2. Architectural Design Theme: “BIOINSPIRATION & THE QUEST FOR TECTONIC NOVELTIES IN WOOD – STRUCTURE AS ARCHITECTURE - ARCHITECTURE AS STRUCTURE & THE REVIVAL OF AUTOGENIC ORNAMENT” 2.1. Bioinspiration / Bionics / Biomimetics / Biomimicry Since the formation of natural and biological systems in our planet, nature has constantly been called upon to act as an engineer in solving technical problems.
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Bionics or Biomimetics, as we understand it today, dates back to the period between 1800 and 1925 and its proponents Alessandro Volta (electric battery), Otto Lilienthal (flying machine), and Raoul Francé (concepts). It was virtually reinvented under the strong influence of cybernetics in the 1960s by H. v. Foerster and W. McCulloch. The term biomimetics arose simultaneously with a slightly different connotation. “Bioinspiration” is a convenient modern overarching term that embraces everything from bionics and biotechnology to bioinspired fashion design. 2
