DISSERTATION REPORT

ON

STUDY OF BIO-MIMICRY IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABLE

ARCHITECTURE

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the

Requirement for the award of degree of

Bachelor of architecture

Submitted by

ALVIN THOMAS

B.ARCH. 4TH YEAR

Guided by

AR. VENGAL RAO

GANGA INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE AND

TOWN PLANNING
 GANGA INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE AND TOWN PLANNING

CERTIFICATE

In the partial fulfilment of the B.Arch. degree program, this is to certify that ‘ALVIN
THOMAS’ has worked on the dissertation entitled “STUDY OF BIO-MIMICRY IN TERMS
OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE” under my guidance and supervision.

(Dissertation guide)

AR. VENGAL RAO

External Examiner 1 …………………………………………………………….

2
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Writing a project of this nature is an arduous task. I was fortunate enough to get help and
guidance from a large number of persons. It is a pleasure to acknowledge them though it is still
inadequate appreciation of their contributions.

I am grateful to ‘Prof. Amit Garg’, Head of the Department of Architecture, GIATP; my

supervisor during the project, ASSOCIATE PROF. VENGAL RAO, who inspired me to take
up such an innovative project. Since beginning he offered incisive and valuable suggestions,
which significantly influenced my thinking process.

With the exceptions credited, the majority of the illustrations used in this study belongs to me
and were parts of projects in which I have been involved academically. I am indebted to people
and archives who have given their permission to reproduce photographs. Every effort has been
made to trace copyright holders, but in a few cases this has not been possible.

ALVIN THOMAS

3
 DECLARATION

I, ALVIN THOMAS, hereby declare that the dissertation entitled “STUDY OF BIOMIMCRY
IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE” Submitted in the partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Architecture is my original research
work and that the information taken from secondary sources is given due citations and
references.

Date: 03-11-19

ALVIN THOMAS

Bachelor of Architecture

Semester 7th

4
 ABSTRACT

Biomimicry is a new way of viewing and valuing nature based not only on what can be extracted
from the natural world, but also on what can be learned from it. Therefore, architects, designers
and engineers have returned to their natural and biological roots to investigate and seek out
solutions in design and performance- based problems within architecture. So architects are
interested in biomimicry not only to find new ways of building, but also to find new sources of
inspiration for aesthetic expression. In many cases, the results are buildings that are highly
efficient, more durable and require less energy or fewer materials by using their language with
nature to perform the adapted design concept. Well-known eco design was an attempt to
preserve the resources (i.e. renewable or non-renewable resources) and to find ecological
solutions by emulating nature’s forms, processes and ecosystems to solve problems in
architecture. Consequently, biomimicry is often described as a tool to increase the sustainability
of human designed products, materials and the built environment. So this research is focused
on biomimicry as a potential approach that helps integrate ecological sustainability to design
by understanding the natural processes to reach a proposed methodological study which
contributes in clarifying the three-dimensional relationship between biomimicry, ecological
design solution and sustainability which is most appropriate for architecture. Keywords:
biomimicry, ecological solutions, sustainable architecture, inspiration from nature.

5
 CONTENTS

CERTIFICATE …......................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT..........................................................................................................3
DECLARATION........................................................................................................................4
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................5
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................7
HYPOTHESIS............................................................................................................................7
AIM............................................................................................................................................8
OBJECTIVE...............................................................................................................................8
NEED OF STUDY.....................................................................................................................9
SCOPE OF STUDY...................................................................................................................9
METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................................10
LITERATURE STUDY............................................................................................................11
HISTORY.................................................................................................................................16
EXAMPLE................................................................................................................................26
CHARACTERISTICS..............................................................................................................30
CASE STUDIES.......................................................................................................................34
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS.............................................................................................44
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................49
BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................................................................53

6
 INTRODUCTION

The differences between the technical realm and the natural realm cause the need for analogical
thinking to allow for biomimetic design. So this research will highlight biomimicry which
inspires designs, and it involves finding positive solutions to design problems in architecture
by emulating the natural world through clarifying the various levels and dimensions of
biomimicry according to its approaches of design. Then, deep analytical study of these diverse
approaches will be prepared to clarify different outcomes in terms of overall ecologically
sustainable design. At the end of the study, in an attempt to propose a methodological study of
the three-dimensional relationship between biomimicry, ecological design solutions and
sustainability which is based on evaluating biomimicry in the case studies through their
effectiveness in achieving ecologically sustainable design-focused goals. Furthermore, it will
deduce a framework for understanding the application of biomimicry which redefines the
different levels of it and also attempts to clarify the potential of biomimicry as a tool to increase
ecologically sustainable solutions in architectural design.

HYPOTHESIS

Nature and natural processes are the guiding principles or the main metaphors of the
design approach. – Frank Lloyd Wright

7
AIM
To understand biomimicry and its importance towards promoting sustainable architecture.

OBJECTIVE
To achieve the aim, the following research objective will be completed:

1. Identify problems created by the industrial revolution to our planet and why sustainable
architecture is needed in today’s age.
2. Research the effectiveness biomimicry has had on evolving technologies and
architectural functions.
3. Analyse if biomimicry can inspire architecture to work harmoniously with the
environment through analysis of a practical example
4. Identify the future improvements biomimicry can make to architectural design.

Inductive research was chosen as opposed to deductive, qualitative or quantitative research.

Due to specific research chosen the methodology section is placed at the beginning. This
requires finding a pattern within the research rather than having a theory and testing it. To begin
with quantitative data was considered not to be appropriate as according to Bryman and Bell
(2003) it is a positivistic approach which focuses on fundamentally mathematical analysis.
Qualitative research was also not considered as it is a phenomenological approach, which is
concerned with thoughts, feelings and attitude of participants involved in the study. As this
dissertation aims to analyse theory and practice, applying a research method that supports
comparing and contrasting data was essential. According to Kitchen and Tate (2000) inductive
and deductive reasoning highlights the extent to which theory and practice are connected.
Deductive research begins with a theory, which is then developed into a hypothesis and must
be tested to prove if it is wrong or right. “deduction begins with an expected pattern that is
tested against observations whereas induction begins with observation and seeks to find a
pattern within them.

The method of inductive research will provide, the most effective source of data as comparing
and contrasting research is essential to address the Aim. Although deductive research will also
do this the topic requires us to observe and identify patterns which will then lead to a theory of
whether we can apply the idea to architecture or not. The inductive research begins by making
observations. From these observations a pattern will develop resulting in an end theory. The
inductive method does not require a theory at the start.

8
This may develop throughout the process of dissertation. As a result, no theories need to be
tested throughout as they develop through learning patterns, resemblances and regularities in
experience are observed in order to reach a conclusion. This dissertation will therefore give
consideration to a range of source material including related literature and journal articles,
research and published reports and other related academic materials in order to arrive at a
theory.

NEED OF STUDY
Nature has all responses to the architectural solutions we humans are still searching for with
bionics as a field of study architects and engineers can develop architecture and materials that
fit their setting and that respond to changes in climate as a living in an arctic region does with
the excess of fur it has on its body for insulation or which a chameleon does when it changes
its colour once it senses danger.

SCOPE OF STUDY
The selection of the topic “study of biomimicry in terms of sustainable architecture” was to
study nature, its existence and especially how it adapts itself to extreme harsh conditions and
evolve accordingly. Nature over the years has found ways to exist in any type of environment
be it a cold region or extremely hot climate. After billions of years of research and development,
failures are fossils and what surrounds us is the secret to survival.
The existing architecture is so overwhelming with machines that the very essence of
architecture is dying out. More and more buildings are springing up looking like machines and
in the process are also producing havoc to the environment. So learning from nature for better
architectural solution is the key for survival and better environment. Looking at nature for better
solutions for adapting to different climatic conditions can help us find answers to solutions
which the human race has always looked for. The scope of this research is based on how nature
survives and tries to settle. We will try to look on the physical aspects of nature’s survival in
the extreme conditions. The materialistic aspect will also be studied. Materials and technologies
that have been used in the creation of a living architecture was derived from nature. This was
done to best suit the context and to create an architecture that harmonizes with the setting and
at the same time adjust itself to whatever conditions fall on it.

9
METHODOLOGY
In order to achieve the aims of this research, the methodology of it has relied on qualitative
method through collecting data about the historical background of biomimicry and the
theoretical basis of different levels and design approaches of biomimicry, analysing and
interpreting data by observing how to use eco solutions as a tool to achieve sustainability in
architecture. As well as using the correlational analysis to determine the strength of the
relationship between biomimicry, ecological design solution and sustainability which is most
applicable for architecture by using supporting evidence through an analytical approach of two
case studies to clarify more the three-dimensional relationship between biomimicry, ecological
design solutions and sustainability.
Mankind has always tried to incorporate nature into technology. This topic led to the problem
humans are facing with a machine like architecture that is not capable of adapting itself to the
setting and also depleting the environment. This topic will lead to a detail study of nature and
bionics and how it can be translated in architecture and how architecture can become a living
entity.

10
LITERATURE STUDY

11
What is Biomimicry?
The term ‘biomimicry’ originates from the Greek words bios, meaning life and mimesis,
meaning imitate. It refers to imitating natural strategies (not forms) to devise new sustainable
solutions. Although buildings guard us against natural extremes, they have a lot to learn from
the natural world. Oh, the irony! The most important convergence of design and biological
sciences today relies on “innovation” that’s millions, if not billions, of years old. Biomimicry
is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving
complex human problems; biomimicry in architecture and manufacturing is the practice of
designing buildings and products that simulate or co-opt processes that occur in nature. There
are ultra-strong synthetic spider silks, adhesives modelled after gecko feet, and wind turbine
blades that mimic whale fins.

Figure 1 Gecko feet , spider webs , whale fins have inspired impressive designs

12
 The way biological systems solve problems is pretty different from the way engineered
systems solve problems. Human-designed solutions, are crude and additive. They rely on using
more materials or energy to accelerate reactions—both costly expenditures. Natural processes
rely on unique geometry and material properties. The adhesive abilities of the gecko feet,
Niewiarowski’s studies are an example. To simulate the wall-scaling abilities of a gecko, you
might strap a battery to your back and run electricity through electromagnets that only adhere
to metal. But in fact, geckos’ feet are dense with tiny hairs that each exert a minuscule molecular
attraction, allowing the gecko to stick.

Nature is “lazy and intelligent,” says Sigrid Adriaenssens, an engineering professor at

Princeton who researches biomimicry. Nature is exceptional at turning waste into food—a
fundamental tool for balancing ecosystems that architecture has ignored for the vast majority
of its history. But for designers, biology offers lessons in hyper-efficient resource stewardship
and circular economies. Nature also practices a kind of “critical regionalism,” the belief that
architecture should reflect the geography and culture of its setting. For example, there are
parasites so specifically evolved they can live with only one type of host. It may seem strange
that copying the way the natural world works is just now coming to the fore, but worldwide
emphasis on sustainability is forcing people to look at efficient systems of all types. And until
recently, engineers didn’t have tools to simulate natural processes. So what can architecture and
engineering learn and emulate from nature? The answer is much more, as long as there’s a rise
in multidisciplinary collaboration. The more biologists, architects, mechanical engineers, and
materials scientists collaborate, the more likely it is that hybrid fields like biomimicry in
architecture can take root.

In the late 19th Century, Antoni Gaudi was deeply influenced by the atmosphere of forests for
the interior of his masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, Spain. A century or
so later, cutting edge “biomimetic” (drawing on nature in design) architecture is even
incorporating living matter into its structures. The Netherland’s Sport plaza Mercator for
example, is host to lush vegetation and the species utilizing this on its eye-popping façade. And
in Germany, the extraordinary “algae house” harnesses microalgae as a renewable energy
source by growing it in transparent surfaces.

13
 Figure 2 Netherland's sports plaza mercator and The algae house

Over the decades, the field of bio-mimetics has shifted from looking towards nature
for overall shape. Sea creatures, crab shells and spider webs are among the species and natural
artefacts architects have looked to for such inspiration. The industry is moving towards a more
“environmentally nature inspired understanding” of how nature responds to its environment
and how humans can do the same.

A major driver for architects looking ever-more closely to the natural world for
construction lessons is the pressing need to build with limited resources in the face of shrinking
material and energy supplies. We have to make buildings that do more, using less… The
example of where that works the best is nature itself. Nature is always fighting to use limited
resource most effectively to exist with, and we are entering that era ourselves. We can study
termite mounds to see how we too can create cleverly designed ventilated buildings that use
minimal energy, much like these extraordinary little insects have already perfected. In a way
current buildings are still very crude when compared with what nature does. Nature is by far
the richest source of inspiration and knowledge that we have.

Biomimetic architecture is a contemporary philosophy of architecture that seeks

solutions for sustainability in nature, not by replicating the natural forms, but by understanding
the rules governing those forms. It is a multi-disciplinary approach to sustainable design that
follows a set of principles rather than stylistic codes. It is part of a larger movement known as
biomimicry, which is the examination of nature, its models, systems, and processes for the
purpose of gaining inspiration in order to solve man-made problems.

14
15
History

Architecture has long drawn from nature as a source of inspiration. Biomorphism, or the
incorporation of natural existing elements as inspiration in design, originated possibly with the
beginning of manmade environments and remains present today. The ancient Greeks and
Romans incorporated natural motifs into design such as the tree inspired columns. Late Antique
and Byzantine arabesque tendrils are stylized versions of the acanthus plant. Varro's Aviary at
Casinum from 64 BC reconstructed a world in miniature. A pond surrounded a domed structure
at one end that held a variety of birds. A stone colonnaded portico had intermediate columns of
living trees. The Sagrada Família church by Antoni Gaudi begun in 1882 is a well-known
example of using nature's functional forms to answer a structural problem. He used columns
that modelled the branching canopies of trees to solve statics problems in supporting the vault.

Figure 3 Nature detailed motifs for decoration used by the romans and greeks

Organic architecture uses nature-inspired geometrical forms in design and seeks to reconnect
the human with his or her surroundings. Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, a practicing organic architect,
believes that “above all, organic architecture should constantly remind us not to take Mother
Nature for granted – work with her and allow her to guide your life. Inhibit her, and humanity
will be the loser.” This falls in line with another guiding principle, which is that form should
follow flow and not work against the dynamic forces of nature. Architect Daniel Liebermann's
commentary on organic architecture as a movement highlights the role of nature in building:
16
“…a truer understanding of how we see, with our mind and eye, is the foundation of everything
organic. Man’s eye and brain evolved over an eons of time, most of which were within the vast
untrammelled and unpaved landscape of our Edenic biosphere! We must go to Nature for our
models now, that is clear!” Organic architects use man-made solutions with nature-inspired
aesthetics to bring about an awareness of the natural environment rather than relying on nature's
solutions to answer man's problems. Metabolist architecture, a movement present in Japan post-
WWII, stressed the idea of endless change in the biological world. Metabolists promoted
flexible architecture and dynamic cities that could meet the needs of a changing urban
environment. The city is likened to a human body in that its individual components are created
and become obsolete, but the entity as a whole continues to develop. Like the individual cells
of a human body that grow and die although human body continues to live, the city, too, is in a
continuous cycle of growth and change. The methodology of Metabolists views nature as a
metaphor for the manmade. Kisho Kurokawa's Helix City is modelled after DNA, but uses it as
a structural metaphor rather than for its underlying qualities of its purpose of genetic coding.

Figure 4 Kisho Kurokawa Helix City model

Biomimetic architecture goes beyond using nature as inspiration for the aesthetic components
of built form, but instead seeks to use nature to solve problems of the building's functioning.
Biomimicry means to imitate life and originates from the Greek words bios (life) and mimesis
(imitate). The movement is a branch off of the new science defined and popularized by Janine
Benyus in her 1997 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature as one which studies
nature and then imitates or takes inspiration from its designs and processes to solve human
problems. Rather than thinking of the building as a machine for living in, biomimicry asks
architects to think of a building as a living thing for a living being.

17
While humans have only studied biomimicry for the past half century, the earth has been
developing efficient methods of life for 3.8 billion years. Our planet is the oldest and wisest
teacher we could ask for. However, throughout our extremely short history we have not exactly
seen eye to eye with the earth. It is because of this that we are experiencing changes in the
climate that will prove detrimental to our future. This project is designed to open the minds of
the reader to a new form of innovation. Biomimicry, innovation inspired by the natural
processes of earth. This timeline highlights examples of biomimicry that hopefully enlighten
you and inspire a new way to create.

Pre Industrial Revolution

1. Caves have been used as shelter since the monolithic era 6000 BCE, so it makes perfect
sense that in India Buddhist temples and shrines were actually carved into caves and mountain
sides. These temples eventually doubled as trade posts on the Silk Road.

2. Silk is one of the first examples of biomimicry that we see in human history. Use of the
material is dated back to 4000 BC, making it one of the first fabrics invented by humans. It is
common knowledge that silk comes from silkworms, and the Chinese were the first civilization
to learn from the brilliant worm. This invention was the reason that the Silk Road got its name.

18
Silk could be traded for its weight in gold during the times where only the Chinese had the
weaving strategy mastered. 6,000 years later we are still using silk all around the world.

3. While there are hundreds of theories about who or what actually constructed the
Egyptian pyramids, until an extra-terrestrial force is proven to have played a part, one would
assume they were man made. And one theory that makes sense is that they were designed after
mountains.

4. The first Chinese umbrellas were invented 1700 years ago by a man named Lu Ban,
who is now revered in Chinese history. The idea for the umbrella sprouted when Lu Ban saw
children using lotus leaves to shield themselves from the rain. He decided to mimic the
flexibility and effectiveness of the leaf and create a product of his own. The first umbrellas
were, in fact, made of silk.

The Industrial Revolution marked a period of development in the latter half of the 18th
century that transformed largely rural, agrarian societies in Europe and America into
industrialized, urban ones. Goods that had once been painstakingly crafted by hand
started to be produced in mass quantities by machines in factories, thanks to the
introduction of new machines and techniques in textiles, iron making and other
industries.

19
Myths and Legends:

The wonders of the earth have always captured our imagination. This is why we constantly see
them represented in folk tales, legends, and artwork throughout all eras and civilizations. One
myth that captures our wonder of the earth is the story of Daedalus and Icarus, father and son
respectively. Imprisoned on the island of Crete for a crime against his nephew, Thalus,
Daedalus was instructed by King Minos to build a labyrinth to contain the Minotaur. This story
ends with Daedalus inventing bird wings made of feather and wax to fly out of the labyrinth
and out of Crete. However, Icarus, his son, flies against his father’s advice, too close to the sun
and his wings melt and he falls to his death. Daedalus was regarded as a great inventor and,
seeing as though he copies the birds' way of flight, it lets us know that nature has always been
in our minds. A less obvious example from this myth is that the very crime Daedalus committed
against his nephew was out of jealousy because Thalus had invented the saw after “seeing how
a snake’s jaw works.”

Leonardo Da Vinci: 1452-1519 - Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the easiest students of
biomimicry to find. He is one of the most revered and studied figures from the Italian
Renaissance. Regarded as an expert scientist, inventor, artist, architect, mathematician, and
many more, Leonardo was simply a man ahead of his time. Thousands of sketches from his
notebooks are still sought after and studied today. A lot of his inventions, like his parachute,
would have actually worked if they had been constructed under his instruction. The part of his
work that relates to biomimicry is his study of birds, he was fascinated by flight and drew out
schematics for many flying machines that mimicked the bone structure of birds and bats.

Figure 5 Drawings by Leornado Da Vinci

20
Industrial revolution and sustainability

The industrial revolution began as early as the 16th century in Nottingham where the stocking
frame was invented. It was at its peak during 19th and 20th centuries during which time it was
largely attributed with creating the developed world as now know it. As the standard of
technology increased so did the ability to design and mass produce goods at a lower cost. This
subsequently improved the standard of living as products where more affordable and accessible
for consumption.

The steam engine was a very important design in this transformation as it had the ability to
power locomotives, ships and factory machines. Transportation also became much more
advanced by allowing raw materials to be transferred much faster than the previous horse
powered methods. Communication was made easier with the invention of telephone and
telegraph, in turn expanding the demand and market for business and creating more jobs.
However, all of this was arguably created at the expense of our planet’s natural resources.

Britain was the birthplace of the industrial revolution due to its abundance of fossil fuels in the
form of iron ore and coal. Fossil fuels take millions of years to form from the decomposing
tissues of dead plants and animals. Oil natural gas and coal are the three carbon rich fuels
created in the process. We know that the natural resources are running out but we don’t know
when it will die out completely.

The residing problem is the carbon dioxide is produced through burning of fossil fuels. This is
currently accountable for almost two-thirds of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, in turn
contributing to global warming and change in weather patterns. Therefore, it is imperative to
find alternative solutions to stop damaging our planet or there will be severe consequences.
Mother nature can end our residence here anytime. Renewable energy is a possibility and
already makes a significant contribution to energy generation around the world.

It is still largely the case that our urban areas remain fossil fuel dependent and create air
pollution, discharge sewage and produce significant volumes of waste materials. We can
therefore argue that to create a truly sustainable approach it is urgent to design truly holistic
buildings and cities that use and store renewable energy to sustain themselves.

21
Why do we need biomimicry for sustainable architecture?

Buildings are one of the most obvious factors of economic activities, as a country’s economic
growth will require more office blocks, residential buildings and factories. During a building’s
lifetime it will have an effect on local and global environments via a series of interconnected
human activities and natural processes. Site development and construction manipulate the
original land and environmental characteristics, once the building is erected it will have long
term impact on the local and global environment. For example, water and energy used by the
residents will create CO2 emissions and sewage. Architects must recognize that as a city or
country’s economic status increases, its demand on resources will too.

Figure 6 sustainability relationship

The global ecosystem is made up of inorganic elements, living organisms and humans. It is the
architect’s obligation to create solutions that guarantee the coexistence of these constituent
groups. It is essential that architects create design solutions to solve problems that our current
buildings and cities are creating. Sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of the present
without compromising the needs of the future generations. Presently ‘sustainable design’ in
22
architecture is more ethical than scientific. To achieve sustainability, it is imperative to have
coexistence with economy, environment and society. They are mutually dependent, interrelated
areas of sustainability and a change in anyone will somehow upset the other two. For example;
economic growth uses extreme amounts of non-renewable resources releasing dangerous
emissions that affect the environment and social well-being. Therefore, a building must
holistically balance and integrate all three principles.

Figure 7 Diagram showing flow of resources in our environment

23
This raises the question of how this interaction will work if we were to place the environment
and nature at the heart of sustainability, potentially through biomimicry. The research therefore
has the opportunity to explore the environmental aspect of the above figures and finding
solutions to the damage buildings and cities cause to the natural world. When designing a
building sustainability begins by economizing resources. The architect must reduce the use of
non-renewable resources in the construction and operation of the buildings. A building requires
a constant flow of resources throughout its life beginning when it is manufactured and
continuing throughout its lifetime to produce a sustainable environment providing comfort for
human activities. When observing this flow of resource, we can differentiate it into two:

Flow1: ‘upstream’ referred to resource flow going into the building ecosystem for example
energy water and building materials.

Flow2: ‘downstream’ referred to resources flowing out of the building as output for example
pollution, used materials and grey water sewage.

Any resources entering the building will eventually come out. This is law of flow of resources
conservation. However, the input and output will be different because of mechanical processes
and human interferences.

Material waste

vast ranges of building materials are used in the construction phase and usually generate
significant waste. Once the building is completed a small amount of material is required for its
maintenance, replacement and renovation. Residents bring in a small flow of materials to
support human activity. These materials eventually become output and they are either recycled
or discarded in a landfill.

Energy waste

Once the building is complete it needs a continuous flow of energy input throughout its life
cycle to heat, cool and light the building, this energy cannot be recovered as it outputs the
building as pollution. Coal power stations release harmful gases into the air. Nuclear power
plants generate radioactive waste which currently has limited solutions. Hydro power plants
need a dam or reservoir to store large quantities of water, which disrupts river ecosystem and
creates habitat loss for plants.

24
Water waste

Building need vast amounts of water for cleaning, cooking, flushing toilets, irrigating plants,
drinking etc. this input requires energy due to treatment and delivery and the output of grey
water sewage also must be treated.

Finding sustainable solutions to these three sections is absolutely vital as by developing

ecological inputs we will be able to provide inoffensive outputs. We must figure out how to
achieve this within a reasonable budget, without harming the environment. Inspiration for this
may be found by looking how nature has developed itself through 3.8 billion years of evolution
to conserve water energy and materials without harming the earth.

Post Industrial Revolution

Important People of the 1900s:

1912: Italian photo-chemist and Senator Giacomo Ciamician, wrote a paper describing a world
without smokestacks where humankind has found the secret of photosynthesis and can run the
world without coal.

1950s: The term “biomimetics” was coined by American biophysicist and inventor Otto
Schmitt. He invented the Schmitt trigger, the cathode follower, the differential amplifier, and
the chopper-stabilized amplifier.

1997: With her ground-breaking book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, Janine
Benyus, coined the term biomimicry and sparked the interest of the subject into engineers and
designers all over the world. She also started her own world leading consulting organization,
Biomimicry 3.8. Their mission is to teach the world to innovate, learn, and be inspired by
nature. She continues to strive toward a future that listens to the earth rather than exploits it.

Figure 8 Giacomo Ciamician, Otto Schmitt, Janine Benyus

25
Biomimetic design examples:

Velcro: 1955

While hunting in the Swiss Alps with his dog, George de Mestral noticed that burs in the woods
stuck onto his clothes and his dog’s fur. While it was an inconvenience, he saw it as an
opportunity. After further examining the burs, he noticed that its surface was made up of many
tiny hooks. They stick to things by intertwining these hooks into the loose makeup of surfaces
like fabric and animal fur. He invented Velcro by mimicking this surface covered in tiny hooks
and partnering it with a surface covered in tiny loops, resulting in the useful product we know
today.

Bullet Train: 1990s

In the late 1990s Japan implemented biomimicry in the form of trains. The bullet trains they
had been using were causing problems for all nearby inhabitants. When the trains zoomed
through a tunnel, air would compress around the front of the train before releasing a tremendous
booming noise once the train exited the tunnel. The chief engineer was able to solve this
problem by looking to one of his hobbies: birdwatching.

26
The kingfisher is a small bird with a long beak that dives into the water for its prey. The engineer
redesigned the front of the train to be shaped like the kingfisher’s head, resulting in the train
slicing the wind rather than trapping it inside the tunnels, fixing the booming sound.

Eastgate Centre: 1996

The Eastgate Centre is located in Harare, Zimbabwe and fills the role of a shopping mall and
office space. However, it is no ordinary shopping mall. Designed with the concept of termite
hills in mind, the Eastgate Centre does not need to be conventionally heated or cooled. Termites
keep their mounds at a steady temperature by closing and opening holes along the mound’s
outer shell, allowing the air to ventilate and balance the temperature within. The Eastgate centre
works in a similar way except with ducts and fans instead of termites. It uses 10% of the energy
a conventional building of the same size.

Circular Economy:
A concept that has been thought about since 1966, the circular economy is the idea of planning
business models with no waste. In the circle of life, there is no such thing as waste. Everything
has its own purpose in the clockwork of the ecosystem. In our industrial world, there is an
27
abundance of waste. But like the Cardboard to Caviar business model, companies are finding
their own ways to eliminate or find separate uses for our economy’s waste output.

Wind turbines: 2010

One huge flaw in wind turbines is that when placed too close together, turbulence disrupts and
lowers efficiency of horizontal axis wind turbines (the traditional ones). When studying the way
schools of fish swam through water so close together, it was noted that how the fish swam
complimented each other and none of them missed a beat. This helped solve this wind turbine
flaw. When they rotated the axis so it pointed vertical, the turbines could be placed much closer
together without disrupting the others. Increasing efficiency by up to 10x the horizontal axis.

Gecko Feet:2012
Engineers and students and Umass studied the foot pads of geckos and found that the reason
the reptiles are able to crawl across vertical and upside down surfaces is because their feet are
covered in hundreds of setae, or microscopic hair-like fibres. These fibres allow the gecko to
stick to a surface, but also unstick himself from the surface easily. The result of this research
was an adhesive substance that is used, as you could guess, to more efficiently stick objects to
walls and surfaces.

28
Sharkskin: 2014
Sharkskin has been mimicked for its rough segmented texture. It turns out that bacteria do not
like landing on the skin of a shark. Engineers have designed materials with a comparable
microscopic texture that repel bacteria in a similar way. This material will be especially useful
in hospitals where it can be used to cover surfaces and door handles to eliminate the spread of
bacteria.

Characteristics
Biomimetic architecture uses nature as a model, measure and mentor to solve problems in
architecture. It is not the same as biomorphic architecture, which uses natural existing elements
as sources of inspiration for aesthetic components of form. Instead, biomimetic architecture
looks to nature as a model to imitate or take inspiration from natural designs and processes and
applies it to the man-made. It uses nature as a measure meaning biomimicry uses an ecological
standard to judge the efficiency of human innovations. Nature as a mentor means that
biomimicry does not try to exploit nature by extracting material goods from it, but values nature
as something humans can learn from.
Mimicking nature requires understanding the differences between biological and technical
systems. Their evolution is dissimilar: biological systems have been evolving for millions of
years, whereas the technical systems have been developing for only a few hundred years.
Biological systems evolved based on their genetic codes governed by natural selection, while
technical systems developed based on human design for performing functions. In general,
functions in technical systems aim to develop a system as a result of design, while in biological
systems, functions can occasionally be an unsystematic genetic evolutionary change that leads
to a particular function that is not prearranged. Their differences are wide: technical systems

29
function within extensive environments, while biological systems work within restricted living
constraints.
Architectural innovations that are responsive to architecture do not have to resemble a plant or
an animal. Where form is intrinsic to an organism's function, then a building modelled on a life
form's processes may end up looking like the organism too. Architecture can emulate natural
forms, functions and processes. Though a contemporary concept in a technological age,
biomimicry does not entail the incorporation of complex technology in architecture. In response
to prior architectural movements biomimetic architecture strives to move towards radical
increases in resource efficiency, work in a closed loop model rather than linear (work in a closed
cycle that does not need a constant intake of resources to function), and rely on solar energy
instead of fossil fuels. The design approach can either work from design to nature or from nature
to design. Design to nature means identifying a design problem and finding a parallel problem
in nature for a solution. An example of this is the Daimler Chrysler bionic car that looked to the
boxfish to build an aerodynamic body. The nature to design method is a solution-driven
biologically inspired design. Designers start with a specific biological solution in mind and
apply it to design. An example of this is Sto's Lotusan paint, which is self-cleaning, an idea
presented by the lotus flower, which emerges clean from swampy waters.

Three Levels of Mimicry

Biomimicry can work on three levels: the organism, its behaviours, and the ecosystem.
Buildings on the organism level mimic a specific organism. Working on this level alone without
mimicking how the organism participates in a larger context may not be sufficient to produce a
building that integrates well with its environment because an organism always functions and
responds to a larger context. On a behaviour 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. Ecosystem principles follow that ecosystems (1)
are dependent on contemporary sunlight; (2) optimize the system rather than its components;
(3) are attuned to and dependent on local conditions; (4) are diverse in components,
relationships and information; (5) create conditions favourable to sustained life; and (6) adapt
and evolve at different levels and at different rates. Essentially, this means that a number of
components and processes make up an ecosystem and they must work with each other rather
than against in order for the ecosystem to run smoothly. For architectural design to mimic nature
on the ecosystem level it should follow these six principles.

30
Organism Level

On the organism level, the architecture looks to the organism itself, applying its form and/or
functions to a building. Norman Foster’s Gherkin Tower (2003) has a hexagonal skin inspired
by the Venus Flower Basket Sponge. This sponge sits in an underwater environment with strong
water currents and its lattice-like exoskeleton and round shape help disperse those stresses on
the organism. The Eden Project (2001) in Cornwall, England is a series of artificial biomes with
domes modelled after soap bubbles and pollen grains. Grimshaw Architects looked to nature to
build an effective spherical shape. The resulting geodesic hexagonal bubbles inflated with air
were constructed of Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a material that is both light and
strong. The final superstructure weighs less than the air it contains.

Behaviour Level

On the behaviour level, the building mimics how the organism interacts with its environment
to build a structure that can also fit in without resistance in its surrounding environment. The
East gate Centre designed by architect Mick Pearce in conjunction with engineers at Arup
Associates is a large office and shopping complex in Harare, Zimbabwe. To minimize potential
costs of regulating the building's inner temperature Pearce looked to the self cooling mounds of
African termites. The building has no air-conditioning or heating but regulates its temperature
with a passive cooling system inspired by the self-cooling mounds of African termites. The
structure, however, does not have to look like a termite mound to function like one and instead
aesthetically draws from indigenous Zimbabwean masonry.

The Qatar Cacti Building designed by Bangkok-based Aesthetics Architects for the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Agriculture is a projected building that uses the cactus's relationship to
its environment as a model for building in the desert. The functional processes silently at work
are inspired by the way cacti sustain themselves in a dry, scorching climate. Sun shades on the
windows open and close in response to heat, just as the cactus undergoes transpiration at night
rather than during the day to retain water. The project reaches out to the ecosystem level in its
adjoining botanical dome whose wastewater management system follows processes that
conserve water and has minimum waste outputs. Incorporating living organisms into the
breakdown stage of the wastewater minimizes the amount of external energy resources needed
to fulfil this task. The dome would create a climate and air controlled space that can be used for
the cultivation of a food source for employees.

31
Ecosystem Level
Building on the ecosystem level involves mimicking of how the environments many
components work together and tends to be on the urban scale or a larger project with multiple
elements rather than a solitary structure. The Cardboard to Caviar Project founded by Graham
Wiles in Wakefield, UK is a cyclical closed-loop system using waste as a nutrient. The project
pays restaurants for their cardboard, shreds it, and sells it to equestrian centres for horse
bedding. Then the soiled bedding is bought and put into a composting system, which produces
a lot of worms. The worms are fed to roe fish, which produce caviar, which is sold back to the
restaurants. This idea of waste for one as a nutrient for another has the potential to be translated
to whole cities. The Sahara Forest Project designed by the firm Exploration Architecture is a
greenhouse that aims to rely on solar energy alone to operate as a zero waste system. The project
is on the ecosystem level because its many components work together in a cyclical system.
After finding that the deserts used to be covered by forests, Exploration decided to intervene at
the forest and desert boundaries to reverse desertification. The project mimics the Namibian
desert beetle to combat climate change in an arid environment. It draws upon the beetle's ability
to self-regulate its body temperature by accumulating heat by day and to collect water droplets
that form on its wings. The greenhouse structure uses saltwater to provide evaporative cooling
and humidification. The evaporated air condenses to fresh water allowing the greenhouse to
remain heated at night. This system produces more water than the interior plants need so the
excess is spewed out for the surrounding plants to grow. Solar power plants work off of the idea
that symbiotic relationships are important in nature, collecting sun while providing shade for
plants to grow. The project is currently in its pilot phase. Lavasa , India is a proposed 8000-acre
city by HOK (Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum) planned for a region of India subject to
monsoon flooding. The HOK team determined that the site's original ecosystem was a moist
deciduous forest before it had become an arid landscape. In response to the season flooding,
they designed the building foundations to store water like the former trees did. City rooftops
mimic native the banyan fig leaf looking to its drip-tip system that allows water to run off while
simultaneously cleaning its surface. The strategy to move excess water through channels is
borrowed from local harvester ants, which use multi-path channels to divert water away from
their nests.

32
Case studies were done from selected three projects below.

1. Sagrada Familia

Gaudi’s stunning buildings in Barcelona, Spain, remain a legacy to his life-long belief that we
need look no further than nature to see construction at its supreme. The most ambitious of his
works is the Sagrada Familia cathedral. Gaudi took over design in 1883 and the building is due
to be finished in 2026, 100 years after his death. The cathedral’s awesome interior is inspired
by the idea of a forest that invites prayer. Tree-like columns branch off near the roof for support,
and in-between skylights contain green and gold glass to reflect light. Enhancing the feeling of
standing on a forest floor and Gaudi's plan to create a contemplative atmosphere are large
coloured glass windows letting in dappled sunlight.

2. The Eastgate development

Inspired by the way the insects use very limited resources to create ventilated mounds,
permeating them with holes over the surface, Pearce set out to construct a building also
peppered with holes all over the building’s “skin”. The result stands as a pioneering example
of “passive ventilation” – the idea that buildings use renewable energy from the environment
around them in place of normal air conditioning and heating systems. The Eastgate building
uses less energy and is comparatively cheaper to run, according to its makers. The tower’s
“skin” takes heat from outside air during the day and absorbs it into the structure’s body. The
air is cool when it reaches the middle of the building. And at night the heat that’s been absorbed
during the day warms this cool air, creating comfortable cool or warm conditions for people
inside. Eastgate is probably the best example of the word 'biomimicry' that’s out there at the
moment.

3. Kunsthaus Graz

Like some colossal, stranded deep-sea blob, the biomorphic Kunsthaus Graz rises up amid
angular, red-roofed buildings. Dr. Marcus Cruz, who was involved with planning the Kunsthaus
in Austria along with main architects Peter Cook and Colin Fournier says the building took
inspiration from natural forms but didn’t mimic them exactly. Cruz’s own research included
looking at microscopic images of sea creatures.

So the nozzles that exist on the roof that are very distinct they were supposed to move and
interact with the sun. And the skin as being like a creature.

33
CASE STUDIES

34
 Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia, is a Roman Catholic church located in Barcelona, Spain. Designed by
architect Antoni Gaudi, the basilica remains under construction since its ground breaking in
1882, with anticipated completion in 2026. Construction was interrupted during the Spanish
Civil War of 1936 when many of the models Gaudi left after his death were destroyed. Gaudi’s
unique design combines traditional Gothic architecture with Art Nouveau forms to express
Christian iconography. 18 planned spires represent the 12 apostles, the 4 gospels, the Virgin
Mary, and Jesus. 3 grand facades for the Nativity, the Passion, and the Glory represent different
aspects of Jesus’s life and teachings. Gaudi drew inspiration for the design from natural forms.
He believed that the best way to honor God was through design derived from nature. In addition
to the use of naturalistic aesthetic design, he also delved into biomimetics with structural forms
inspired by nature. He analysed the function of natural forms and applied those elements to his
architecture. The Sagrada Familia serves as a precursor to the modern field of biomimetics. For
Gaudi, form and function were one in the same. Inspiration from nature helped solve various
problems of structural engineering and even helped improve the lighting of the interior.

The most notable example of biomimetic architecture in the Sagrada Familia is the branching
columns of the nave. (The nave is the main, central area of a church.) Evoking a sense of
walking through a forest, the columns branch out to provide greater support for the vault and
roof. The number of sides for each column depends on the load it needs to carry and increases
as the column rises. The design mimics the natural weight distribution of trees, allowing each
column to bear a greater load than a traditional column. The branches transfer lateral loads
efficiently to the nave columns, forgoing the need for the exterior flying buttresses of a typical
Gothic cathedral.

35
The interior columns support most of the weight and are capable of carrying a larger individual
weight, compared to the outer buttresses which carry most of the load in traditional cathedrals.
The branches seek to attain equilibrium between the sections of the structure by minimizing the
transfer of horizontal thrust. The inclination of the branches is determined by the lateral thrusts
and transfers those thrusts as vertically as possible. This equilibrium design minimizes the
lateral loads by increasing the vertical load.

For the leaning columns of the Passion facade, Gaudi again took inspiration from trees. The
base of those columns spread out as hyperbolic paraboloids just as the roots at the base of a tree
trunk spread out. It transfers the load more efficiently to the ground.

36
Gaudi used many other geometric forms throughout his design, including hyperboloids within
the windows and roof to diffuse natural light. The light diffusing and reflecting through hollow
spaces in the vault, stained glass windows, and between the branching columns gives the effect
of sunlight filtering through the leaves of a forest. Features at the intersection of the column
trunk and branches mimic tree knots and serve as discrete housing for lights.

He also used catenary arches designed through empirical analysis. A catenary arch is the shape
that a rope or chain naturally forms due to gravity when suspended from both ends. It is the
ideal shape for an arch carrying only its own weight as the load is transferred through
compression forces along the curve. Gaudi hung chains weighted with small bags to create a
model. Gaudi’s use of natural structural forms throughout the architectural design of the
Sagrada Familia reduces the material requirement for construction in addition to serving an
aesthetic purpose. Structures that transfer loads more efficiently require less material. This helps
with what is still a massive undertaking. Gaudi showed what is possible when rigid, straight
lines are replaced by the curved, organic models of nature.

37
 East-gate centre
The Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, typifies the best of green architecture and
ecologically sensitive adaptation. The country’s largest office and shopping complex is an
architectural marvel in its use of biomimicry principles. The mid-rise building, designed by
architect Mick Pearce in collaboration with Arup engineers, has no conventional air-
conditioning or heating, yet stays regulated year round with dramatically less energy
consumption using design methods inspired by indigenous Zimbabwean masonry and the self-
cooling mounds of African termites!

Termites in Zimbabwe build gigantic mounds inside of which they farm a fungus that is their
primary food source. The fungus must be kept at exactly 87 degrees F, while the temperatures
outside range from 35 degrees F at night to 104 degrees F 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 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 industrious
termites constantly dig new vents and plug up old ones in order to regulate the temperature.

The Eastgate Centre, largely made of concrete, has a ventilation system which operates in a
similar way. Outside air that is drawn in is either warmed or cooled by the building mass
depending on which is hotter, the building concrete or the air. It is then vented into the
building’s floors and offices before exiting via chimneys at the top. 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.

38
Air is continuously drawn from this open space by fans on the first floor. It is then pushed up
vertical supply sections of ducts that are located in the central spine of each of the two buildings.
The fresh air replaces stale air that rises and exits through exhaust ports in the ceilings of each
floor. Ultimately it enters the exhaust section of the vertical ducts before it is flushed out of the
building through chimneys.

39
 Kunsthaus Graz

The Kunsthaus Graz is an exhibition hall designed for international exhibitions of

multidisciplinary modern and contemporary art. The Kunsthaus will not collect art, it will not
institute permanent exhibitions, nor will it have depots or research facilities. It will serve
exclusively for the presentation and mediation of a wide range of contemporary artistic
productions. A 900m2 large media installation made of light rings for the eastern facade of the
Kunsthaus Graz. BIX — the title of the installation - will be mounted beneath the acrylic glass
surface of the building facing the river and city centre.

From the conceptual stages of the project, it was envisioned to generate a uniform blob form in
a "space like material". The identification of this space like material was not resolved until the
later stages of the design process. The design process generated an arbitrary form, responding
to certain site and functional parameters, but never to the requirements of the potential cladding
material nor to the structural system. Another defining element of the winning proposal was the
idea of a media facade, which would require a translucency to the cladding material.

With the majority of the free form design of the Kunsthaus Graz taking place within the steel
space frame, the assembly of the floor plates and building support within the building are
constructed from poured in-place concrete. The benefit of using poured in-place concrete is that
when it is wet, it can be moulded into any shape desirable. Its relatively low cost of construction
also makes it a desirable material for producing buildings. Its raw material composition is
readily available making it a more sustainable approach to construction. If properly assembled,
concrete does not rot, deteriorate, or damage over time, leaving a lasting building in the urban
context.

40
 In the Kunsthaus Graz, levels I through 4 use a more conventional piloti and beam system.
This concrete system was chosen specifically for the reason that it allows for the columns to be
placed in a less rigid grid system. The floor plate of the Kunsthaus Graz suggests that the proper
structural system for this type of building geometry could only be built from concrete.

Steel as a structural material as proven over time to be reliable and strong material that
allows for unique structural configurations. In comparison to concrete, steel is extremely strong
in tension and in compression. In the Kunsthaus Graz, steel is utilizing a steel space frame
structure. A space frame structure is essentially a truss-like configuration, composed of a
lightweight rigid structure formed by interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Certain space
frame structures utilize a multidirectional span to accommodate longs spans with very few
intermediate support. Their inherit strength comes from the triangular configuration of the
frame, stiffing the structure in all directions. Using steel in this application allowed the
architects not only to span the 60m, but also allowed them to have the facade of the building to
curve in more than one direction. The steel structure initially was secondary in the design of
the building. The building form was the driving force in designing the steel structure instead of
the steel structure dictating the arbitrary form.
Glass is an essential element in building design. It provides views from the interior to the
exterior, and vice versa. Glass as a material is a non-crystalline solid element. Even though
glass is quite heavy, it can easily be broken if enough force is applied to it, due in part to its
inherit brittle properties. Glass has been around for thousands of years and been constantly
improved to better suit its purpose.

41
The glass portion of the building is mostly situated at the base of the building where the free
flowing public space is located. This thin wall of glass gives the space a perception of
transparency, a continuation of the exterior into the interior. By having this portion of the
building glazed in glass, the architects were able to achieve a notion that the upper floors were
hovering over-top of the public space.

42
Sustainability

The concept if a building is to be considered sustainable takes on many parameters. All

materials and production process need to be taken into consideration. The Kunsthaus Graz
ultimately uses 4 main construction materials; concrete, steel, plastic, and glass. Each in its own
right have issues with sustainability as materials. The use of plastic on the exterior facade do
have to come into question because the material itself isn't designed to withstand certain types
of climates and I-JV radiation. Plastic also becomes weaker when under freeze - thaw cycles
occur. The panels become more prone to breaking off from the building facade and falling down
on the pedestrians below. This is all due to the inherit material properties that plastic has. Even
with additives there are the chances that the plastic panels will not last over a longer period of
time. If there ever becomes the need to sell the building, it has great potential to explore other
type of occupancies because the open plans allow for walls to freely move, creating endless
possibilities for interior configurations. The change in occupancy prolongs the life span and
multiuse of the building in the long run.

When looking at how the building was assembled, it can be stated that the top portion of the
building, which is the free form, there is a relative ease of disassembly. Once the plastic, metal
decking, and space frame is removed, the concrete structure only remains. This then can be
used for another type of possible construction.

Conclusion

The materials that were used in the construction of the building are relatively simplistic, but yet
present the building in a very futuristic manner. The changing form of the exterior allows for
the building to stand out from its surrounding context, and become the iconic building. This
iconic image is achieved by the way the material palate all work together as the final assembly.

43
 Discussion
Analysis and potential future research

44
When you are looking at biological systems they tend to solve problems in very different ways
from engineering systems which is why the area is so interesting.

Nature as a model (Organism level)

As shown in above fig. this level of biomimicry as a model has been extensively researched and
applied to areas of design. Although these projects will only mimic natural form it has been
widely explored as a design method and is arguably the most successful out of the three levels
of application. It could prove useful in architecture, for example: due to extreme pressure of
weight reduction birds have evolved lightweight skeletons. The structure of a bird’s skull is an
engineering miracle. Lightweight can be defined by the ratio of the active load carried over by
the dead load the longer the better. Correspondingly, the largest structural load carried by the
lowest structural weight the better.

Skulls are generally extraordinary impact resistant structures and extremely light at the same
time. Skulls are designed to be robust as they protect vital organs while being extremely light
to allow the birds to fly with consideration of the related literature and materials used for study
that it is relevant to architecture and can be applied to a structure of a building.

Figure 9 Skull structure of birds

45
Nature as a level (Process level)

This level of biomimicry has been researched and conceptual architectural ideas are beginning
to be applied. This level mimics natural process and has the potential to create some cutting
edge designs. As previously mentioned in this dissertation, the sustainable management of
water is increasingly becoming an environmental challenge. Climate scientists believe
developing tropical countries will face huge destruction of their agriculture industries due to
temperature increases and rainfall reduction. In my opinion future research could look to
organisms that thrive in desert conditions as many plants and animals in these areas have the
ability to store water. For example: elephant foot plant. During heavy rainfall these plants retain
large volumes of water underground in their root structure which expands and contracts
depending upon the amount.

Buildings commonly store water in rigid tanks underground. This plant can inspire expandable
water tanks that could be made of a light weight membrane which could be incorporated into
walls or landscape features. This would allow structures conserve maximum rainfall and reuse
throughout drier parts of the year. For wetter climates like in Britain the tank could store water
during floods which would minimize disaster and again could be used later in the year.

Figure 10 Elephant foot plant

46
Nature as a mentor (Ecosystem level)

The ecosystem level is the most underdeveloped of biomimetic application this is due to it being
the most complex. The Mobius project is an example. It creates bio-network by by using waste
to create resources, the building themselves are not made from biomimetic materials. Generally,
we make materials with high energy bonds which makes them difficult to integrate into systems
modelled on biology. If we could design and construct materials, buildings and cities with
natural polymers and low energy bonds then structures would embed themselves within these
cycles. Ecosystem inspired models involve complex interactions between different processes
that require design input if they are to be optimized. There is opportunity for buildings to
achieve this and become innovative examples of architecture.
In general, the built environment has exploited natural capital whereas ecosystem thinking
is an opportunity to do the opposite. For this reason, resource savvy self-sufficient design such
as the Mobius project is influential to architecture. Future cities could challenge current cities
and determine if they could become sustainable by applying building mimicry to building
components. The elements would collaborate to potentially create a bio-network within the
building. These buildings could work together to create an ecosystem within the city. However,
designing a sustainable city does not depend only on buildings within it, careful planning that
embraces food, transport and energy as well as health and well-being is required. A sustainable
world already exists where organisms work together to create a harmonious ecosystem. Since
organisms cannot take care of their offspring 10,000 years in the future so they take care of the
place that can.

Figure 11 Mobius Project

47
If we are to design cities like that, we can’t simply just plant plants to do the work for them.
They must work like organisms in an ecosystem. Moreover, every city will have a different
brief and to meet the needs of every individual design we could look at the organisms that
survive in similar environments. By studying the deep patterns of plants, animals and fungi,
insects etc. there is arguably the potential to come up with design principles for an entire project.

For example: in a cloudy city like Bogota, the buildings could mimic the fog basking beetle.
They could be wrapped in a skin that captures fog and turns it into water which is then recycled
throughout the city. Buildings within a polluted city like in china could be made from calera
concrete which mimics how coral reefs sequester carbon, this is then turned into building
resources that could be used by the city.

Although the purpose of this study was to look at how biomimicry could create sustainable
architecture through energy, material and water conservation, extensive research shows that
there are biomimetic solutions to many architectural challenges. As previously stated designs
at organism level have used biomimicry exceptionally. While there are still many architectural
problems to overcome when truly implementing biomimicry at process and ecosystem levels
there are arguably benefits from encouraging biomimetic thinking.

48
CONCLUSION

49
The aim of the dissertation was to determine the extent to which biomimicry could influence
environmentally sustainable design in the built environment. Through the application of
inductive research, the study involved the review and analysis of related literature and academic
materials in order to fulfil the identified research objectives.

Objective I
Identify problems created by the Industrial Revolution to our planet and why this has generated
the importance of sustainable architectural design.
Key Findings derived from researching this objective: Although the Industrial Revolution was
a phenomenal time for design, it depleted a vast amount of the world's natural resources. Due
to the immense use of fossil fuels within cities and the amount of C02 waste produced by
burning them, it is imperative for architects to find alternative sustainable solutions for both
existing buildings and future designs. The primary requirement for architectural sustainability
is resource conservation within a building ecosystem; the three main sections are material,
energy and water conservation.

Objective 2
Research the effectiveness biomimicry has had on evolving technologies and architectural
functions.
Key Findings derived from researching this objective: Human-made systems are simple,
wasteful, mono-cultural and fossil fuel dependant compared to biological systems, which are
complex, regenerative and run entirely on renewable energy. Architects and designers can learn
a lot from these biological models. However, there are few studies of biomimicry being used
successfully in design and engineering strategies. There are three levels of biomimicry; it is
currently being used well at the first level organism level. However, there is the potential for
development at both process and ecosystem level. The problems mainly stem from the fact that
a building is not alive and therefore it is difficult to design it to respond and adapt.
Combining systems to create a building inspired by ecosystem thinking could prove too
complex at this current period of architectural design, however designing and applying
responsive materials to a building could make it more sustainable as it would be self -reliant
and could adapt to change; for example, cladding systems could close at night autonomously to
form back insulated shutters.

50
Objective 3
Analyse if biomimicry can inspire architecture to work harmoniously with the environment
through analysis of a practical example
Key Findings derived from researching this objective: For cities to perform like ecosystems;
buildings must mimic organisms and their systems should mimic the processes these organisms
use to survive. This case study supports the theory that creating architecture that mimics an
ecosystem is too advanced. However, we could begin to develop isolated design elements that
could be applied to a building to make it more sustainable and therefore the city it belongs to
more sustainable.

Objective 4
Identify the future improvements biomimicry can make to architectural design.
Key Findings derived from researching this objective: As previously stated biomimicry has
been extensively researched and applied to areas of design at organism level. It could also be
widely applied to architecture to provide better solutions for: insulation; foundations;
lightweight structures; fire resistant materials and services etc. Biomimicry is beginning to
develop at the process level and could be applied to architecture in terms of inspiring weather
or daylight responsive cladding systems. It could also inspire integrated systems that store water
and sequester carbon. Ecosystem level is the most underdeveloped of the three and is where
future research could be applied, however it still has inspirational qualities and could be used
to create innovative systems that manage waste and make cities more diverse rather than mono
cultural schemes.

As detailed above, this dissertation identified three main issues within architectural design:
material, energy and water conservation. Through biomimetic innovations in technology and
design, architects have begun to find solutions to some of the problems associated with these
issues. The research considered the application of biomimicry at three key levels: organism,
process and ecosystem. From this, it became clear from the findings that biomimicry is
extremely useful within architecture at organism level. Therefore, in relation to the evidence
presented, it is possible to conclude that there is a place for biomimicry within architectural
design. However, the study also found significant challenges at the process and ecosystem
levels of biomimicry that would require to be overcome before the practical benefits of
biomimicry could be realized.

51
Potential areas for future research

The limited scope of this research did not allow for a full appreciation of the breadth of topics
that biomimicry could inspire. To progress discursive insight into the field of biomimicry,
future studies may also wish to conduct research based around the issues raised the application
of this process in architecture at the ecosystem level. It is evident from this study that a
significant gap exists, emphasized by the table of ecosystem service (Figure 32) that could be
but are not yet mimicked by the built environment.
This dissertation specifically focused on key case studies examining material, energy and water
conservation, as it is arguable that conserving these three resources will create a truly
sustainable design approach. However, through research the author has discovered that there
are many areas of design that can be improved through the use of biomimicry. Due to limited
scope if this dissertation, it was not practical to cover everything that biomimicry could inspire,
but what Is certainly apparent, is the ability of biomimicry to inspire and potentially begin to
address the key challenges that face architects in the pursuit of a truly sustainable built
environment.

52
Bibliography
https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/biomimicry-in-architecture/
https://www.archdaily.com/tag/biomimicry
https://www.slideshare.net/vaisalik/biomimetic-architecture
https://www.arch2o.com/biomimicry-enhances-architecture/
http://architecture2030.org/buildings_problem_why/
http://ben.biomimicry.net/category/news/.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/big-idea/gaudi-text
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article= 1984&context=theses
http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution
http://bioinspired.sinet.ca/content/biomimicry-and-industrial-design-karen-verbeek
https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/
https://biomimicry.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimetics
https://biomimicry.net/what-is-biomimicry/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/biomimicry-examples/
https://www.momtastic.com/webecoist/2014/12/31/natures-wisdom-9-brilliant-examples-of-
biomimicry-in-design/

53