HINDU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

SONIPAT 131001
(AFFILIATED BY DEENBANDHU CHHOTU RAM UNIVERSITY OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

DISSERTATION REPORT

BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE
AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

DECEMBER 2018

Submitted by: Guided by:

ABHEY VERMA KIRTI ARORA
14025006002
[Link]. Semester-09
 HINDU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

DECLARATION

I, Abhey Verma , Roll Number, 14025006002 hereby declare that the dissertation
titled ‘ Biomimicry In Architecture ’ submitted by me, in partial fulfillment of the
requirement of the curriculum of Bachelor of Architecture as per the university norms, to
Hindu School of Architecture, is a record of my original work with credits given for
information collected from any other source.

ABHEY VERMA
14025006002
 HINDU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation titled “ BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE ”,

submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the curriculum of Bachelor of
Architecture is the work of ABHEY VERMA., Roll Number 14025006002, who carried
out research work under our supervision in Hindu School of Architecture, Sonepat,
Haryana.

We recommend that the dissertation report be placed before the examiners for their
consideration.

____________________ _______________________ ____________________

KIRTI ARORA
Signature of the Guide Signature of the Mentor Signature of the External
Guide
STATEMENT FOR DISSERTATION PREPARATION

1. Dissertation Title: Biomimicry in Architecture

2. Specifications regarding Dissertation format have been closely followed as per
syllabus.
3. The contents of the dissertation have been organised as per the syllabus.
4. The dissertation has been prepared without restart to plagiarism.
5. All sources used have been citied appropriately.
6. The dissertation has not been submitted elsewhere for a degree.

Sign. of student
Name: AbheyVerma
Roll No.: 14025006002
Dissertation submitted on.............................
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I Would like to express gratitude to my coordinator dissertation studio Ar. KIRTI ARORA,
for guiding and giving her useful suggestions. I am also thankful for their valuable
comments, suggestions and sharing the knowledge.

I am especially indebted to my family, for giving their love and support without which this
Dissertation would not have been possible. Above all thank the almighty God for all his
blessings

ABHEY VERMA
 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

1. CHAPTER 1 - OVERVIEW

1.1. INTRODUCTION: -…………………………………………………………………4

1.2. AIM: -…………………….………………………………….…….......…………….5
1.3. OBJECTIVE: -……………………………………………………………………….5
1.4. SCOPE: -………………………………………………………………………....…..6
1.5. METHODOLOGY: -…………………………………………………………...........6
1.6. LIMITATION: -……………………………………………………………………...7
1.7. CONCLUSION: -……………………………………………………………...……..7

2. CHAPTER 2 - INTRODUCTION

2.1. BACKGROUND: -………………………………………...……………..…………..9

2.2. DEFINITION: -……………………………………...………………………………10
2.3. CONCEPT: -…………………………………………………………………………10
2.4. HISTORICAL ORIGIN: -……....................................................................................11

3. CHAPTER 3 - INFLUENCE OF BIOMIMICRY ON ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

3.1. BIOMIMETIC TECHNOLOGY: -………………………………………..………….15

3.2. PRINCIPALS OF BIOMIMICRY: -……………...…………………………………..15
3.3. DESIGN APPROACHES: -…………………………………………………..………16
3.4. LEVELS OF BIOMIMICRY: -……………………………………………………….18

4. CHAPTER 4 - CASE STUDIES: APPLICATION OF BIOMIMICRY IN ARCH. DESIGN

4.1. INTRODUCTION: -…………………………………………………………………..20

4.2. LITRATURE STUDY 1: -……………………………………………...……………..21
4.3. LITRATURE STUDY 2: -……………………………………………….……………24
4.4. CASE STUDY 1: -……………………………………………………………….……27
4.5. CASE STUDY 2: -…………………………………………………………….………31

5. CHAPTER 5 - CONCLUSION (SUMMARY)

5.1. FINAL CONCLUSION: -……………………………………………………….…….35

5.2. BENEFITS OF BIOMIMICRY: -…………………………………………………..…35
5.3. CRITICISM: -…………………………………………………………………………36
5.4. FUTURE SCOPE: -………………………………………………………………...…37

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 - Janine Benyus .............................................................................................. 10
Figure 2 - Egyption Architecture .................................................................................... 11
Figure 3 - Taking Inspiration from trees......................................................................... 12
Figure 4 - Leonardo da Vinci’s model and the modern aero plane ................................ 13
Figure 5 – Beijing Olympic Stadium Algorithm .............................................................. 22
Figure 6 - Eastgate Centre Building Exterior, Interior and Section................................. 25
Figure 7 - Lotus Temple Perspective ............................................................................ 28
Figure 8 - Lotus temple Structure .................................................................................. 29
Figure 9 - Lotus temple Section .................................................................................... 30
Figure 10 - Biowonder Conceptual Sketch .................................................................... 32
Figure 11- Biowonder Sectionceptual SketchFigure 9 - Lotus temple Section ............... 33

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

CHAPTER 1 - OVERVIEW

 INTRODUCTION: -

 AIM: -

 OBJECTIVE: -

 SCOPE: -

 LIMITATION: -

 METHODOLOGY: -

 CONCLUSION: -

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

1.1 INTRODUCTION:

THIS DISSERTATION INTENDS TO DEMONSTRATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CREATING AN

ARCHITECTURE THAT IS CONSIDERATE OF NATURE AND ITS ABILITY TO TRANSFORM A

DWELLING INTO AN ENLIVENED SPACE.

IN TODAY'S INCREASINGLY URBAN LANDSCAPE, WHERE POWER AND MONEY HAVE

BECOME THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE, IT IS HARD TO FIND A PLACE WHERE ONE CAN BE AT

PEACE WITH NATURE. ARCHITECTURE HAS SIMPLY BECOME DIFFICULT TO SOLVE THE

INCREASING SPACE DEMAND, AND HAS THUS LOST ITS CONNECTION WITH ITS

ENVIRONMENT. RATHER THAN BUILDING WITH RESPECT TO PLACE AND DRAWING ON

THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF A SITE, EMPHASIS IS ON QUICK-BUILD AND MASS

PRODUCTION.

THE STUDY DISCUSSES THUS THE ARCHITECTS WHO DEMONSTRATE A RADICAL DESIGN
APPROACH QUESTIONING AND REASSESSING THE NORMS OF ARCHITECTURE . WHY
SHOULD WE PRODUCE NUMEROUS COPIES OF ONE STYLE? SURELY EACH INDIVIDUAL

PROJECT SHOULD BE APPROACHED AS SUCH- EXCLUSIVE! IT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE WELL-

BEING OF THE HUMAN BEHAVIOR TO EXPERIENCE NATURE IN EVERYDAY LIFE. THE

INTERACTION PROVIDES PEACE AND ENCOURAGES REFLECTION WHY CAN’T AN

CLEMENT OF THE NATURAL WORLD BE PRESENT IN ALL BUILDINGS? EVEN AN ADDITION

OF AN INNER GARDEN IN AN URBAN HOUSE, WHERE, SEEMINGLY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO

DRAW ON NATURE, WOULD PROVIDE A PLACE OF CONTEMPLATION AND CALM AMIDST

THE HECTIC LIFE OUTSIDE EVEN IN MORE RURAL AREAS, WHERE IT IS INFINITELY MORE

POSSIBLE TO DRAW ON NATURE, ARCHITECTURE TODAY CHOOSES THE " EASY" OPTION,

AND OUR LANDSCAPE REFLECTS IDENTICAL BUILDING CHOICES, REGARDLESS OF

LOCATION.

THE PURPOSE OF THE REPORT IS TO INTRODUCE AND FIND LOGIC BY THE READER IN THE
IDEOLOGY OF BIOMIMICRY THAT REFERS TO SUSTAINABILITY BY LOOKING TOWARDS

NATURE FOR SOLUTIONS. IN THIS, THE BASICS OF BIOMIMICRY ARE INTRODUCED TO THE
READER AS WELL AS THE HISTORY OF BIOMIMICRY.

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THE DISSERTATION RESEARCHES THE POSSIBILITY OF LINKING AND APPLYING OF

BIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF EMERGING

SCIENCES IN DEVELOPING A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND REGENERATIVE DESIGN SOLUTION

FOR A TRULY APPEALING ARCHITECTURE THAT IS SYMPATHETIC WITH ITS

SURROUNDINGS, AND WORKS TO REALIZE THAT WHICH THE SITE DEMAND. TO DRAW

NATURE INTO THE BODY, THROUGH LIGHT, SOUND AND LANDSCAPE, WILL ULTIMATELY

ACCOMPLISH AN ARCHITECTURE THAT WILL SPEAK TO THE SPIRIT OF BOTH THE HUMAN

SOUL AND NATURE.

FOR THIS, WE REVIEW NATURE TO EMULATE ITS CREATIVITY IN OUR TECHNOLOGIES FOR
EFFECTIVE. EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY INNOVATION. THE IMPACT OF OUR

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES ON ECOLOGY IS TREMENDOUS AND A BETTER SOLUTION

CAN BE EVOLVED FROM NATURE ITSELF NATURE IS THE ONLY ENTITY CAPABLE OF

CONTROLLING ITS OWN SUSTAINABILITY HENCE, HERE WE DISCUSS THE BELIEF OF

BIOMIMICRY BEING A POWERFUL FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGN, USING NATURE AS

MEASURE, MODEL AND MENTOR

1.2 AIM:
TO UNDERSTAND THE EMERGING TREND OF USING BIOMIMICRY AND STUDY VARIOUS

WORKS AND THEORIES UNDER TILTS EVOLUTION AS A RESPONSE TO A DESIGN PROBLEM

APPLYING BIOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL OF BOTH

EMERGING SCIENCES IN DEVELOPING A MORE PRACTICAL AND REGENERATIVE

ARCHITECTURE. AND FINALLY, RELATING THE APPLICATIONS OF BIOMIMICRY TO STUDY

ITS SCOPE IN CONTEMPORARY INDIAN ARCHITECTURE.

1.3 OBJECTIVE:
 TO REVIEW BIO-MIMICRY FROM HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE TO ESTABLISH THE FIRST
DOCUMENTED BIO-MIMETIC DESIGN.

 EXPLORE THE RELEVANCE OF BIOMIMICRY AS NATURE INSPIRED INNOVATION.

 HOW CAN TERMS LIKE GREEN, SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY CONSCIOUSNESS BE

ASSOCIATED WITH BIO- MIMETIC DESIGN?

 ANALYZE AND EVALUATE CASE STUDIES REPRESENTING SUCH A TECHNOLOGY.

 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE NEED OF BIOMIMETIC DESIGN, BY ESTABLISHING A
THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR CASE-STUDIES.

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1.4 SCOPE:
THE SCOPE OF THIS RESEARCH IS THE STUDY AND ANALYSIS OF BIO MIMICRY AS A

SIGNIFICANT TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION,

FOCUSING ON THE POSSIBILITY OF APPLYING SELECTED BIOMIMETIC PRINCIPLES FOR

FUTURE SUSTAINABLE DESIGNS OF BUILDINGS SOLVING PURPOSES LIKE

 CREATING LARGE SPAN CLEAR UNOBSTRUCTED AREAS

 PROPER LIGHTING
 VENTILATION AND ACOUSTICAL TREATMENT
 ENERGY EFFICIENCY

1.5METHODOLOGY:

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1.6 LIMITATION:
THE STUDY IS BASED ON SECONDARY SOURCES. THUS MOST OF THE EXAMPLES

DISCUSSED ARE SECONDARY SITES, HENCE CANNOT BE VISITED. BUT THE INFORMATION

GIVEN IS SURE TO BE COMPLETE W.R.T THE CONCERNED TOPIC AND ITS AUTHENTICITY IS

ASSURED THE STUDY IS ONLY FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING AND RELATING THE

PREMISE OF BIO-MIMETIC ARCHITECTURE, WHICH IS NOT A DETAILED ONE AND FOCUSES

ON ONLY THE KEY BIOMIMETIC ASPECTS OF THE BUILDING

1.7 CONCLUSION:
TO PROVE THAT THE CONSCIOUS EMULATION OF LIFE'S GENIUS IS A SURVIVAL STRATEGY
FOR THE HUMAN RACE, A PATH TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THE MORE OUR WORLD

FUNCTIONS LIKE THE NATURAL WORLD, THE MORE LIKELY WE ARE TO ENDURE ON THIS

HOME THAT IS OURS, BUT NOT OURS ALONE

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CHAPTER 2 - INTRODUCTION
 BACKGROUND

 DEFINITION

 CONCEPT

 HISTORICAL ORIGIN

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2.1 BACKGROUND:
NATURE HAS A LOT TO TEACH US, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ARCHITECTURE, SO
WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDINGS OUR BEST TEACHER IS OFTEN THE NATURAL

ENVIRONMENT. THE NATURAL WORLD IS ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF SOMETHING

THAT IS ALWAYS CHANGING OUR ENVIRONMENT'S EVER SHIFTING NATURE HAS

ALLOWED BOTH PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE TO EVOLVE AND ADAPT TO BE ABLE TO

SURVIVE. THE LIVING THINGS ON THIS PLANET HAVE GONE THROUGH 3.8 BILLION YEARS

OF FUNCTIONING AROUND US TODAY. SO IN OUR QUEST TO CREATE A MORE RESEARCH

AND DEVELOPMENT, REFINING THEM INTO THE PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE AND ADAPTED

SOLUTIONS WE SEE THE SAME CONCEPTS TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND ENERGY

EFFICIENT BUILDINGS.

LOOKING BACK INTO THE PAST IT CAN BE OBSERVED THAT DESPITE THE AMOUNT OF

SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE MANKIND HAS GATHERED, NATURE STILL HOLDS GREAT

MYSTERIES THAT WE MAY NEVER BE ABLE TO UNRAVEL. THIS COMPLEXITY HAS

CONTINUALLY DAUNTED MAN. IN FRUSTRATION, WE TRY TO CONTROL NATURE BY

ENFORCING ORDER. AS A RESULT, WE HAVE DISTANCED OURSELVES FROM THE EARTH,

EVEN THOUGH OUR SURVIVAL IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON IT. WE ARE NOW TRYING

TO REGAIN OUR CLOSE CONNECTION TO NATURE.

WITH THIS ONSET OF THE CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE AND A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT ON

THE EMPHASIS OF CONCERN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. A RETURN TO EMBRACING

NATURE AS AN ARCHITECTURAL DRIVER HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN ORDER TO BRING BACK

A COHERENT UNDERSTANDING AND A SPIRITUAL COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN BOTH MAN

AND HIS SURROUNDINGS THAT CANNOT BE REALIZED WITH EACH AS OPPOSING

ELEMENTS.

THE ARCHITECTS HAVE FINALLY REALIZED THAT THE SOLUTION CAN BE ESTABLISHED
BY EMULATING NATURE'S TIME-TESTED PATTERNS AND STRATEGIES, E.G. A SOLAR CELL

INSPIRED BY A LEAF THE CORE IDEA IS THAT NATURE, IMAGINATIVE BY NECESSITY, HAS

ALREADY SOLVED MANY OF THE PROBLEMS WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH ENERGY, FOOD

PRODUCTION, CLIMATE CONTROL, NON-TOXIC CHEMISTRY, TRANSPORTATION,

PACKAGING. AND A WHOLE LOT MORE HENCE, TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THESE

SOLUTIONS WE SEE AROUND US EVERY DAY WE HAVE NOW TURNED TO A NEW STRATUM

OF DESIGNING CALLED BIOMIMICRY

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2.2 BIOMIMICRY - DEFINITION:

THE WORD BIOMIMICRY ORIGINATES FROM THE

GREEK WORD BIOS, MEANING LIFE, AND MIMESIS,

MEANING TO IMITATE.

BIOMIMETICS IS A NEW DISCIPLINE THAT STUDIES

NATURE'S BEST IDEAS AND THEN IMITATES THESE

DESIGNS AND PROCESSES TO SOLVE HUMAN

PROBLEMS. IT IS A WAY TO OBSERVE NATURE IN

ACTION AND USE THAT KNOWLEDGE TO INSPIRE

FIGURE 1 - JANINE BENYUS
NEW IDEAS. IT IS A DESIGN INSPIRED BY NATURE NOT BLIND IMITATION BUT INSPIRATION

FOR TRANSFORMING THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURE INTO SUCCESSFUL DESIGN SOLUTION.

JANINE BENYUS AUTHOR OF THE BOOK BIOMIMICRY INNOVATION INSPIRED BY

NATURE" SOLIDIFIED THE SCIENCE OF BIOMIMICRY EXPLAINING IN HER BOOK HOW

MIMICKING DESIGNS AND STRATEGIES FOUND IN NATURE COULD CHANGE THE WAY

HUMAN THINK IN EVERY FIELD OF LIFE INCLUDING ARCHITECTURE

SHE EXPLAINS THE PROCESS OF BIOMIMETICS AS RELYING ON THE FACT THAT LIVING

ORGANISMS AND ENGINEERS HAVE A SIMILAR GOAL: TO CREATE A STRUCTURE IN THE

CHEAPEST WAY POSSIBLE-EITHER IN TERMS OF ENERGY OR MONEY BIOMIMICRY CAN

BE APPLIED TO BUILDINGS IN ORDER TO:

A) MAKE MATERIALS STRONGER, SELF-ASSEMBLING, AND SELF-HEALING.

B) USE NATURAL PROCESSES AND FORCES FOR BASIC BUILDING FUNCTIONS

C) ALLOW THEM TO PRODUCE RESOURCES BY INTEGRATING NATURAL SYSTEMS.

2.3 CONCEPT:
AS ARGUED BEFORE, THE CONCEPT OF BIOMIMICRY IN ITSELF IS NOTHING NEW. HUMAN
STRUCTURES HAVE BORROWED FROM NATURE THROUGHOUT HISTORY. OUR FIRST

SHELTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE LITTLE MORE THAN UPTURNED BIRD'S NESTS: FORMED

OF BRANCHES AND INSULATED AGAINST THE ELEMENTS BY WHATEVER MATERIALS

WERE READILY AVAILABLE. IN FACT, ONE CAN SAY THAT BIOMIMICRY IS NOT A NEW

MOVEMENT, BUT A RETURN TO OUR EARLIEST INSPIRATIONS. NEW TECHNOLOGIES,

HOWEVER, HAVE ALLOWED US TO INVESTIGATE AND REPLICATE SYSTEMS THAT OUR

ANCESTORS WERE UNABLE TO EXPLOIT ON GRAND SCALE.

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IN BIOMIMICRY WE LOOK BACK TO THE FUTURE AND INTO

NATURE'S DEVELOPMENT/EVOLUTION AND USES

SOMETHING THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU TO

IMPROVE OUR LIFE'S AND CREATE NEW TECHNOLOGY

FOR MANKIND. THIS BASIC IDEA TO COMBINE

BIOLOGY AND ENGINEERING IS TO HELP HUMANITY

TREAT NATURE BETTER AND IN MORE HARMONY, SO

ANYONE FROM A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL TO THE LARGEST

ENTERPRISE, CAN CREATE BETTER PRODUCTS, BECOME GREENER AND WORK IN

HARMONY WITH NATURE.

BIOMIMICRY SOLUTIONS ARE SUSTAINABLE, PERFORM WELL, SAVE ENERGY AND CUT

MATERIAL COSTS REDEFINING AND ELIMINATING WASTE

2.4 HISTORICAL ORIGN:

ARCHITECTS AND MASTER-BUILDERS HAVE
BEEN USING NATURE AS A SOURCE OF

INSPIRATION LONG BEFORE THE TERMS BIO

INSPIRATION OR BIOMIMETICS WERE

INTRODUCED. BIOMIMICRY -- APPLYING

NATURE'S SOLUTIONS TO HUMAN

PROBLEMS -- CAN BE TRACED BACK TO

EARLY HUMANS. THEY OBSERVED

ANIMALS AND MIMICKED THEIR HUNTING,

SHELTER AND SURVIVAL BEHAVIORS

WHILE THERE IS NO PROOF, IT IS QUITE

LIKELY THAT THE FORMS OF EGGS INSPIRED

THE FIRST HUMAN-MADE DOMES, OR THAT

THE TREES INSPIRED THE INVENTION OF

COLUMNS AND TALL SKYSCRAPERS THAT

ARE SO COMMON TODAY. IN THIS SENSE FIGURE 2 EGYPTION ARCHITECTURE

BIOMIMICRY IS FAR FROM BEING A RECENT IDEA. IMHOTEP, AN EGYPTIAN POLYMATH

AND THE FIRST RECORDED ARCHITECT FROM AROUND 2400 B.C.E. 'WAS THE FIRST TO

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TRANSLATE VERNACULAR MATERIALS INTO STONE-FACED ASHLAR AND THE PYRAMID

SHAPE AND TO ABSTRACT BUNDLED REEDS INTO COLUMNS.

THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN CULTURE IS ABUNDANT IN ARTIFACTS THAT WERE NATURE

INSPIRED MOST REMAINING ARTIFACTS WERE CARVED IN STONE WHICH ALLOWED THEM

TO SURVIVE THROUGHOUT TIME UNTIL REDISCOVERED BY MODEM ARCHAEOLOGISTS.

ONE OFTEN FINDS MOTIFS, ON COLUMNS, FOR EXAMPLE, DERIVING FROM NATURAL

MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN CARRIED OVER FROM ORIGINAL MATERIAL INTO STONE

ARCHITECTURAL FORMS COLUMNS WERE THE MOST COMMON IMITATORS OF NATURE,

OFTEN TAKING INSPIRATION FROM PALMS, LOTUS AND PAPYRUS PLANTS.

THE HIEROGLYPHICS (EGYPTIAN ALPHABET) ALSO IMITATED NATURAL SHAPES OF

NATURE, LIKE A BIRD'S FEATHER OR WHOLE ANIMAL'S SILHOUETTE, WHICH CONVEYED

SYMBOLIC MEANINGS.

THE EGYPTIANS ASSOCIATED ANIMALS AND PLANTS WITH THEIR FUNCTIONS AND

CHARACTER AND THEREFORE OFTEN IMITATED THEM TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION

ACROSS TIME. ALMOST ALWAYS THEIR SHAPES ECHOED VEGETABLE FORMS SHELLS,
SWELLING AT THE BASE TO RESEMBLE A BUNCH OF LOTUS STALKS, STOOD UPON

CIRCULAR STONE BASES, THEIR BUD SHAPED CAPITALS CREATING A SILHOUETTE VERY

COMMON AT THE TIME ANOTHER WAS PRODUCED BY A SIMPLE TAPERED SHAFT,

CROWNED BY THE INVERTED-BELL FORM OF AN OPEN PAPYRUS FLOWER IN THE

HYPOSTYLE HALL AT KARNAK, THE HUGE CENTRAL COLUMNS TOOK THIS LATTER

FORM, WHILE THE CAPITALS OF THE LOWER ORDER ON EITHER SIDE IMITATED THE SHAPE

OF A FLOWER

FIGURE 3 TAKING INSPIRATION FROM TREES

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THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE CAN BE SEEN ALL THROUGH HISTORY - THE
EGYPTIAN, MAYAN, POLYNESIAN, INCAN AND MANY OTHER ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

BUILT MONUMENTS OF DEVOTION TO A HIGHER ORDER AND ALL THESE CULTURES HAD

A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH LIFE AND THE NATURAL WORLD.

THIS MEANT THAT THE INSPIRATION HAD ITS SOURCE FAR BEYOND THE IDEA OF

IMITATING PLANTS AND ANIMALS ALONE. THE IMITATION WAS NOT LIMITED TO A SINGLE

EXAMPLE BUT CONVEYED UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF NATURE THAT WERE SHARED

ACROSS ALL LIFE. THE CREATION OF SACRED BUILDINGS ECHOES THE CREATION OF THE

UNIVERSE, AND BOTH SEEK TO FOLLOW SIMILAR MATHEMATICAL LAWS. THEREFORE,

THE GOLDEN SECTION (PHI) IS FOUND TO GOVERN THE GROWTH OF FIGURE 4 LE PLANTS

AND ANIMALS, AND IS ALSO THE PRIMARY PROPORTION FOUND IN SACRED BUILDINGS

AND MONUMENTS ACROSS ANTIQUITY

IN THE 15TH CENTURY, LEONARDO

DAVINCI TOOK THIS THIS TYPE OF
MIMICRY FURTHER WHEN HE WAS

INFLUENCED BY BIRDS AND

CREATED DRAWINGS THAT

DEPICTED FLYING MACHINES.

EVEN THE WRIGHT BROTHERS'

SPENT TIME OBSERVING BIRDS IN

FLIGHT AND APPLIED SOME OF

THOSE PRINCIPLES TO THEIR

AIRPLANE PROTOTYPE

IN THE 15TH CENTURY, LEONARDO

DAVINCI TOOK THIS THIS TYPE OF
MIMICRY FURTHER WHEN HE WAS

INFLUENCED BY BIRDS AND

CREATED DRAWINGS THAT

DEPICTED FLYING MACHINES.

EVEN THE WRIGHT BROTHERS'

SPENT TIME OBSERVING BIRDS IN

FLIGHT AND APPLIED SOME OF

THOSE PRINCIPLES TO THEIR

AIRPLANE PROTOTYPE
FIGURE 4 LEONARDO DA VINCI’S MODEL AND THE
MODERN AEROPLANE

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CHAPTER 3 - INFLUENCE OF BIOMIMICRY ON

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

 BIOMIMETIC TECHNOLOGY

 PRINCIPALS OF BIOMIMICRY

 DESIGN APPROACHES

 LEVELS OF BIOMIMICRY

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3.1 BIOMIMETIC TECHNOLOGY:

IF WE WANT TO CONSCIOUSLY EMULATE NATURE’S GENIUS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT

NATURES DIFFERENTLY. IN BIOMIMICRY, WE LOOK AT NATURE AS MODEL, MEASURE

AND MENTOR

NATURE AS MODEL
BIOMIMICRY IS A NEW SCIENCE

THAT STUDIES NATURE'S MODELS

AND THEN EMULATES THESE

FORMS, PROCESS SYSTEMS, AND

STRATEGIES TO SOLVE HUMAN

PROBLEMS - SUSTAINABLY, THE

BIOMIMICRY GUILD AND ITS

COLLABORATORS HAVE

DEVELOPED A PRACTICAL DESIGN

TOOL, CALLED THE BIOMIMICRY

DESIGN SPIRAL, FOR USING

NATURE AS MODEL.

NATURE AS MEASURE:
EVALUATING BIOMIMICRY USES AN ECOLOGICAL STANDARD TO JUDGE THE

SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR INNOVATIONS. AFTER 3.8 BILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION,

NATURE HAS LEARNED WHAT WORKS AND WHAT LASTS NATURE AS MEASURE IS

CAPTURED IN LIFE'S PRINCIPLES AND IS EMBEDDED IN THE EVALUATE STEP OF THE

BIOMIMICRY DESIGN SPIRAL

NATURE AS MENTOR:
BIOMIMICRY IS A NEW WAY OF VIEWING AND VALUING NATURE. IT INTRODUCES AN
ERA BASED NOT ON WHAT WE CAN EXTRACT FROM THE NATURAL WORLD, BUT WHAT

WE CAN LEARN FROM IT.

3.2 PRINCIPLES OF BIO-MIMICRY:

BIOMIMICRY: INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE BY JANINE BENYUS SETS OUT THAT
THERE ARE NINE BASIC LAWS UNDERPINNING THE CONCEPT OF BIOMIMICRY. THE
BIOMIMICRY PRINCIPLES FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON NATURE'S ATTRIBUTES THEREBY

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IMPLYING THAT HUMANS HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM THE BILLIONS OF YEARS OF

THE NATURAL WORLD'S EVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCE. THEY ARE

 NATURE RUNS ON SUNLIGHT

 NATURE USES ONLY THE ENERGY IT NEEDS
 NATURE FITS FORM TO FUNCTION
 NATURE RECYCLES EVERYTHING
 NATURE REWARDS COOPERATION
 NATURE BANKS ON DIVERSITY
 NATURE DEMANDS LOCAL EXPERTISE
 NATURE CURBS EXCESSES FROM WITHIN
 NATURE TAPS THE POWER OF LIMITS.

3.3 DESIGN APPROACHES:

APPROACHES TO BIOMIMICRY AS A DESIGN PROCESS TYPICALLY FALL INTO TWO

CATEGORIES: DEFINING A HUMAN NEED DESIGN PROBLEM AND LOOKING TO THE

WAYS OTHER ORGANISMS OR ECOSYSTEMS SOLVE THIS, TERMED HERE DESIGN

LOOKING TO BIOLOGY, OR IDENTIFYING A PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTIC, BEHAVIOR

OR FUNCTION IN AN ORGANISM OR ECOSYSTEM AND TRANSLATING THAT INTO

HUMAN DESIGNS, REFERRED TO AS BIOLOGY INFLUENCING DESIGN

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3.3.1 PROBLEM BASED APPROACH:

THE APPROACH WHERE DESIGNERS LOOK TO THE LIVING WORLD FOR SOLUTIONS

REQUIRES DESIGNERS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND BIOLOGISTS TO THEN MATCH

THESE TO ORGANISMS THAT HAVE SOLVED SIMILAR ISSUES. THIS APPROACH IS

EFFECTIVELY LED BY DESIGNERS IDENTIFYING INITIAL GOALS FOR DESIGN.

CARL HASTRICH SUGGESTED THEY REPRESENT THE PROCESS IN A SPIRAL THAT

WOULD BE VISUALLY UNDERSTANDABLE TO DESIGNERS

RESEARCHERS HAVE THIS DEFINED THIS APPROACH THROUGH 6 DEFINITE STEPS,

WHICH ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THOSE DEFINED BY THE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE:

 STEP 1: PROBLEM DEFINITION

 STEP 2: REFRAME THE PROBLEM
 STEP 3: BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION SEARCH
 STEP 4: DEFINE THE BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION
 STEP 5: PRINCIPLE EXTRACTION
 STEP 6: PRINCIPLE APPLICATION
(MICHAEL HELMS, SWAROOP S. VATTAM AND ASHOK K. GOEL, 2009)

3.3.2 SOLUTION BASED APPROACH:

WHEN BIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE INFLUENCES HUMAN DESIGN, THE COLLABORATIVE
DESIGN PROCESS IS INITIALLY DEPENDENT ON PEOPLE HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF

RELEVANT BIOLOGICAL OR ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH RATHER THAN ON DETERMINED

HUMAN DESIGN PROBLEMS

AN ADVANTAGE OF THIS APPROACH THEREFORE IS THAT BIOLOGY MAY INFLUENCE

HUMANS IN WAYS THAT MIGHT BE OUTSIDE A PREDETERMINED DESIGN PROBLEM.

RESULTING IN PREVIOUSLY UNTHOUGHT-OF TECHNOLOGIES OR SYSTEMS OR EVEN

APPROACHES TO DESIGN SOLUTIONS THE POTENTIAL FOR TRUE SHIFTS IN THE WAY
HUMANS DESIGN AND WHAT IS FOCUSED ON AS A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM, EXISTS

WITH SUCH AN APPROACH TO BIOMIMETIC DESIGN

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

RESEARCHERS HAVE THIS DEFINE THIS APPROACH TO SIMILARLY THROUGH 7

DEFINITE STEPS THAT ARE: -

 STEP 1: BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION IDENTIFICATION • •

o HERE, DESIGNERS START WITH A PARTICULAR BIOLOGICAL

SOLUTION IN MIND.

 STEP 2: DEFINE THE BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION

 STEP 3: PRINCIPLE EXTRACTION
 STEP 4: REFRAME THE SOLUTION
o IN THIS CASE, REFRAMING FORCES DESIGNERS THINK IN TERMS OF
HOW HUMANS MIGHT VIEW THE USEFULNESS OF THE BIOLOGICAL

FUNCTION BEING ACHIEVED

 STEP 5 PROBLEM SEARCH

o WHEREAS SEARCH IN THE BIOLOGICAL DOMAIN INCLUDES SEARCH
THROUGH SOME FINITE SPACE OF DOCUMENTED BIOLOGICAL

SOLUTIONS, PROBLEM SEARCH MAY INCLUDE DEFINING ENTIRELY

NEW PROBLEMS THIS IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE SOLUTION

SEARCH STEP IN THE PROBLEM-DRIVEN PROCESS

 STEP 6: PROBLEM DEFINITION

 STEP 7: PRINCIPLE APPLICATION

3.4 LEVELS OF BIO MIMICRY:

THREE LEVELS OF BIO MIMICRY

BIO MIMICRY CAN WORK ON THREE LEVELS:

THE ORGANISM, ITS BEHAVIORS, AND THE ECOSYSTEM.

BUILDINGS ON THE ORGANISM LEVEL MIMIC A SPECIFIC ORGANISM.

WORKING ON THIS LEVEL WITHOUT MIMICKING HOW THE ORGANISM PARTICIPATES

IN A LARGER CONTEXT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE A BUILDING THAT

INTEGRATES WELL WITH ITS ENVIRONMENT ON A BEHAVIOR LEVEL, BUILDINGS

MIMIC HOW AN ORGANISM BEHAVES OR RELATES TO ITS LARGER CONTEXT.

ON THE LEVEL OF THE ECOSYSTEM, A BUILDING MIMICS THE NATURAL PROCESS

AND CYCLE OF THE GREATER ENVIRONMENT.

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CHAPTER 4 - CASE STUDIES: APPLICATION OF

BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE DESIGN

 INTRODUCTION

 LITRATURE STUDY 1

 LITRATURE STUDY 2

 CASE STUDY 1

 CASE STUDY 2

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4.1 INTRODUCTION:

IN SUMMARIZING THE CONCEPTS OUTLINED IN THIS STUDY, IT IS APPARENT THAT THERE

ARE MANY PARALLELS TO BE DRAWN BETWEEN NATURE AND ARCHITECTURE, SOME OF

WHICH HAVE BEEN STUDIED FOR CENTURIES AND OTHERS WHICH ONLY NOW BECOMING

RELEVANT AS WE SEEK TO REMEDY THE STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILT

AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. WHILST CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS UPON REDUCING ENERGY AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION

BIOMIMICRY PROVIDES A

AS ARCHITECTS, WE CAN BENEFIT FROM BIOMIMICRY TO MAKE BUILDINGS BETTER BY

PUSHING FOR MORE NATURAL, INTEGRATED, EFFICIENT AND HEALTHY SOLUTIONS. WE ALSO

NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROLE AESTHETICS PLAYS IN NATURE - WITH THE WAY
FUNCTION AND FORM SO SYNERGISTICALLY MERGE . PERHAPS THIS IS A WAY FOR BUILDINGS

TO HARMONIZE WITH NATURE IN RENEWED WAYS MAKING BUILT ENVIRONMENTS MORE

ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND AND HEALTHY FOR OCCUPANTS . NATURE CAN TEACH US ABOUT

SYSTEMS, MATERIALS, PROCESSES, STRUCTURES AND AESTHETICS (JUST TO NAME A FEW). BY

DELVING MORE DEEPLY INTO HOW NATURE SOLVES PROBLEMS THAT WE EXPERIENCE TODAY ,

WE CAN EXTRACT TIMELY SOLUTIONS AND FIND NEW DIRECTIONS FOR OUR BUILT

ENVIRONMENTS IN THIS CHAPTER I HAVE BROADLY CATEGORIZED THESE EXPERIMENTS INTO

THREE MAJOR SUBHEADS AS PER THEIR CASE EXAMPLES DESCRIBED VIZ. STRUCTURE,
MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES, AND BUILDING SYSTEMS. ILLUSTRATED HENCEFORTH

STRUCTURE

DIGITAL TECHNIQUES HAVE ADVANCED DRAMATICALLY IN RECENT YEARS, OFFERING AN

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT, ANALYZE, CREATE FABRICATE, AND SIMULATE

ARCHITECTURAL FORMS INSPIRED BY NATURE . WHETHER ITS THE SHELLS COMPRISING THE
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE AND THE REGULAR GRIDS AND ORNAMENT FOUND IN GOTHIC
CATHEDRALS STRUCTURAL INSPIRATION FROM NATURAL FORMS FROM ROCKS TO SHELLS TO

SPONGES AND SEA URCHINS - REPRESENT SOME OF THE MOST ELEGANT AND SOPHISTICATED

FORMS, DEMONSTRATING COMPLICATED DESIGN AND ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES

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4.2 LITRATURE STUDY 1:

BEIJING OLYMPIC STADIUM AS BIOMIMICRY OF A BIRD’S NEST

DRAWING FROM THE STRUCTURAL STRENGTH AND FACT FILE

BEAUTY OF NATURAL OBJECTS IS A GROWING TREND
LOCATION: BEIJING, CHINA
AS ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS TODAY HAVE
ARCHITECTS: HERZOG & DE
BECOME INCREASINGLY INTERESTED IN THE
MEURON ARCHITEKEN AG
EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY AND MATERIALS. BEIJING
YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION:
NATIONAL STADIUM, DESIGNED BY SWISS 2002-2008
ARCHITECTS HERZOG & DE MEURON, IS AN BUILDING TYPE: NATIONAL
EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF THESE SPORTS VENUE

BIOMETRIC PRINCIPLES IN MODERN ARCHITECTURE. COST OF CONSTRUCTION: 3.5

BILLION YUAN (~423 MILLION
AS IMPLIED BY ITS NICKNAME - A 'BIRD'S NEST', THE USD)
STADIUM RISES OUT OF THE LANDSCAPE IN THE SHAPE
TOTAL AREA: 250,000 SQ.M
OF A GIANT UPTURNED BIRD'S NEST. THE SEEMINGLY
TOTAL WEIGHT: 45,000 TONES
RANDOM PATTERN OF THE STEEL STRUCTURAL
MATERIAL USED: CONCRETE,
MEMBERS AS THE TWIGS IS ACTUALLY GOVERNED BY STEEL AND ETHYL
ADVANCED GEOMETRICAL RULES TO ENSURE A TETROFLUOROETHYLENE (ETFE)
PANEL ROOFING
COMPACT AND OPTIMUM DESIGN, THE SEATING BOWL

WAS ESTABLISHED FIRST, WITH THE OUTER FAÇADE WRAPPING AROUND IT. THE DESIGN
ENSURES THAT ALL SPECTATORS ARE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE ACTION AND HAVE CLEAR

SIGHT LINES.

THE CHINESE NATIONAL STADIUM WAS THE 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES' MOST STRIKING
STRUCTURE, RECOGNIZED ALL OVER THE WORLD THE BUILDING'S DYNAMIC FORM AND VAST

SCALE CREATE A NEW ICON FOR CHINA AND THE CITY OF BEIJING

RELATED CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES:

1. TO PROVIDE THERMAL COMFORT IN THE STADIUM.
THE EXTERIOR SHELL INFLATED CUSHIONS AS A FILLER JUST AS BIRDS STUFF THE SPACES
BETWEEN THE WOVEN TWIGS OF THEIR NESTS WITH A SOFT FILLER, THE SPACES IN THE

STRUCTURE OF THE STADIUM ARE FILLED WITH INFLATED ETFE CUSHIONS. ON THE ROOF,
THE CUSHIONS WILL BE MOUNTED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE TO MAKE THE ROOF

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

COMPLETELY WEATHERPROOF. WHILST THE RAIN IS COLLECTED FOR RAINWATER

RECUPERATION THE SUNLIGHT FILTERS THROUGH THE TRANSLUCENT ROOF PROVIDING THE

LAWN WITH ESSENTIAL UV-RADIATION ON THE FACADE, THE INFLATED CUSHIONS WILL BE
MOUNTED ON THE INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE WHERE NECESSARY, E.G TO PROVIDE WIND

PROTECTION. SINCE ALL OF THE FACILITIES - RESTAURANTS, SUITES, SHOPS AND RESTROOMS

- ARE ALL SELF-CONTAINED UNITS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO LARGELY WITHOUT A SOLID,

ENCLOSED FACADE THIS ALLOWS NATURAL VENTILATION OF THE STADIUM WHICH IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE STADIUM'S SUSTAINABLE DESIGN.

2. PROVIDE BEST POSSIBLE SPECTATOR VIEW FROM ALL DIRECTIONS SIGHT LINES AND

FIGURE 5 BEIJING OLYMPIC STADIUM ALGORITHM

SPECTATOR VIEWING: THE ALMOST CIRCULAR FOOTPRINT OPTIMIZES THE VIEWING AND
ATMOSPHERE BY BRINGING ALL THE SPECTATORS AS CLOSE TO THE ACTION AS POSSIBLE. THE

STANDS ARE DESIGNED WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTION TO EVOKE THE IMAGE OF A BOWL. THIS

EVENLY CONSTRUCTED SHAPE SERVES TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE SPECTATORS AND THE

EVENTS ON THE FIELD. THE HUMAN CROWD FORMS THE ARCHITECTURE. THE FACILITY
PROVIDES GOOD COMFORT, EXCELLENT VIEWS AND A SUPERB ATMOSPHERE. IT WILL
GENERATE CROWD EXCITEMENT AND DRIVE ATHLETES TO OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES

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3. COMPLEX STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES. SINCE THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE IS CONSTRUCTED OF

STEEL AND CONCRETE WITH A COMBINED WEIGHT OF AROUND 50,000 TONNES. HENCE,
COMPUTER SIMULATION, SYNCHRONIZED CONTROL AND STRUCTURE MONITORING
TECHNIQUES WERE ALL USED TO ENSURE ACCURATE OPERATION, EVEN UNLOADING AND

TIMELY OBSERVATION. ALL THESE PROVIDED FOR A STRUCTURE THAT MUTUALLY

SUPPORTED EACH OTHER AND CONVERGED INTO A GRID-LIKE FORMATION - ALMOST LIKE A
BIRD'S NEST WITH ITS INTERWOVEN TWIGS. TO FORM A STRUCTURE LARGELY DOMINATED BY

LARGE SPANS AND DIGITAL SCREENS

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4.3 LITRATURE STUDY 2:

EASTGATE CENTRE BUILDING

FACT FILE

LOCATION: HARARE, ZIMBABWE

LEARNING FROM TERMITES TO COOL AND
ARCHITECTS: MICK PEARCE
HEAT NATURALLY HARARE, ZIMBABWE THE
YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION: 1991-96
EASTGATE CENTRE IS A SHOPPING CENTRE
BUILDING TYPE: COMMERCIAL,
AND OFFICE BLOCK IN DOWNTOWN HARARE OFFICE BUILDING
THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE VENTILATED
TOTAL AREA: 55,000 SQ.M
AND COOLED ENTIRELY BY NATURAL MEANS.
MATERIAL USED: CONCRETE
THE BUILDING STORES HEAT IN THE DAY AND
IN THE EVENING, THE WARM INTERNAL AIR IS VENTED THROUGH CHIMNEYS, ASSISTED

BY FANS BUT ALSO RISING NATURALLY BECAUSE IT IS LESS DENSE AND DRAWING IN

DENSER COOL AIR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUILDING. AT NIGHT, THE PROCESS

CONTINUES, WITH COLD AIR FLOWING THROUGH CAVITIES IN THE FLOOR SLABS UNTIL

THE BUILDING'S FABRIC HAS REACHED THE IDEAL TEMPERATURE TO START THE NEXT

DAY. THIS MAKES A MECHANICAL OR PASSIVE COOLING SYSTEM A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE

TO ARTIFICIAL AIR-CONDITIONING. THE COMPLEX ALSO CONSISTS OF TWO BUILDINGS

SIDE BY SIDE THAT ARE SEPARATED BY AN OPEN SPACE THAT IS COVERED BY GLASS AND

OPEN TO THE LOCAL BREEZES

THIS VENTILATION SYSTEM WAS ACHIEVED BY THE INCORPORATION OF BIOMIMICRY

PRINCIPLES 4 INTO THE ARCHITECTURAL PLANS, USING DESIGN METHODS INSPIRED BY

INDIGENOUS ZIMBABWEAN MASONRY AND THE SELF-COOLING MOUNDS OF AFRICAN
TERMITES. TERMITES BUILD GIGANTIC MOUNDS INSIDE WHICH THEY FARM A FUNGUS

THAT IS THEIR PRIMARY FOOD SOURCE. THE FUNGUS MUST BE KEPT AT EXACTLY 35°C,

WHILE THE TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE RANGE FROM 1.5°C AT NIGHT TO 40°C DURING THE

DAY. THE TERMITES ACHIEVE THIS REMARKABLE FEAT BY CONSTANTLY OPENING AND
CLOSING A SERIES OF HEATING AND COOLING VENTS THROUGHOUT THE MOUND OVER

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

THE COURSE OF THE DAY. WITH A SYSTEM OF CAREFULLY ADJUSTED CONVECTION

CURRENTS, AIR IS SUCKED IN AT THE LOWER PART OF THE MOUND DOWN INTO

ENCLOSURES WITH MUDDY WALLS AND UP THROUGH A CHANNEL TO THE PEAK OF THE

TERMITE MOUND. THE EASTGATE CENTRE USES LESS THAN 10% OF THE ENERGY OF A
CONVENTIONAL BUILDING ITS SIZE. EASTGATE OWNERS HAVE SAVED $3.5 MILLION
ALONE BECAUSE OF AN AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM THAT DID NOT HAVE TO BE

IMPLEMENTED. OUTSIDE OF BEING ECO EFFICIENT AND BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT,

THESE SAVINGS ALSO TRICKLE DOWN TO THE TENANTS WHOSE RENTS ARE 20% LOWER

THAN THOSE OF OCCUPANTS IN THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS

RELATED ORGANISM: TERMITE

AN INSECT THAT BUILDS MOUNDS THAT NOT ONLY REGULATE TEMPERATURE AND

HUMIDITY OF THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT PROTECT THE COLONY FROM FIRE.

FIGURE 6 EASTGATE CENTRE BUILDING EXTERIOR , INTERIOR AND SECTION

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RELATED CHALLENGES:
DISTRIBUTE AIR
AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS MUST DELIVER APPROPRIATE QUANTITIES OF EXTERNAL

AND RECIRCULATED AIR POSSESSING DESIRED QUALITIES TO A STRUCTURE 'S INTERNAL

SPACES.

PROPEL AIR
FLOW AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS MUST PROPEL FLOW WITHIN A BUILDING USING

NATURAL AND FORCED MEANS OF VENTILATION

SEASONAL RESPONSE TO TEMPERATURE

BUILDING DESIGNS AND MATERIALS THAT REGULATE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE IN

RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL CHANGES MINIMIZE ENERGY CONSUMPTION, POLLUTION, AND

NOISE, WHILE IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND OCCUPANT COMFORT.

RELATED STRATEGIES:

EVAPORATIVE COOLING
MANY ANIMALS USE THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF WATER TO THERMOREGULATE

THROUGH EVAPORATION.

NATURAL VENTILATION
NATURAL VENTILATION IN SOME ANIMAL-BUILT STRUCTURES IS ACHIEVED BY DESIGN.
TRACHEAL COMPRESSION
TRACHEAL COMPRESSION IS A RESPIRATORY STRATEGY USED BY BEETLES, CRICKETS,

AND ANTS ANALOGOUS TO THE INFLATION AND DEFLATION OF VERTEBRATE LUNGS

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4.4 CASE STUDY 1:

LOTUS (BAHAI) TEMPLE

THE TEMPLES OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH ARE WELL

FACT FILE
KNOWN FOR THEIR ARCHITECTURAL
LOCATION: KALKAJI, NEW DELHI
SPLENDOR, AND THE TEMPLE CONSTRUCTED
ARCHITECT: MR. FARIBORZ SAHBA
IN DELHI IS A CONTINUATION OF THIS RICH
YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION: 1976-68
TRADITION. BEFORE UNDERTAKING THE
BUILDING TYPE: TEMPLE
DESIGN OF THE TEMPLE, THE ARCHITECT, MR.
TOTAL AREA: 105,000 SQ.M
FARIBORZ SAHBA, HAD TRAVELLED
MATERIAL USED: CONCRETE
EXTENSIVELY IN INDIA TO STUDY THE

ARCHITECTURE OF THIS LAND AND WAS IMPRESSED BY THE DESIGN OF THE BEAUTIFUL

TEMPLES, AS WELL AS BY THE ART AND RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS WHEREIN THE LOTUS

INVARIABLY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE. HE WAS INFLUENCED BY THIS EXPERIENCE,

AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING OUT THE CONCEPT OF PURITY, SIMPLICITY AND

FRESHNESS OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH, HE CONCEIVED THE TEMPLE IN DELHI IN THE FORM
OF A LOTUS. THE TEMPLE GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF A HALF-OPEN LOTUS FLOWER,

AFLOAT, SURROUNDED BY ITS LEAVES. EACH COMPONENT OF THE TEMPLE IS REPEATED

NINE TIMES.

THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, AS SEEN FROM THE LAYOUT, CONSISTS OF THE MAIN HOUSE OF
WORSHIP; THE ANCILLARY BLOCK WHICH HOUSES THE RECEPTION CENTRE, THE LIBRARY

AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING; AND THE RESTROOMS BLOCK. THE TEMPLE

PROPER COMPRISES A BASEMENT TO ACCOMMODATE THE ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING

COMPONENTS, AND A LOTUS-SHAPED SUPERSTRUCTURE TO HOUSE THE ASSEMBLY AREA.

ALL AROUND THE LOTUS ARE WALKWAYS WITH BEAUTIFUL CURVED BALUSTRADES,

BRIDGES AND STAIRS, WHICH SURROUND THE NINE POOLS REPRESENTING THE FLOATING

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LEAVES OF THE LOTUS. APART FROM SERVING AN OBVIOUS AESTHETIC FUNCTION, THE
POOLS ALSO HELP VENTILATE THE BUILDING.

THE LOTUS, AS SEEN FROM OUTSIDE, HAS THREE SETS OF LEAVES OR PETALS, ALL OF

WHICH ARE MADE OUT OF THIN CONCRETE SHELLS. THE OUTERMOST SET OF NINE

PETALS, CALLED THE 'ENTRANCE LEAVES', OPEN OUTWARDS AND FORM THE NINE

ENTRANCES ALL AROUND THE OUTER ANNULAR HALL. THE NEXT SET OF NINE PETALS,
CALLED THE 'OUTER LEAVES', POINT INWARDS. THE ENTRANCE AND OUTER LEAVES

TOGETHER COVER THE OUTER HALL. THE THIRD SET OF NINE PETALS, CALLED THE 'INNER

LEAVES', APPEAR TO BE PARTLY CLOSED. ONLY THE TIPS OPEN OUT, SOMEWHAT LIKE A

PARTLY OPENED BUD. THIS PORTION, WHICH RISES ABOVE THE REST, FORMS THE MAIN
STRUCTURE HOUSING THE CENTRAL HALL. NEAR THE TOP WHERE THE LEAVES SEPARATE

OUT, NINE RADIAL BEAMS PROVIDE THE NECESSARY LATERAL SUPPORT. SINCE THE

LOTUS IS OPEN AT THE TOP, A GLASS AND STEEL ROOF AT THE LEVEL OF THE RADIAL

BEAMS PROVIDES PROTECTION FROM RAIN AND FACILITATES THE ENTRY OF NATURAL

LIGHT INTO THE AUDITORIUM.

BELOW THE ENTRANCE LEAVES AND OUTER LEAVES, NINE MASSIVE ARCHES RISE IN A
RING. A ROW OF STEPS THROUGH EACH ARCH LEAD INTO THE MAIN HALL (SEE FIG. 1).

THE INNER LEAVES ENCLOSE THE INTERIOR DOME IN A CANOPY MADE OF CRISSCROSSING
RIBS AND SHELLS OF INTRICATE PATTERN. WHEN VIEWED FROM INSIDE, EACH LAYER OF

RIBS AND SHELLS DISAPPEARS AS IT RISES, BEHIND THE NEXT, LOWER LAYER (SEE

SECTION ON P. 29). SOME OF THE RIBS

CONVERGE RADIALLY AND MEET AT A

CENTRAL HUB. THE RADIAL BEAMS

EMANATING FROM THE INNER LEAVES

DESCRIBED EARLIER MEET AT THE CENTRE

OF THE BUILDING AND REST ON THIS HUB.

A NEOPRENE PAD IS PROVIDED BETWEEN

THE RADIAL BEAMS AND THE TOP OF THE

INTERIOR DOME TO ALLOW LATERAL

MOVEMENT CAUSED BY THE EFFECTS OF

TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND WIND. FIGURE 7 LOTUS TEMPLE PERSPECTIVE

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GEOMETRY:
THE BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT OF THE LOTUS, AS CONCEIVED BY THE ARCHITECT, HAD TO BE
CONVERTED INTO DEFINABLE GEOMETRICAL SHAPES SUCH AS SPHERES, CYLINDERS,

TOROIDS AND CONES. THESE SHAPES WERE TRANSLATED INTO EQUATIONS, WHICH WERE

THEN USED AS A BASIS FOR STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND ENGINEERING DRAWINGS. THE

RESULTANT GEOMETRY WAS

SO COMPLEX THAT IT TOOK

THE DESIGNERS OVER TWO

AND A HALF YEARS TO

COMPLETE THE DETAILED

DRAWINGS OF THE TEMPLE.

AN ATTEMPT IS MADE

BELOW TO DESCRIBE THIS

COMPLEX GEOMETRY IN

SIMPLE TERMS
FIGURE 8 LOTUS TEMPLE STRUCTURE

ENTRANCE LEAVES AND OUTER LEAVES.

THE SHELL SURFACES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIDGE OF THE ENTRANCE AND OUTER

LEAVES ARE FORMED OUT OF SPHERES OF DIFFERENT RADII, WITH THEIR CENTRES

LOCATED AT DIFFERENT POINTS INSIDE THE BUILDING. THERE IS ONE SET OF SPHERES
FOR THE ENTRANCE LEAVES, SOME OF WHICH DEFINE THE INNER SURFACES, AND OTHERS

WHICH DEFINE THE OUTER SURFACES OF THE SHELLS. THE DIAMETERS OF THE SPHERES

HAVE BEEN FIXED TO SATISFY THE STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATION OF VARYING SHELL

THICKNESS. SIMILARLY, FOR THE OUTER LEAVES, ANOTHER SET OF SPHERES DEFINES

THE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES OF THE SHELLS. HOWEVER, FOR THE OUTER LEAVES,
THE SHELL IS UNIFORMLY 133 MM THICK TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, AND INCREASES TO
255 MM UP TO THE TIP, BEYOND THE GLAZING LINE.

THE ENTRANCE LEAF IS 18.2M WIDE AT THE ENTRANCE AND RISES 7.8M ABOVE THE

PODIUM LEVEL. THE OUTER LEAF IS 15.4M WIDE AND RISES UP TO 22.5M ABOVE THE

PODIUM

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

THE INNER LEAVES:

EACH CORRUGATION OF THE INNER LEAF, COMPRISING A CUSP (RIDGE) AND A RE-

ENTRANT (VALLEY), IS MADE UP OF TWO TOROIDAL SURFACES. A TOROID IS GENERATED

WHEN A CIRCLE OF A CERTAIN RADIUS, 'R', IS ROTATED AROUND THE CENTRE OF A CIRCLE

OF MUCH LARGER RADIUS, 'R'. A CYCLE TUBE IS A TYPICAL TOROID. THE SHADED

PORTION OF THE TOROID IS A PART OF THE INNER LEAF SHELL.

THE INNER LEAVES RISE TO AN ELEVATION OF 34.3M ABOVE THE INNER PODIUM. AT THE
LOWEST LEVEL EACH SHELL HAS A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 14M. IT IS UNIFORMLY 200MM

THICK.

THE ARCH:
ALL AROUND THE CENTRAL HALL ARE NINE SPLENDID ARCHES PLACED AT ANGULAR

INTERVALS OF 40 DEGREES. THE SHAPE OF THESE ARCHES IS FORMED BY A NUMBER OF

PLANE, CONICAL AND CYLINDRICAL SURFACES. THE INTERSECTION OF THESE SURFACES

PROVIDES INTERESTING CONTOURS AND GREATLY ENHANCES THE BEAUTY OF THE

ARCHES. THE NINE ARCHES BEAR ALMOST THE ENTIRE LOAD OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE.

THE INTERIOR DOME:

THREE RIBS SPRING FROM THE CROWN OF EACH ARCH. WHILE THE CENTRAL ONE (THE
DOME RIB) RISES RADIALLY TOWARDS THE CENTRAL HUB, THE OTHER TWO (THE BASE

RIBS) MOVE AWAY FROM THE CENTRAL RIB AND INTERSECT WITH SIMILAR BASE RIBS OF

ADJACENT ARCHES, THUS FORMING AN INTRICATE PATTERN. OTHER RADIAL RIBS RISE
FROM EACH OF THESE INTERSECTIONS AND ALL MEET AT THE CENTRE OF THE DOME.

UP TO A CERTAIN HEIGHT, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE RIBS IS COVERED BY TWO LAYERS
OF 6OMM-THICK SHELLS. THE INTRICATE PATTERN OF THE INTERIOR DOME IS

ILLUSTRATED IN SECTION.

FIGURE 9 LOTUS TEMPLE SECTION

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4.5 CASE STUDY 2:

BIO WONDER

BIOWONDER IS THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FACT FILE

OF MAXIMIZING ENERGY QUOTIENT OF

BUSINESS. THE GOLD RATED BIOPHILLIC LOCATION: ANANDAPUR MAIN

ROAD, EASTERN METROPOLITAN
WONDER HARMONIZES NATURE WITH BYPASS, KOLKATA
ARCHITECTURE. IT IS A STATEMENT OF COST ARCHITECTS: SALIENT DESIGN
INNOVATION FOR THE BUSINESS THAT STUDIO

SYNCHRONIZES WITH NATURAL GENERATION YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION: UNDER

CONSTRUCTION (STRUCTURE WORK
OF HIGHER EFFICIENCY LEVEL FOR THE WORK COMPLETED)

FORCE. BIOWONDER IS THE FIRST BIOPHILIC BUILDING TYPE: CORPORATE PARK

PROJECT IN INDIA. IN THE EVOLUTIONARY TOTAL AREA: 37,000 SQ.M
SCALE OF GREEN BUILDINGS, IT IS THE MOST MATERIAL USED: STEEL & GLASS
INTELLIGENT AND EVOLVED CATEGORY WITH

ACTUAL EFFECTIVE GREEN COVER OF 100 PER CENT. BIO WONDER – THE GREEN
CORPORATE PARK IN KOLKATA, INDIA, WHICH IS SPREAD OVER A PROJECT AREA OF 4
LAKH SQ. FT. THIS UPCOMING MIXED USED PROJECT IS THE FIRST EVER NON-IT AND

ENVIRONMENT POSITIVE CORPORATE PARK WHICH HAS WON THE BEST SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT AWARD – FUTURE AT THE CITYSCAPE GLOBAL AWARDS FOR EMERGING

MARKETS ORGANIZED BY CITYSCAPE GLOBAL IN DUBAI.

BIOWONDER INCREASES THE URBAN GREENERY AND HELPS REDUCING THE EFFECTS OF
A ‘HEAT ISLAND’. WE HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US. IT

HELPS IN SUSTAINING THE BIODIVERSITY AROUND. ITS FLOOR PLATE ORIENTATION

HELPS EVERY OFFICE TO ACHIEVE 80% DAYLIGHT, GREAT VIEWS IN 2 DIRECTIONS, WITH

GREEN TERRACES AND A GARDEN ATTACHED.

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

LET’S NOT FORGET WE SPEND MORE THAN 70% OF OUR WAKING TIME IN OUR OFFICES!
BIOWONDER IS A BETTER EXPRESSION OF TRUTH; THE TRUTH THAT CONNECTS US WITH
NATURE.

BIOWONDER”, WHERE ARTS AND SCIENCE ATTACHED… AN INTERNAL CORE OF SHEAR

WALLS AND SPECIAL MOMENT FRAMES PROVIDE A STIFF LATERAL RESISTING SYSTEM TO

ADEQUATELY RESIST EARTHQUAKES AND WIND FORCES.

THE DESIGN OFFERS AN UNINTERRUPTED VIEW WHILE MINIMISING CARBON

CONSUMPTION – ENABLED VIA 95% RCC STRUCTURE PLAN USING STEEL ONLY AT THE

BRACINGS.

DESIGNED WITH LATEST LED TECHNOLOGY, THE ILLUMINATION WILL RESULT IN

OPTIMAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION – UP TO 30% LESS LPD.

THE CHALLENGES:
BIOWONDER, DESIGNED BY SALIENT DESIGN STUDIO, HAS REDEFINED THE KOLKATA
SKYLINE ON ACCOUNT OF ITS UNIQUE STRUCTURAL STRUCTURE. THE CHALLENGE WAS TO
ENABLE SEISMIC STABILITY TO THE ENTIRE BOOK-STACK STRUCTURE, AND YET, MAKE IT

BIOPHILIC. THE TERRACES ARE PULLED OUT OF THE BUILDING TO THE EXTENT OF 8 METER IN

WIDTH AND 26 METER IN LENGTH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CANTILEVER STRUCTURE
IN INDIA.

THIS IS DONE ARTFULLY, STRATEGICALLY ENSURING THAT THE CENTER OF THE MASS IS
MAINTAINED ALONG THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING’S AXIS. THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE
BUILDING REQUIRED THE TERRACES TO HAVE UNINTERRUPTED VIEWS AND ALSO HAVING

TERRACE GARDENS. SO IT BECAME NECESSARY FOR THE CANTILEVER PORTION OF 8 METER

BY 26 METER AT DIFFERENT LEVELS TO BE EXECUTED BY USING STRUCTURAL STEEL.

FIGURE 10 BIOWONDER CONCEPTUAL SKETCH

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

Features Galore:
• THE GOLDEN RATIO IN MASSING AND PLANNING GEOMETRY TO MAXIMIZE SOLAR
PERFORMANCE.

• BIOWONDER COMPENSATES FOR 100 PER CENT GREEN COVER

• SOLAR INSOLATION (SOLAR HEAT GAIN) IS MINIMAL DUE TO OFFSETS AND TERRACE
FORESTRY

• REDUCED HEAT ISLAND EFFECT

• GREEN POCKETS CREATED TO FACILITATE CONDUCIVE MICROCLIMATE FOR OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES, CONSERVE AND PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY (OFFSET TERRACES MAKE SHORTER

BIRD PATHS TO REACH HEIGHTS)

• PASSIVE COOLING INDUCED BY TRAPPING THE PREVAILING WIND

• MASSING PROJECTIONS CREATES NATURAL COOLING TURBINES FORCES THE WIND TO
FORM VORTICES

• INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS MANAGED BY SPECIFIC PLANTATION ON ABOVE LEVELS

• TRAFFIC POLLUTION TILL 14.5 M MANAGED BY URBAN FORESTRY IN 3 LEVELS
• NUCLEATED CORE TO CONTAIN THE SUPER BUILT UP LOADING WITHIN 20 PER CENT
• SITE PLANNING EMPLOYS ANCIENT SCIENCE OF MAGNETIC ZONING OF VAASTU SHASTRA
• POLYMER SOLAR CELL INSTALLATIONS IN WEST AND EAST FACADE

FIGURE 11 BIOWONDER SECTION

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

CHAPTER 5 - CONCLUSION (SUMMARY)

 FINAL CONCLUSION

 BENEFITS OF BIOMIMICRY

 CRITICISM

 FUTURE SCOPE

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

5.1 FINAL CONCLUSION:

IN SUMMARIZING THE CONCEPTS OUTLINED IN THIS STUDY, IT IS APPARENT THAT

THERE ARE MANY PARALLELS TO BE DRAWN BETWEEN NATURE AND

ARCHITECTURE, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN STUDIED FOR CENTURIES AND

OTHERS WHICH ONLY NOW BECOMING RELEVANT AS WE SEEK TO REMEDY THE

STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILT AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

WHILST CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS UPON

REDUCING ENERGY AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION BIOMIMICRY PROVIDES A

FORUM WHEREBY ENGAGEMENT WITH NATURAL SYSTEMS HELPS PRODUCE A

MORE POSITIVE AND REGENERATIVE DESIGN BIOMIMICRY, RATHER THAN BEING

EMPLOYED AS SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF EMULATING NATURE IN A BUILT FORM

HOWEVER THIS TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE APPLIED IN A MORE HOLISTIC SENSE

WHERE DESIGNERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMPLEX INTERACTIONS WHICH TAKE

PLACE WITHIN THE NATURAL WORLD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY UNDERSTAND OUR

POSITION WITHIN IT. NOT ONLY IS NATURE A READILY AVAILABLE SOURCE OF

INSPIRATION GIVEN THAT IT IS PRESENT IN EVERY MOLECULE AROUND US , BUT

NATURAL FORMS HAVE ALSO EVOLVED WITHIN THE SAME CONFINES AS

HUMANITY, UTILIZING ONLY THE MATERIAL AND ENERGY RESOURCES AVAILABLE

ON PLANET EARTH AS THE HUMAN SPECIES CONTINUES TO EVOLVE WE MUST

EMBRACE OUR POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT BY WHILST ALSO

RESPECTING THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF OUR PREDECESSORS BY DOING SO, THE

PROSPECT OF GENERATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR OUR SUCCESSORS WILL

BECOME BOTH AN ACHIEVABLE AND A REWARDING ASPIRATION

5.2 BENEFITS OF BIOMIMICRY

THROUGH THE ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF THE SELECTED CASE-STUDIES, IT CAN

BE CONCLUDED THAT THE SUGGESTED THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL

FRAMEWORKS ENABLE THE DESIGNER TO:

 DEVELOP AN ARCHITECTURE THAT IS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THE EXISTING

ENVIRONMENTAL, MATERIALIZATION, AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS, AND

THEREFORE SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO ITS LOCATION AND CONDITIONS

35
 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

 PRODUCE A MORE ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY

 DESIGN BIOMIMETIC IS A BRIDGE THAT CAN CONNECT ARCHITECTURAL AND

DESIGN PROFESSIONS ON A ROUTE TO LINKING DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ISSUES IN A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION

 DESIGN BIOMIMETIC CAN EMPHASIZE WAYS OF THINKING AND DESIGNING THAT

BRING ARCHITECTURE AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INTO A PROCESS OF

ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOLOGICAL FOCUS ON MORE RESPONSIVE, SAFER

BUILDINGS.

 BIOMIMETIC TECHNOLOGY WOULD HELP US ALSO OVERCOME ENVIRONMENTAL

ISSUES, SUCH AS THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT, GLOBAL WARMING, OR EVEN THE

OZONE HOLE BY REDUCING THE VAST AMOUNT OF CO2 EMISSIONS FROM THE

BUILT MATERIAL AND PURIFYING THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENTS ONE HAS

TO PREDICT THAT THIS IMPRESSIVE NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL BE NECESSARY TO

USE IN THIS 21 CENTURY AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT WELL IN ORDER TO BE

USED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE HUMANITY

DEVELOPMENT

5.3 CRITICISM

AS MUCH AS A PROPONENT OF BIOMIMICRY AS I AM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE

REALISTIC ABOUT WHERE NATURE'S STRATEGIES WILL AND WON'T HELP YOU,

RATHER THAN CLOSING ANYTHING OVER. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME DRAWBACKS

TO THE WAY LIFE DESIGNS, WHICH YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO IMITATE (UNLESS

YOU CAN SOMEHOW TURN THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE). MOSTLY POINTED OUT IN
KELLY AND VOGEL'S WORKS, THERE ARE THREE MAIN STUMBLING BLOCKS

 EVOLUTION CAN ONLY FIND LOCAL OPTIMA, NOT GLOBAL OPTIMA. PUT ANOTHER
WAY, EVOLUTION REQUIRES EVERY GENERATION TO HAVE AN IMMEDIATE

ADVANTAGE--WHEN TRANSITIONING FROM ONE STRATEGY TO ANOTHER; YOU

CANNOT GET WORSE FOR A FEW GENERATIONS, KNOWING THAT IN THE END

YOU'LL GET BETTER THAN YOU COULD HAVE WITH THE ORIGINAL STRATEGY.

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

THUS NATURE SHUTS OUT MANY DESIGN POSSIBILITIES THAT WE HUMANS CAN

FIND

 NATURAL PRODUCTS NEED CONTINUAL MAINTENANCE AND/OR REBUILDING THIS

CAN EASILY BE TURNED INTO AN ADVANTAGE FOR PRODUCTS MEANT TO

BIODEGRADE OR PLANNED TO OBSOLESCE. BUT MOST OFTEN IT IS SIMPLY A

REMINDER TO NOT IMITATE TOO SLAVISHLY

 ORGANISMS CAN'T BORROW DESIGNS FROM OTHERS; THEY HAVE TO EVOLVE

FROM WHAT THEY HAVE NOW. HUMAN DESIGNERS, HOWEVER, CAN MIX AND

MATCH FREELY FROM DIFFERENT PRODUCTS IN WHOLE OTHER GENRES. THERE'S

NOTHING WRONG WITH MAKING A BUILDING WHOSE WALLS INSULATE LIKE

PENGUIN FEATHERS BUT ARE STRUCTURED LIKE CRAB SHELL. SOME COMPANIES
ARE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS IN BIOLOGY WITH GENETIC ENGINEERING (GENE-

SPLICING CROPS, ETC.), BUT THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES HAS

FREQUENTLY SHOWN IT TO BE A BAD IDEA

5.4 FUTURE SCOPE

NATURE HAS LEARNED HOW TO ACHIEVE MOST EFFICIENT MULTIFUNCTIONAL

STRUCTURES, IE, FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATION. THE OPTIMIZED BIOLOGICAL SOLUTION

SHOULD GIVE US INSPIRATION AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF

MULTIFUNCTIONAL ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS WITH MULTISCALE STRUCTURES MOST

OF CURRENT WORK HAS STILL FOCUSED ON THE BIOMIMETIC SYNTHESIS OF

MULTISCALE STRUCTURES INSPIRED BY ONE BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS . IN THE NEAR

FUTURE, THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH DIRECTIONS SHOULD BE A GROWING AND

VIGOROUS FIELD

 TO EXTEND THE FUNCTION OF BIO-INSPIRED MULTISCALE STRUCTURES THROUGH

MODIFICATION WITH FUNCTIONAL MOLECULES

 TO FABRICATE NOVEL MULTISCALE MATERIALS FOR FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATION

INSPIRED BY TWO OR MORE BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS FOR EXAMPLE, TAKING

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

ADVANTAGE OF LAYERED NACRE AND THE MARINE ADHESIVE OF MUSSELS , A

NOVEL NANOSTRUCTURED COMPOSITE FILM WAS CONSTRUCTED

THE FUSION OF TWO OR MORE SEEMINGLY DISTINCT CONCEPTS FOUND IN NATURE

INTO A UNIQUE COMPOSITE WITH EXCELLENT FUNCTIONS IS AN EXCITING DIRECTION

FOR THE FABRICATION OF NOVEL MULTIFUNCTIONAL MATERIALS. ALTHOUGH THE

BIOMIMETIC AND BIO-INSPIRED RESEARCH IS IN ITS INFANCY, IT IS A RAPIDLY

GROWING AND ENORMOUSLY PROMISING FIELD, WHICH WILL BECOME THE FOCUS OF

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION IN THE NEAR FUTURE

BUILDINGS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALMOST HALF (48%) OF ALL ENERGY

CONSUMPTION AND GHG EMISSIONS ANNUALLY, GLOBALLY THE PERCENTAGES

EVEN GREATER (US ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION)

76% OF ALL POWER PLANT-GENERATED ELECTRICITY IS USED TO OPERATE

BUILDINGS HENCE, THERE IS AN URGENCY FOR ACTION TO PROTECT OUR

ENVIRONMENT URGENTLY

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 BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

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