Living Architecture Systems Group (Research Folio) - Metabolism

LIVING ARCHITECTURE SYSTEMS GROUP RESEARCH FOLIO

STREAM #3 METABOLISM

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

ABIOGENESIS

2

WHAT IS METABOLISM?

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METABOLISM PRIMER

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LIVING ARCHITECTURE SYSTEMS & METABOLISM

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MFC BRICK

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RELATED PROJECTS

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FURTHER READING

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NOTES

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ABIOGENESIS Crucial to understanding metabolism in architecture is to understand abiogenesis, or : “the original evolution of life or living organisms from inorganic or inanimate substances.”1 Experiments in the Szostak laboratory of the Harvard Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology have pointed to this ideology toward the origin of life. Led by Prof. Jack W. Szostak, the laboratory’s findings challenge the widespread idea of a boundary condition that separates matters of living vs non-living. Szostak explains: We are currently engaged in the design and chemical synthesis of modified nucleic acids, including modified versions of RNA, that can replicate without enzymes. By combining self-replicating nucleic acids and membranes we hope to generate model protocells that will allow us to observe the spontaneous emergence of Darwinian behavior.2

But how does this relate to architecture?

1 “La NASA identifica

moléculas de carbono como Origen de la.. - Ciencia y Educación.” 2011.

The concept of abiogenesis could be seen as bridging the gap between biomimicry3 and nature conservation4. This implies that design would no longer be an affair of hard, inert, or sterile matter (see stereotomy5) but rather one of soft, growing, and fertile interfaces.

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Viewing the transformation of a system from closed, i.e. simply organic matter, to open, i.e. organic as well as inorganic matter means that inanimate objects can be perceived as contributors of a living system. Conversely, biological organisms can be perceived as enabling elements of a larger hybrid system. This weave of organic/inorganic could open architecture to exchanges (e.g. with chemistry, biology, geology, psychology) that would benefit both social and natural environments. Although this distinction of social/natural is problematic, its emphasis bears witness to the urgency for a new, perhaps more holistic, design vocabulary.

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“Theory of Abiogenesis – The Center for Planetary Science.� n.d.

2

Glossary of Terms - Abiogenesis Biomimicry “the imitation of natural biological designs or processes in engineering or invention...”3 Nature conservation “The preservation of wild fauna and flora and natural habitats and ecosystems, especially from the effects of human exploitation, industrialization, etc.”4 Stereotomy “the art or science of cutting solid bodies, esp. stone, into desired shapes”5 Autopoeisis “the property of a living system (such as a bacterial cell or a multicellular organism) that allows it to maintain and renew itself by regulating its composition and conserving its boundaries”6 Homeostasis “The tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.”7 Dissipative structures (term coined by I. Prigogine) “Dissipative structures are nonequilibrium thermodynamic systems that generate order spontaneously by exchanging energy with their external environments. Dissipative structures include physical processes (e.g., whirlpools), chemical reactions (e.g., Bénard cell convection), and biological systems (e.g., cells)…”8 Polymerization poly-: “1 : many : several : much : multi- • polychotomous • polygyny 2 a : containing an indefinite number more than one of a (specified) substance • polysulfide b : polymeric : polymer of a (specified) monomer • polyethylene • polyadenylic acid.”9 -mer: “from Greek meros part […] member of a (specified) class • monomer.”10

AB I O GENESIS

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POLYMERIZATION Considering a wide range of definitions for what makes a living system, Living Architecture Systems Group considers that for a system to be declared living, it must exhibit three key components: Information, Compartment, and Metabolism.

Moreover, inherent in these components are certain qualities which might include autopoiesis6 (term coined by H. Maturana7 ), homeostasis8 , or dissipative structures9 (dynamic non-equilibrium thermodynamic states).

“Metaphysically, on the basis of a study of the successive changes in matter which preceded the appearance of life and led to its emergence. Matter never remains at rest it is constantly moving and developing and in this development it changes over from one form of motion to another and yet another, each more complicated and har-

It has been found that certain types of fatty acids have the capacity to evolve with very miniscule perturbations. A saturated fatty acid, i.e. palmitic acid, contains a hydrophobic head (oxygen-carbon bond with hydroxide) and hydrophilic tail (polyethylene chain) meaning that water repels one end of the molecule while attracting the other. When many fatty acids are submerged in water, this

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monious than the last.�-The Origin of Life- A.I.Oparin

Stated Clearly. “What Is Chemical Evolution?” n.d.

Biology, A*. “Biological Molecules” n.d.

3 “Dna-vs-Rna-Struc-

ture_med.Jpeg (678×466).” n.d. (TOP)

characteristic of attraction/repulsion allows their ends to be joined, eventually leading to the formation of a ball-shaped clusters called micelles (see fig. 4). Next, as more fatty acids are added to the micelles, the latter reaches a critical mass, and forms a bi-layer membrane. If any turbulence in the surrounding environment causes the membrane to fold onto itself, a vesicle (or liposome) is formed. A video of this process can be found here (starting at 4:30): https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mRzxTzKIsp8 The interest in the vesicle lies in its ability to contain water and other nutrients within itself, allowing either for their transportation between environments or for new types of evolution. This is a key component of the RNA World hypothesis, supporting the idea of abiogenesis.

AB I O GENESIS

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METABOLISM 4 Armstrong, R. “Designing

with Protocells: Applications of a Novel Technical Platform.” September 2014.

me·tab·o·lism : “The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.”11 GREEK

GREEK

metaballein

metabole

TO CHANGE

CHANGE

ENGLISH

metabolism12 LATE 19TH CENTURY

-ism In the highly influential “What is Life” 1944 monograph by Erwin Schrödinger, very fundamental principles of biology and physics are expanded to offer a holistic view of how life works. Among other insightful observations is the notion of negative entropy, as coined by Schrödinger. Since entropy is concerned, the second law of thermodynamics is provided: In any spontaneous process, the entropy of the universe increases. The defining of entropy can be conflicting because of a tendency to associate it to a “… degree of disorder or randomness in the system”.10 What the work of researchers such as Schrödinger and Prigogine have implied is that beyond a certain threshold, an increase in entropy production or ‘disorder’ can lead to a higher level of order, or a “macroscopic current”11

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According to Jeremy England, professor of physics at MIT conducting research in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, “… there is one essential difference between living things and inanimate clumps of carbon atoms: The former tend to be much better at capturing energy from their environment and dissipating that energy as heat.”12 Every living organism has its own metabolism. If the physical aspects of living systems along with the biochemical notions of abiogenesis and polymerization can be understood simultaneously, metabolism can be valued for its proficiency in exchanging with its environment.

If living organisms are experts at converting surrounding energy into heat by greatly increasing the overall entropy production, how might living systems be designed to embody such rich exchange potential while integrating inorganic matter?

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Armstrong, R. Collage.

August 2010. (TOP)

5

Kerrigan, C. “Computer drawing” February 2009 (RIGHT)

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METAB O LISM

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METABOLISM PRIMER The idea of boundaries plays an important role in the function of the metabolism. Metabolism occurs where there is a difference in environments.

These environments could be qualified through a wide range of metrics, i.e. temperature, humidity, enthalpy, pressure, concentration, entropy, and so on. A fundamental process of life, metabolism is required if any living organism is to survive. If a given living organism cannot maintain exchanges with its environment, it decays to a state of equilibrium, or in biological terms, death. Thus, an organism whose boundaries (i.e. skin, membrane, gills, or pores) allow it to strive in a certain environment will tend to live much longer than one whose boundary is not fit to adequately receive or reject external sources of energy. A familiar example of metabolism could be our own existence on Earth, where our bodies metabolize food, generating vital heat which is dissipated into the surrounding environment.

Bioluminescence is a form of metabolic process in how an external source of energy is transformed to emit light. Commonly known species using this principle include the firefly or the angler fish.

7 Amanjeev. “Burning Bottom.� June 23, 2012.

Fireflies through their tracheoles, a tubular network connecting the body to its surrounding environment, the firefly takes oxygen in their light organ where chemical reactions occur with calcium, ATP, and luciferin with the bioluminescent enzyme luciferase, producing light.13

METAB O LISM PR I MER

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Lemon battery A classic high school experiment, the lemon battery reveals that the inherent acidity of certain fruits has the catalytic potential to light a light bulb. This battery example serves as a primer for the next segment on the microbial fuel cell, where organic and inorganic matter are combined in very specific ways to provide new uses for a familiar building component.

Angler fish The angler fish’s bioluminescence is an interesting display of how a metabolic process can support another. The female has a growth coming from her spine resembling a fishing lure. In fact, this ‘fishing lure’ serves to attract unsuspecting prey by shining its bioluminescence as potential food.

Aside from the fish’s internal metabolism, this fishing lure growth combines bioluminescent bacteria14 to produce its light which could be understood as a second metabolism. Therefore, the autopoietic metabolism of the fishing lure ensures energy for the digestive metabolism.

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“Lemon_battery_experiment.” n.d. (TOP)

8

Spider.Dog. “Angler-Fish.”

January 26, 2011. (RIGHT)

9

METAB O LISM PR I MER

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PHILIP BEESLEY

Primary Investigator, Scaffolds Lead School of Architecture, University of Waterloo

Philip Beesley is a practicing visual artist, architect, and Professor in Architecture at the University of Waterloo and Professor of Digital Design and Architecture & Urbanism at the European Graduate School. Beesley’s work is widely cited in contemporary art and architecture, focused in the rapidly expanding technology and culture of responsive and interactive systems.

He serves as the Director for the Living Architecture Systems Group, and as Director for Riverside Architectural Press. His Toronto-based practice, Philip Beesley Architect Inc., operates in partnership with the Europe-based practice Pucher Seifert and the Waterloo-based Adaptive Systems Group, and in numerous collaborations including longstanding exchanges with couture designer Iris van Herpen and futurist Rachel Armstrong.

10 Royal Ontario Museum.

“ROM Daytime: Transforming Space: Can Architecture Come Alive?” n.d.

As an internationally recognized expert and pioneer in kinetic, responsive, near-living architectural installations, Philip Beesley leads the LASG Partnership and the Scaffolds research stream. As the leader of numerous collaborative projects, Beesley has senior level experience managing large, complex multidisciplinary teams and large-scale public architecture. Work resulting from the previous SSHRC partnership were presented in several public venues including the 2012 Biennale of Sydney.

As a Professor at the University of Waterloo, School of Architecture he has mentored +1500 architecture students. He has authored and edited 19 books and has been the chair for numerous symposia and conferences.18

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RACHEL ARMSTRONG

Metabolism Lead Architecture, Planning & Landscape, Newcastleb University Rachel Armstrong is Professor of Experimental Architecture at the Department of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University. She is also a 2010 Senior TED Fellow who is establishing an alternative approach to sustainability that couples with the computational properties of the natural world to develop a 21st century production platform for the built environment, which she calls ‘living’ architecture. Rachel has been frequently recognized as being a pioneer. She has recently been featured in interview for PORTER magazine, added to the 2014 Citizens of the Next Century List, by Futureish, listed on the Wired 2014 Smart List.

She is one of the 2013 ICON 50 and described as one of the ten people in the UK that may shape the UK’s recovery by Director Magazine in 2012. In the same year she was nominated as one of the most inspiring top nine women by Chick Chip magazine and featured by BBC Focus Magazine’s in 2011 in ‘ideas that could change the world’. Rachel Armstrong leads Metabolism research in developing artificial biology systems showing qualities of near-living systems. Her research into protocells is a pioneering effort that contributed to the previous collaboration with Philip Beesley.19

11 IUPUI Arts and Human-

ities Institute (blog). “TED Archives.” n.d.

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SIMONE FERRACINA

Research Assistant Architecture, Planning & Landscape, Newcastle University Simone is a researcher at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, where he works on the design of Living Architecture, an EU-funded project that operates at the intersection of architecture, building construction, bio-energy and synthetic biology.

He is a member, with Rachel Armstrong and Rolf Hughes, of the Experimental Architecture Group (EAG), a collective whose work has been exhibited and performed at the Venice Art Biennale, Trondheim Biennale, Allenheads Contemporary Arts, Culture Lab, and the Tallinn Architecture Biennale.

Simone is the founder and editor of the online journal Organs Everywhere (Œ), and the Director of the Œ Case Files, imprint in collaboration with Punctum Books— a platform for profanatory and experimental practices that fundamentally question architecture’s boundaries, technologies, methods and evaluation systems. Other notable publications include articles in 306090, Thresholds, Architecture Design Research (Ardeth), Volume, Kerb, ARCH:RESEARCH Journal; the co-edited volume Unconventional Computing: Design Methods for Adaptive Architecture (ACADIA 2013) and chapters in several forthcoming books about experimental modes of architectural research and construction.

Simone is a PhD candidate in Philosophy, Art and Critical Thought at the European Graduate School (EGS) in SaasFee, Switzerland, where his research aims to theorize radical modes of co-authorship and the reactivation of wastes through design, beyond current up-cycling paradigms...20

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DR. PETRA GRUBER

Associate Professor The University of Akron, Department of Biology Dr. Petra Gruber is an architect with a strong interest in inter- and transdisciplinary design.

Apart from her professional work as an architect, she holds a Ph.D. in Biomimetics in Architecture from the Vienna University of Technology in Austria. She also collaborated as a research fellow at the Centre for Biomimetics at The University of Reading, UK. She taught Biomimetics in Energy Systems at the University of Applied Sciences in Villach, Austria, and held lectures and workshops at universities worldwide.

As a visiting professor for Architectural Design and Building Science, she set up a master’s program in Advanced Architectural Design at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

Her research spans from projects for the European Space Agency on lunar base design informed by folding principles from nature to arts-based research on the translation of growth principles from nature into proto-architectural spatial solutions.

Dr. Gruber is based at the Myers School of Arts and the Department of Biology for the Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center or BRIC.21 12 Biomimicry Research and

Innovation Center (blog).“Faculty.” n.d.

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MFC BRICK Microbial Fuel Cells are bioelectrochemical transducers that convert chemical energy stored in organic matter, directly into electricity, via microbial metabolism.” Dr. Gimi Rembu, Electrical Engineer of LIAR Much like a battery, MFCs are composed of an anode and cathode, with a proton exchange membrane (PEM) as a separation layer. MFC research has been increasingly popular in the last decade, and many different types of feed have been explored.

Their promise lies in their capacity to transform toxic or contaminated fluids into usable forms of energy (e.g. electrical or thermal). Upscaling remains a challenge, yet significant increases have been made for the maximum power density output of microbial fuel cells.15

13 Armstrong, R. “Chemistry Outreach Laboratory”.

2016.

But what are the basic aims and principles of this recipe? First of all the capacity to harness and manage the chemical capabilities of microbial consortia performing dynamic physiological functions within a structural system that will be installed within an architectural context (i.e. house, school, office). [So] we aim to design a modular architecture bioreactor that is populated by a programmable microbial culture which can deliver specific chemical products (i.e. usable biomass, fertilizer, polished wastewater) and functions generating electrical power, extracting valuable resources from light. […] The system is based on the oppression of principles on microbial communities; both natural, i.e. the microbial fuel cell, and new to nature, i.e. synthetic construction.

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The microbial fuel cell (MFC), which is being developed by our partners from Bristol, is an electrochemical device whereby bacteria generate electricity by the oxidation of organic waste and renewable biomass. The chemical energy of organic feedstock is converted into electricity via the metabolic processes in micro-organisms which act as biocatalysts. [So] a microbial fuel cell consists of two compartments, the anode and the cathode, separated by the proton exchange membrane (PEM). In the anode chamber, bacteria anaerobically oxidize organic substrate fuel, generating electrons and releasing protons. The electrons travel via an external circuit, one on top, and the protons flow through the PEM, to be combined in the cathode, and react with oxygen to produce water. In addition, the principles of the photobioreactor, that is allied to cultivate phototrophic micro-organisms, is combined with the MFC to produce a sequential bioreactor system.

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“LIAR – Living Architecture 14 | Liquifer Systems Group.” n.d.

It is proven that algae can thrive in the cathodic environment of the MFC for the synthesis and produce of oxygen as a by-product. The photosynthetically evolved oxygen is then utilized as the cathode to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction for improved power generation and longevity. The living architecture bioreactor is therefore a complex managed microcosm or microecology whereby defined sets of abiotic factors such as illuminance, temperature, pH, etc. are continuously regulated to maintain the desired environmental conditions that support the biotic system outcomes, perhaps, in a way, not too different from Venice natural negotiations of spatial boundaries.

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The final element to this recipe, and defining ambition of the Living Architecture Project, is its incorporation of synthetic microbial consortia (MSC) into the built environment, expanding the scope of functionalities of the microbial fuel cell through designed microbial communities that perform archive functions as a kind of controllable metabolic app.

Recent advances in omics allow the fast and detailed collection of the biological components (i.e. DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites) require to understand the complex genotype and phenotype relationships in biological systems including microbial communities.

[So] the Living Architecture Project, in particular partners in Madrid, aim to better recognize the molecular basis driving the behavior of natural microbial consortia in order to develop orthogonal protocols for the design and engineering of synthetic ones.

Therefore, through the systematic study of the Living Architecture microbial fuel cell, and the available systems and synthetic biology tools, the project aimed to design a large array of synthetic microbial consortia with specific capabilities suitable to be included into building structures as microbial fuel cells.

The project envisages two separate SMC modules: A heterotrophic bacterial-based farm module, exposed to the faรงade, and a bacterial heterotrophic based labour module, interchangeable in place on the interior side of the building envelope. The farm module will supply easily metabolized carbon as energy source for the carbon module, while the labour module will perform the target biotechnological function, adding value to the whole system. Stability is achieved through metabolic cross-feeding, so where one organism synthesizes a component the other needs and cannot produce.

[So] all the components of the SMC could be equipped with synthetic genetic elements (bio-bricks) designed for different functionalities, such as cleaning grey water or polluted air, or removing phosphate or nitrogen oxides. The labour module and the farm module are conceived as interchangeable devices which can be adapted to the specific needs of a building, i.e. for producing bio-detergents, or bio-fertilizers. It [liv-

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15 Armstrong, R. “Synthetic soil� 2015.

ing brick] will be following a closed loop paradigm through sensors that will inform the central processor by the internal and environmental states of each reactor. [And] each reactor is, for instance, a brick.

The range of external input parameters will include the chemical composition of growth media, the microbial consortium composition, and now abiotic drivers such as light, temperature, pH, and hourly consumption. Internal input parameters will be the operation and condition states of the neighbouring reactors which will be updated in parallel. [So] a wall built of many reactors (many of these bricks) will behave as a parallel processor with several automata as architecture, or a massively parallel reaction diffusion computer, especially extending the chemical system which processes information by transforming an input concentration profile to an output concentration profile in a deterministic and controlled manner. Reaction outputs will include polished water, fertilizer, recoverable biomass, oxygen, and electrical power...16

MFC B R I C K

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HYLOZOIC GROUND Hylozoic Ground by architect and sculptor Philip Beesley (PBAI / University of Waterloo) was selected through a national juried competition to represent Canada at the 2010 Venice Biennale in Architecture.

Hylozoic Ground is a uniquely Canadian experimental architecture that explores qualities of contemporary wilderness. The project transformed the Canada Pavilion into an artificial forest made of an intricate lattice of small transparent acrylic meshwork links, covered with a network of interactive mechanical fronds, filters, and whiskers.

16 Inc, Philip Beesley Ar-

chitect. “Philip Beesley Architect Inc. | Sculptures & Projects.” (LEFT)

Tens of thousands of lightweight digitally-fabricated components were fitted with microprocessors and proximity sensors that reacted to human presence.

This responsive environment functions like a giant lung that breathes in and out around its occupants.

Arrays of touch sensors and shape-memory alloy actuators (a type of non-motorized kinetic mechanism) create waves of empathic motion, luring visitors into the eerie shimmering depths of a mythical landscape, a fragile forest of light. Beesley’s visionary architecture affects people on an emotional and poetic level, linking the animate and the inanimate. The sophisticated technologies used in the work are also being directly translated into architectural envelopes that include manufactured filtering and shading systems. The work has further applications in a wide range of disciplines including sustainable design, geotextiles, material science, environmental engineering, robotics, psychology, and biotechnology.17

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PROTOCELL MESH The Protocell Mesh project integrates first-generation prototypes that include aluminium meshwork canopy scaffolding and a suspended protocell carbon-capture filter array. The scaffold that supports the installation is a resilient, self-bracing meshwork waffle composed of flexible, lightweight chevron-shaped linking components. Curving and expanding, the mesh creates a flexible hyperbolic grid-shell.

Arrayed protocells are arranged within a suspended filter that lines this scaffold. The array acts as a diffuse filter that incrementally processes carbon dioxide from the occupied atmosphere and converts it into inert calcium carbonate. The process operates in much the same way that limestone is deposited by living marine environments.

Within each cell of the filter array, laser-cut Mylar valves draw humid air into a first chamber of concentrated sodium hydroxide. The solution enters a second chamber containing waterborne vesicles suspended between upper and lower oil layers.

Chalk-like precipitate forming within these vesicles offers an incremental process of carbon fixing.

Surrounding the active flask arrays is a grotto-like accretion of suspended vials containing salt and sugar solutions that alternately accumulate and exude moisture, contributing to a diffusive, humid skin.

Protocell Mesh was on view as part of the Prototyping Architecture Exhibition at the Univeristy of Nottingham’s Wolfson Prototyping Hall from Oct 17 - Dec 7, 2012, The Building Centre, London from Jan 10 - 15 Mar, 2013, and Design at Riverside Gallery in Cambridge, Ontario in Oct 2013.18

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GrAB - Growing as Building The GrAB project “takes growth patterns and dynamics from nature and applies them to architecture with the goal of creating a new living architecture.�

Shown left are two experiments conducted in this project, using slime mould (figures 23-24) and mycelium (figure 25) which act as the organic elements of a hybrid system. The proper mixing of both living and inert systems could profit from the physical advantages of each, be it air quality improvement, water filtration or waste remediation from the former, or solidity, durability or thermal conduction/insulation from the latter.

17 GrAB. n.d. (TOP)

18 GrAB. n.d. (TOP-LEFT)

19 GrAB. n.d. (LEFT)

R EL AT ED PROJ EC TS - G rAB

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FURTHER READING ORIGINS Schrödinger, Erwin. What is life?: With mind and matter and autobiographical sketches. Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Szostak, Jack W. “Origins of life: systems chemistry on early Earth.”

Nature 459, no. 7244 (2009): 171.

METABOLISM Armstrong, Rachel. Vibrant Architecture: Matter as a Codesigner of Living Structures. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2015.

Armstrong, Rachel, and Neil Spiller. “Synthetic biology: Living quarters.”

Nature 467.7318 (2010): 916-918.

BIOMIMETICS N.d. “Bioinspiration & Biomimetics.” IOP Publishing Ltd. Gruber, Petra. “Biomimetics in architecture [Architekturbionik].” In Biomimetics--Materials, Structures and Processes, pp. 127-148. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2011.

Gruber, Petra. “What is the Architect doing in the Jungle?.” BAUTECHNIK 90, no. 12 (2013): 783-791.

Imhof, Barbara, and Petra Gruber, eds. Built to Grow-Blending architecture and biology. Birkhäuser, 2015.

NOTABLE LAS PUBLICATIONS Beesley, Philip. Hylozoic Ground: Liminal Responsive Architectures.

Toronto: Riverside Architectural Press, 2010. Print.

Beesley, Philip. “Case Study: Meshes as interactive surfaces.” Digital Fabrication in Architecture. By Nick Dunn. London: Laurence King, 2010. 46-48.

Beesley, Philip. “Soil and Protoplasm.” Manufacturing the Bespoke.

Ed. Bob Sheil. London: Wiley, 2010. 102-119.

Beesley, Philip, and Omar Khan, eds. Responsive Architecture/ Performing Instruments. New York: The Architectural League of New York, 2009. Print.

Beesley, Philip. “Feeling Matter: Empathy & Affinity in the Hylozoic Series.” Meta.Morf A Matter of Feeling. Ed. Espen Gangvik.

Trondheim: TEKS Publishing, 2012. Print.

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Beesley, Philip. “Geotextiles.” Eds. Sarah Bonnemaison, and Ronit Eisenbach. Installations by architects: experiments in Building and Design. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2009.

90-97.

Beesley, Philip. “Hylozoic soil.” Leonardo 42.4 (2009): 360–361.

Beesley, Philip. “Input Output: Performative Materials.”

Performative Materials in Architecture and Design. Eds. Rashida Ng and Sneha Patel. Bristol: Intellect, 2013. ix-xi.

Beesley, Philip, ed. Kinetic Architectures and Geotextiles Installations. Toronto: Riverside Architectural Press, 2007 & 2010. Print.

Beesley, Philip, and Michael Stacey. “An Interview with Philip Beesley and Michael Stacey.” Fabricate: Making Digital Architecture. Eds. Ruairi Glynn and Bob Sheil. Toronto: Riverside Architectural Press, 2013. Print.

Beesley, Philip. “Protocell Mesh.” Prototyping Architecture. Ed. Michael Stacey. Toronto: Riverside Architectural Press, 2013.

Print. 58-61.

Beesley, Philip. “Prototyping for Extimacy: Emerging Design Methods.” Prototyping Architecture: The Conference Papers.

Ed. Michael Stacey. Toronto; London: Riverside Architectural Press and London Building Centre, 2013. Print.

Beesley, Philip. Sibyl: Projects 2010-2012. Toronto: Riverside Architectural Press, 2012. Print.

Beesley, Philip, and Jonathan Tyrell. “Transitional fields: Empathy and Affinity.” All Our Relations. Eds. Gerald McMaster and Catherine de Zegher. Sydney: The 18th Biennale of Sydney, 2012. Print. 379-381.

Beesley, Philip, ed. Living Cities: Vision and Method. Cambridge: Resource Positive Architecture and Waterloo Architecture, 2011. Print.

Krauel, Jacobo, Jay Noden, and William George. Contemporary digital architecture: design & techniques. Barcelona: Links, 2010.

Schwartzman, Madeline. See yourself sensing: redefining human perception. London: Black Dog Publishing, 2011. 62.

NOT ES

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NOTES “Abiogenesis | Definition of Abiogenesis in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” n.d. Oxford Dictionaries | English. Accessed April 19, 2018. https:// en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/abiogenesis.

1

“Jack W. Szostak.” n.d. Accessed April 27, 2018. https://chemistry.harvard. edu/people/jack-szostak.

2

“Definition of BIOMIMICRY.” n.d. Accessed April 27, 2018. https://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biomimicry.

“Nature Conservation | Definition of Nature Conservation in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” n.d. Oxford Dictionaries | English. Accessed April 27, 2018. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/nature_conservation.

4

“Stereotomy Definition and Meaning | Collins English Dictionary.” n.d.

Accessed April 27, 2018. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/ english/stereotomy.

5

“Definition of AUTOPOIESIS.” n.d. Accessed April 27, 2018. https://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autopoiesis.

6

Maturana, Humberto R., and Francisco J. Varela. Autopoiesis and cognition: The realization of the living. Vol. 42. Springer Science & Business Media, 1991.

7

“Homeostasis | Definition of Homeostasis in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” n.d. Oxford Dictionaries | English. Accessed April 27, 2018. https:// en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/homeostasis.

8

Dembski, William A. “Dissipative Structures - Dictionary Definition of Dissipative Structures | Encyclopedia.Com: Free Online Dictionary.” n.d.

Accessed April 27, 2018. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dissipative-structures.

9

Entropy | Definition of Entropy in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” n.d.

Oxford Dictionaries | English. Accessed April 28, 2018. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/entropy.

10

Prigogine, I. “Time, Structure, and Fluctuations.” Nobel Lecture, December 8, 1977, 263-85.

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11

Magazine, Natalie Wolchover, Quanta, and Natalie Wolchover Magazine Quanta. n.d. “A New Physics Theory of Life.” Scientific American.

Accessed April 28, 2018. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/anew-physics-theory-of-life/.

12

How and Why Do Fireflies Light Up?” n.d. Scientific American. Accessed April 29, 2018. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-andwhy-do-fireflies/.

13

Davis, Matthew P., Nancy I. Holcroft, Edward O. Wiley, John S. Sparks, and W. Leo Smith. 2014. “Species-Specific Bioluminescence Facilitates Speciation in the Deep Sea.” Marine Biology 161 (5): 1139–48. https://doi. org/10.1007/s00227-014-2406-x.

14

Zhou, Minghua, Hongyu Wang, Daniel J. Hassett, and Tingyue Gu. 2013.

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“Recent Advances in Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) and Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs) for Wastewater Treatment, Bioenergy and Bioproducts: MFCs and MECs for Wastewater Treatment, Bioenergy and Bioproducts.”

Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 88 (4): 508–18. https:// doi.org/10.1002/jctb.4004.

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WaterlooArchitecture. n.d. Simone Ferracina. Accessed April 29, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ6ov1EpJ9Q.

17

Gruber, Petra. 2016. “A Biomimetic Approach to Architecture and Design,” 37.

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“Definition of POLY.” n.d. Accessed April 16, 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poly.

“Definition of MER.” n.d. Accessed April 16, 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mer.

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ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. “Theory of Abiogenesis – The Center for Planetary Science.” n.d. Accessed April 17, 2018. http://planetary-science.org/astrobiology/ thoery-of-abiogenesis/.

Figure 2. “La NASA identifica moléculas de carbono como Origen de la.. Ciencia y Educación.” 2011. May 20, 2011. https://www.taringa.net/posts/ ciencia-educacion/10709800/La-NASA-identifica-moleculas-de-carbono-como-Origen-de-la.html.

Figure 3. “Dna-vs-Rna-Structure_med.Jpeg (678×466).” Accessed February 12, 2018. http://ib.bioninja.com.au/_Media/dna-vs-rna-structure_med. jpeg.

Figure 4. Armstrong, Rachel. “Designing with Protocells: Applications of a Novel Technical Platform.” Life 4, no. 3 (September 5, 2014): 457–90. https://doi.org/10.3390/life4030457.

Figure 6. “How Protocells Will Create the Next Wonders of the World | The Technology of Us.” Accessed April 29, 2018. http://technologyofus. com/armstrong-protocells/.

Figure 7. Amanjeev. Burning Bottom. June 23, 2012. Photo. https://www. flickr.com/photos/amanjeev/7429267376/.

Figure 8. ChristianSW. Lemon Battery Experiment. May 18, 2016. Own work.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lemon_battery_experiment.JPG. Figure 9. Spider.Dog. Angler-Fish. January 26, 2011. Photo. https://www. flickr.com/photos/spiderdog/5390366587/.

Figure 10. “ROM Daytime: Transforming Space: Can Architecture Come Alive?” Royal Ontario Museum. Accessed April 29, 2018. https://www. rom.on.ca/en/whats-on/rom-daytime-transforming-space-can-architecture-come-alive.

Figure 11. “TED Archives.” IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute (blog).

Accessed April 29, 2018. http://www.iupui.edu/~iahi/tag/ted/.

Figure 12. “Faculty.” Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center (blog).

Accessed April 29, 2018. http://blogs.uakron.edu/biomimicry/principal-investigators/faculty/.

Figure 13. “Living Architecture.” TALLINN ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE. Accessed April 29, 2018. http://2017.tab.ee/article/living-architecture-rachel-armstrong/.

Figure 14. “LIAR – Living Architecture | Liquifer Systems Group.” Accessed February 13, 2018. http://www.liquifer.com/liar-living-architecture/.

Figure 15. “It’s Nice That | Rachel Armstrong’s Vision for ‘Living’ Buildings That Grow, Metabolise and Defend Us like an Immune System.” Accessed April 29, 2018. https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/rachel-armstrong-university-of-the-underground-architecture-040817.

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Figure 16. Inc, Philip Beesley Architect. “Philip Beesley Architect Inc. | Sculptures & Projects.” Accessed April 29, 2018. http://www.philipbeesleyarchitect.com/sculptures/0929_Hylozoic_Ground_Venice/.

Figure 17. Gruber, Petra, and Barbara Imhof. “Patterns of Growth—Biomimetics and Architectural Design.” Buildings 7 (April 4, 2017). https://doi. org/10.3390/buildings7020032.

Figure 18. Sensengasse 1, Austrian Science FundHaus der Forschung, 1090 Vienna, and Austria E.-Mail: officefwf ac at Telefon: +43-1-505 67 40. “Thinking across Boundaries.” Scilog (blog), December 1, 2015. http://scilog.fwf.ac.at/en/environment-and-technology/3306/thinking-across-boundaries.

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