Week 4
Nature Does It Better: BIOMIMICRY
BURAK ÇELİK
ADA 412 Contemporary Problems in Urban Sustainability Bilkent University Department of Architecture 25.02.2018
What is Biomimicry?
Biomimicry is an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s timetested patterns and strategies. It is also a multi-disciplinary approach to sustainable design that follows a set of principles rather than stylistic codes.
Not form But an Understanding
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Animals are the first architects on earth We already used to get inspiration from nature
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How did it begin in architecture? The Sagrada FamĂlia 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 modeled the branching canopies of trees to solve statics problems in supporting the vault.
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PROBLEMATIC As humans separated from the nature, we have created massive sustainability problems for future generations. Main goal of biomimicry is to create products, processes, and policies— new ways of living—that are well-adapted to life on earth for the long term.
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SOLUTION Principles of Biomimicry
Nature runs on sunlight Nature uses only the energy it needs Nature fits form to function Nature recycles everything Nature rewards cooperation & team work Nature rewards diversity Nature demands local expertise Nature taps the power of limits
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Three Levels Biomimicry
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Organism Level
Biomimicry can work on three levels: 1.the organism, 2.its behaviors, and 3.the ecosystem.
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Behaviour Level
Ecosystem Level
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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.
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Behavior Level
On the behavior 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 Eastgate 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
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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 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.
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Biomimicry in Architectural Systems Solar Panels
The solar panel system mimics the way leaves harvest energy.
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Synthetic Materials
This cutting-edge building material ‘reverse engineers’ the self-healing mechanism of the organism at the time of injury. That is to say, it bleeds and heals like our skin. It contains tiny capsules with healing agents to self-repair any damage or cracks. Due to this, we have quite a lowmaintenance and durable material.
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Responsive Façade
The facade of Esplanade Theatre, for example, mimics the semi-rigid skin of the durian plant which is covered in thorns to protect its inner content. The building’s exterior adjusts throughout the day to allow sunlight in without overheating the space.
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It RELATES
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“I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning.” Steve Jobs
“When we look at what is truly sustainable, the only real model that has worked over long periods of time is the natural world.” Janine Benyus
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References
https://www.slideshare.net/vaisalik/biomimetic-architecture https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/biomimicry-in-architecture/ https://www.archdaily.com/tag/biomimicry https://inhabitat.com/biomimicry-helps-nature-lovers-and-fragile-wildlife-co-exist-at-the-votuhotel-in-brazil/ https://www.arch2o.com/biomimicry-enhances-architecture/