybee hives.

Several directions were explored in initial sketches, from more vertically oriented styles to simple troughs. Eventually, it was decided that a simple trough would be the easiest for the user to maintain.

As a hive built for hobbyists and beginners, the hive is a moderate size, allowing for a medium sized hive that also outputs enough honey for a small household.

An exploded view of the hive showcasing the main features: Double wall construction, top bar style hive, tight fitting lid, multiple adjustable enterences and a slide out inspection tray.

Several color choices were also considered to satisfy consumer wants.

Presentation poster.

A few examples of the beehive in use in various situations.