Design Thesis Report - Speculations on Biophilic Interfaces by Idil Yucel Inal

University College London The Bartlett School of Architecture MArch Architectural Design BiotALab Supervisor: Prof. Marcos Cruz

Speculations on Biophilic Interfaces

Design Thesis Report Idil S. Yucel Inal London, 2017

I, Idil S Yucel Inal confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis.

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the creation of biological interfaces between human and designed environments. It criticises the current negative impacts of humans on biodiversity in the Anthropocene era while aiming to understand the desire to leave behind a trace. The thesis defines a new biophilic perspective while finding a link between biophilia, leaving a trace, and transfer of data. The study is based on the two design proposals of a ‘Biophilic Interface’ and proposes a fictional body named the ‘Biophilic Body’. The two main design implementations are an inhabited wearable and a horizontal bioreceptive urban intervention. As a result, the design studies of the interface are explored further by using physical tests of bioreceptive material, MPC concrete and a catalogue of geometries for hosting species that are designed using advanced computational techniques. This study highlights the potential impact of the collaboration between design environments and biology while creating a story which is both fictional and technical.

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Marcos Cruz for his constructive suggestions, patient guidance and enthusiastic encouragement during the planning and development of this research work. I would also like to thank my design tutor Richard Beckett for his generous and valuable advices and contrubutions to my design work and Javier Ruiz for his assistance with developing my advanced computational design knowledge. My grateful thanks are also extended to Shneel Malik and Dr. Christopher Leung for their support and sincere recommendations in this research. I wish to thank, my mother and my brother for their support throughout my studies. Finally, I am thankful to my life partner Alican Inal for his endless encouragement

Contents

I. Introduction

II. Biophilic Traces

II.I. Symbiosis or Narcism ?

II.II. The Trace

II.III. The Unseen

III. Biophilic Interfaces III.I. Biophilic Body

III.II. A wearable: Inhabitable Exoskeleton

III.III. An Urban Intervention: The Plateau

III.IV. Biophilic Materials

III.V. Biophilic Morphologies

IV. Transfer of Data

V. Conclusion

Reference List

List of Illustrations

Speculations on Biophilic Interfaces

I. Introduction

Human inhabitation extends all over the world, revealing persistent damage to the environment while destroying the Earth’s resources. We are leaving significantly negative permanent traces affecting the other life forms with which we live. The human race will have to rethink its position with regard to its own habitat that is shared with others. From this starting point, I will ask the following questions: Is it possible to place design on the boundary between humanity and ecologies? Can a human be a contributor to biodiversity by using design and architecture? Is it possible to eliminate a human-centric approach to design? Can the human race share its artificial habitat with other species? Can design be a tool for engaging with other living systems? Can designers create a new relationship between habitats of macro- and micro-ecologies by designing forms and reprogramming materials? Biologist, theorist and naturalist Edward O. Wilson defined an instinctive bond between human beings and all other forms of life when describing a genetic predisposition between humans and nature. Biophilia, as he defined it, is a “human bond with other species” (Wilson, 1984). Wilson’s biophilia hypothesis will be incorporated into the argument as a core element to define a new perspective on the design-human-nature relationship. Furthermore, an argument will be developed using a biophilic approach. This understanding of biophilia will be used while creating an interface against the narcissism of humanity. The report reflects my labyrinthine research process of exploring the intersection between biology and design. All of the discussions, however, are linked by three core 3

themes: leaving a trace, biophilia, and transfer of data. The first part of the thesis is called ‘Biophilic Traces’. I will examine and criticise humans’ narcissistic approach of leaving behind a trace and discussing other relation types with ecologies. This is where I will introduce separate parts of the background research and link them with questioning the human desire for permanence. The second part is the core of the design research. I will propose a design approach of ‘Biophilic Interfaces’ for a specific type of urban dweller which will be defined as ‘The Biophilic Body’. This is a theoretical proposal which can be applied on different scales, and in the future this research can be developed as a catalogue of interventions. Two designs will be explained as a part of this catalogue: ‘Inhabitable Exoskeleton’ and ‘The Plateau’. This design research will be explained through theory and physical and computational experiments. In this section, physical material tests and digital geometrical experiments are used to test and prototype the inhabitation of the design proposal. The final section is called ‘Transfer of Data’. This section aims to identify transitions between biology and design, craft and computation, synthetic and natural, and imaginary and technical in the design research process. It questions biotechnological transfers, knowledge transfers and morphological transfers. In the report, there is always a transformation or transfer between habitats, words or disciplines. This section will expose these bonds. In this study, the aim is to build a design proposal of a biological interface which can contribute to biodiversity and define transitions between scales, knowledge, ecologies, morphologies and materialities.

II. Biophilic Traces

II.I. Symbiosis or Narcism? The age of Anthropocene started after the role changes between human and natural environments by the industrial revolution of the 19th century. All life forms on the planet are affected by the humanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s geological force either directly or indirectly (Crutzen, 2002). Most likely, the built environment is a key element of urbanisation, and retains a significant negative impact on biodiversity. In relation to industrialisation, the architectural approaches have remarkably influenced and adapted itself to fast consumption industry with mass-production systems, repetitive and contextless design approaches and unsustainable materials. One of the important environmental facts of the Anthropocene era is the loss of the variety and variability of life forms across all levels of biological systems which are decreasing in relation to climate change and urbanisation (Savard et al., 2000). Edward O. Wilson, in his work The Diversity of Life, mentioned the descending number of species in environments and mostly attributing this loss to human activities. The aforenamed diversity is present in different levels, ecosystems, species, genes and at the smallest level, the chromosomes of each living being (Wilson, 1992). We, as humans, have to define a new type of affinity with the other inhabitants of the planet for the 21st century. The human race positioned itself transcendent over other living organisms and ignored the life in other ecologies. There should be a way of both being an urban dweller and acknowledging that we are just a small part of the life on Earth. The notion of forms, functions and materials exist in every part of nature, but we, as humans, unwittingly believe these notions belongs to humanity and the modern cities. Le Corbusier created â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Modulorâ&#x20AC;? as a representation of the body (Le Corbusier,1954). This anthropometric figure only defines the scales and functions

while taking numbers and proportions as a feature of this masculine body. It is an outstanding representation of 20th century’s technical, industrialised and measure based modern approach to living as architects draw. It is clear that considering body measurements affects spatial experiences, but it makes architecture neither more human nor part of whole living systems. Furthermore, the human-centric approach of placing human body measurements in the centre of architecture could be understood as a type of narcissism over the role of an extended biosphere. Despite the Galileo’s explanation of Copernican Heliocentrism in the 17th century (Finocchiaro ,1997), humanity believed that universe was revolving around the planet Earth until the early 1900s, which is in a sense equivalent to the assumptions that the human is the centre of everything. Today we know that the power of humankind is permanently affecting, and in parts even destroying, its surrounding ecosystem. This is due to growing human presence on earth and the need to expand the urban habitat. But it is also to do with our human instinct to occupy and colonise unknown territory, and one could argue to leave a trace behind during our lives. However, today’s understanding of, design architecture and urbanity is beyond this perspective; humans are not “the centre” of the universe. Therefore, cities are not the habitat of the heart of the universe.

II.II. The Trace a sign that something has happened or existed, imprint (trace,2017) The thesis that cities have become the platform for “immortality” and “permanence” ambitions of humanity is immediately appealing. After the industrial revolution, people used the idea of leaving a trace behind as a phenomenon standing against life and nature. The Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet, in his poem “On Living” perfectly describes the conditions of life and being permanent from a humanist and naturalist perspective.

“Living is no laughing matter: you must live with great seriousness like a squirrel, for example— I mean without looking for something beyond and above living, I mean living must be your whole occupation. I mean, you must take living so seriously that even at seventy, for example, you’ll plant olive trees— and not for your children, either, but because although you fear death you don’t believe it, because living, I mean, weighs heavier.” February 1948 Nazım Hikmet (Hikmet, 2002) These two realities, the desire for human permanence and continuity of nature, is contradictory. However, Biophilia is a conceptual framework that can help architects and designers to redefine the affinity between humans and biology which will contribute to a more integrated future biodiversity in. This raises two key questions: Can humans contribute the overall biodiversity in their living environments? Can humans expand their urban life while engaging with other living organisms in new ways? Is it possible to achieve this with the help of design and architecture?

II.III. The unseen Leaving a trace is, in fact, an activity that we are always unintentionally and consistently performing. We just can’t see it. Before explaining it, I want to introduce three important figures of my life: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kloeckera apiculata; the bacterias of yoghurt, bread and beer. Even

Fig. 1. Traces in nature, London, UK 2016 (Source: Personal Archieve)

Fig.2. Traces in urban area, Bath, UK 2016 (Source: Personal Archieve) 8

though, daily parts of our diet contain it, humans do not feel any sympathy to bacteria, which is nevertheless an essential part of our lives. Despite the fact that our impression of bacteria is harmful and negative, they are the species that we mostly engage with, albeit unintentionally. Moreover, there are 10.000 different species in our body. Despite having 30 trillion human cells, we are hosting 100 trillion microorganisms. Which means, approximately 75 percent of our body is not ourselves (Applewhite, 2014). While writing this report, I go through a broad body of research on the intersection of bacteria and design. Before understanding the connections, it is important to look through what is happening inside laboratories. The borders between biology, chemistry, physics, medicine, genetics and computer sciences are becoming increasingly

blurred, and synthetic biology is rapidly

growing, progressing and drawing a new future for humanity. Daisy Ginsberg in her work Synthetic Aesthetics argued that this field in science can be a key to more sustainable future and will eliminate the adverse effects of industrialisation on earth. When the data produced by synthetic biology combines with imagination and creativity of designers, the discipline will have the abilitiy to shift between various

Fig. 3. Human Microbiome

Fig. 4. Human and nature relationship

scales/industries. She states that “synthetic biology” and “synthetic aesthetics” are changing the way how designers think and defining a new future at all scales (Ginsberg et al. 2014). An emerging and unpredictable field appeared between cutting-edge or everyday biology and design environments. Design has started to explore biology as a substrate for design. Biologist Christina Agapakis and scent expert Sissel Tolaas has achieved a way to make cheeses using personal bacterial ecologies of 8 different people. They used the bacterias, collected from the human bodies, such as Propionibacterium freudenreichii from armpits, Brevibacterium epidermis from toes, Enterococcus faecalis from hands and Enterococcus faecalis from the nose. Then they add these samples into the milk and follow the process, which ended up with entirely different cheeses sourced from 8 human bodies (Ginsberg et al. 2014). As this unfamiliar experiment supports, the microorganisms we are carrying around are particular to each body and this community is called microbiota. Interestingly, trillions of bacteria, archeas, fungi and viruses a human body carrying around creates an individual microbiological imprint of each person which is as unique as a fingerprint. It is even used in forensic sciences, and this

Fig. 5. Steve Pike, Contaminant

gives an opportunity for identifying criminals from individual microbiomes (Faust et al., 2012). Human relations with microbes is actually defining another identity. Considering, this relation, I want to give Steve Pike’s (The Bartlett School of Architecture, Unit 20) project “Contaminant” as an example questioning leaving a trace in between architecture and microbiology. It is a responsive installation consisting of monitor cells which are placed in different locations. Each cell has collected the microorganisms of its given environment and transformed accordingly as seen in the figure 5 . So, in each site, by the help of colonised microorganisms, the containers created site-specific identities (Pike, 2008). There is another layer of life on every surface that we generally can not see. This project augments that layer and exposes to humanity. Despite being a speculative design, this research brings a highly sterile approach onto the table. The “Contaminant” project is more an art project than design. There is a potential to apply Steve Pike’s strategy to design or architecture. However we can pose the important question; can we augment the microbiological layer without containers? If we eliminate the containers or the Petri dishes, will this augmented layer be healthy? Can architecture engage and expose with

1 Wall

2 Tree

3 Floor

Week 1

Week 2

4 Rock

5 Grass floor

6 Flower

Week 1

Week 2

7 Algea on tree

8 Air-1

Week 1

Week 2

Fig. 6. A microbiological observation

9 Air-2

microorganisms? Having this as an example, I aimed to collect a microbiological identity from an urban site in Camden Borough. This is a site, for the project â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Plateauâ&#x20AC;?, which I will explain further. I prepared nine sterile Petri dishes in laboratory conditions with agar for nine different conditions on this site. I placed two of them on the site for 5 minutes with their lids open for collecting the bacteria from the air. For the remaining seven Petri dishes, I collected the bacteria from the brick wall, concrete floor, trees, rock, grass ground, and flowers with sterile cotton buds. I observed the change from the sealed Petri dished for two weeks (figure 6). This was a study to understand the ways of working with microorganisms and to explore unseen traces. We, as humans, are part of a wide and complex biological ecosystem. However, we are not engaging with this hidden network. Animals, and particularly, insects have a huge variety of ways to integrate with nature and promote diversity among other species. Ornithophily, bird pollination, and Entomophily, pollination by insects are one of the key components of persistence in nature (FĂŚgri and Pijl, 1980). Interspecies solidarity takes place either by carrying the pollens on their external body parts or using internal bodies. They carry seeds, pollens or other biological fertilisers while flying from one branch to another or from one flower to another (Valido et al., 2004). There are complex hidden networks between species and a great collaboration. On the other hand, the human is living in its isolated environment. Is it possible to link human being with other life forms by using design?

III. Biophilic Interfaces In this part, I put forward a new layer of communication between two or more different intersecting ecologies. One of these ecologies involve various species including homo sapiens, and the other one represents an artificial condition. Basically, the biophilic interface design augments the biological layer between two situations. This is a search for a range of interventions for biophilic interfaces, which can be in micro and macro scales and might define a catalogue of designs varies between space farming, a phone application, a master plan, an urban intervention, a house, a bike, a wearable, a pencil or a texture for biophilic bodies. Shifting between macro and micro scales is a key approach in understanding the frame of mind in these proposals.

III.I. Biophilic Body My interpretation of “The Biophilic Body” is an urban flaneur, willing to engage with habitats. It is a plug-in to the Anthropocene era which encourages a salvation for the potentially catastrophic future of the planet. The expectation of this biophilic body will be contributing to the diversity of species either consciously or coincidently. I will explain different investigations on designing a biophilic interface. The Biophilic Body is one of the key actors of these designs. The Biophilic Body defines another layer between built environment and itself. This layer is a designed biophilic interface between the object (the design) and the subject (the agent). It gains a meaning by the help of subjects, which are designed interventions. In most of the proposed cases, the body becomes a pollinator, carrying seeds, pollens, bacterias or other species, similar to birds or bees, to leave a biological trace behind. In this case, the body itself will have an additional layer designed for it, in order to engage and interact with the environment. The project “Inhabitable Exoskeleton” will be introducing a designed wearable for the biophilic bodies.

Fig. 7. Inhabited Exoskeleton

III.II. A wearable: Inhabitable Exoskeleton Inhabitable Exoskeleton is the first design proposal for the research about the biophilic interfaces. It is an initial research to explore and understand the potentials of the biology-design relationship. This study is at a theoretical level and is a base for further explorations. It questions biophilic bodies from a conceptual and computational design perspective while trying to understand the potential collaborations of biotechnological research. As a result of Anthropocene, the earth is in the grip of global climate change, as stated in the previous sections. It is a clear fact that, this permanent change in globe’s atmospheric temperature will give damages to species and the survival of living beings will become harder. Research, considers global climate change as an extreme condition and begins with an investigation on extreme environments and followed by a design proposal. Vulcano island located in one of The Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north of Sicily, is a volcanic island and has several volcanic centres. The sediments in this island are further explored as a case of the extremely hot environment. It has an active volcano, last erupted between 1888 to 1890 (Cortese, Frazzetta and La Volpe, 1986). In this area, I searched for extremophiles, the microorganisms which can live, survive or tolerate extreme conditions like heat, ph, pressure or salinity (Rampelotto,2010). Pyrococcus Furiosus, described by microbiologists Dr Karl Stetter and Dr Gerhard Fiala in 1986 at geothermally heated marine sediments in the Vulcano island. This hyperthermophilic (living in extremely hot environments) microorganisms grow between 70 °C and 103 ° C and used in biotechnological research. More importantly, it is an anaerobic organism, which means, it does not need oxygen for growth and is adapted to deal with oxygen in low temperatures (Fiala and Stetter, 1986). How can this information help us to use bacterias in design? Moreover, How can human being create new ways of engaging with bacterias? The further investigations of P. Furiosus were on its genetical structure. A group of 16

Fig.8. Pyrococcus Furiosus under microscobe

researchers from Department of Plant Biology and Department of Microbiology at North Carolina State University has conducted research on genetically modifying the genes of plants like fast-growing plant Arabidopsis and introducing Pyrococcus Furiosus genes (Im et. al, 2009). This is still an ongoing research of Nasa if it can be successful, genetically modified plants will survive in extreme conditions and will be used as oxygen, food and pleasure source for humans, living on Mars in the future (Miller, 2005). From my point of view, this research can address more critical needs of near future. For example, the designer should start to think about the questions on what is going to happen in terms of extreme situations and conditions after global climate change? The research on adapting plants into though conditions might be an element to consider for designers. It would not be unrealistic to assume the temperature levels of the earth will start becoming so extreme that species will need to adapt to these conditions to survive. Moreover, people might need to carry their oxygen and food resources with them to survive in the ensuing future. Accepting this as a starting point, I have designed an inhabited interface that people can wear and carry their selection of micro-habitats as a part of biophilic interfaces. 17

Fig.9. Detail from inhabited exoskeleton

“Inhabited Exoskeleton” explores different possibilities of engaging and augmenting habitats in relation with a human being. This design allows various types of engagements. First of all, by selected and seeded species, the interface itself is creating a new habitat. Secondly, it collects seeds from other habitats around, and these seeds contribute the life in the exoskeleton. Thirdly, the habitation (this can be seeded on purpose or by chance) grown on the interface will spread its seeds to the surrounding. And lastly, the biophilic body will be collecting seeds and pollens with the help of its new layer and will be carrying it other environments. All these situations, either separately or in combinations or all together can be ways of engaging with biodiversity for a biophilic body. The most important aspect of the design was creating the relevant geometries suitable for growth. Surfaces are explored in terms of geometrical potentials and possibilities. Microscale details are explored computationally. The geometrical studies will be further detailed in the section of “Biophilic Geometries”.

III.III. An urban Intervention: The Plateau The plateau project is a bioreceptive urban thoroughfare project in Camden Borough, London. It is a group design project in which I collaborate with Marisa Devi, Sara El Jamal, Ding Hao and Jeng-Ying Li as a part of BiotALab in The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. This urban intervention is an architectural proposal to explore and augment a biological interface at the intersections of biology and design disciplines. It is investigated through concepts of a horizontal platform. This static passage is a host for different inhabitants including indigenous and new species which are seeded or arrived coincidentally with dynamic elements like, wind, human, animals and insects. Firstly, I want to describe the overall approaches in this section briefly. Then, I will explain the materiality of the project in “Biophilic Materials” section before proceeding to the geometrical studies for growth in “Biophilic Morphologies” part. The project rethinks the urban area in the age of Anthropocene; it questions current perceptions and applications of urban, nature, materiality, design and functionality.

Fig.10. The Plateau project 19

Component I

Combination I

Component II

Component III

Combination II

Component IV

Combination III

Fig. 11. Tesselation System, The Plateau Project

There are five main stages of the project: 1-context, 2-allocation on site, 3-tesselation and modularity, 4- geometries for growth, 5-materiality. In this thesis, I am focusing on creating a biophilic interface for an urban area. Therefore, the topics I will be concentrating on are context, geometries for growth and materiality in relation to each other. “The plateau” takes the “The Highline” project led by landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations in New York as a reference for a horizontal urban space. Its relation to urban greenery, functionality and modularity is examined and criticised in the design process. The project is a combination of repetetive modular elements which are tesselated computationally. Three components are defined by a voronoi script. However, inside the boundaries of the component geometries are shaped according to the functions of the zones. 4 zones are located in the project. 1-path, 2-growth zones 3-transition zones 4-functional seating zones. These zones are defined according to environmental studies.

One of the key aspects to consider when creating bioreceptivity is how specific environmental conditions affect the materials. We will, therefore, look at collected environmental data as an input to the design both manually and digitally. To extract this data, site specific solar radiation analysis, rain and wind simulations have been performed. Then, the possible growth areas are defined accordingly. The growth areas are the epicentres in design. These areas give the appropriate space, conditions and nutrients to the species. The project is made up of three strategies for growth: 1.

designing selected and controlled growth areas for species

creating a suitable ground for the growth of new micro-ecologies with

different living conditions 3.

non-bioreceptive conditions for no-growth

Differences between identical zones are linked with the material specifications and geometrical decisions. At the same time, it is an experienced ground for explorations of biophilic geometries that create new habitats for species. While designing forms for growth, it is important to understand and feed the design with the existing and conditional data from the context. These data will help to decide the biological logic behind, and the design will redefine itself according to different parameters.

Fig. 12. Detail from The Plateau

III.IV. Biophilic Materials Is biophilia just a state for humans, or can it define more? Can a material be biophilic? Bioreceptivity is one of the key research topics of the project “The Plateau”. Olivier Guillitte defined “bioreceptivity” as an aptitude of material which provides an environment of biological colonisation by living organisms in itself (Guilette, 1995). The horizontal interface is hosting growth in selected areas which we termed “epicentres”. In these epicentres, we want to use a bioreceptive material which can be seeded with species and will allow and promote growth. Moreover, we want to achieve a gradient condition of growth in transitional areas. While designing the materiality conditions, I realised that the meaning that we are attributing to the materials in our design was more than bioreceptivity. We were defining different types of relations between environment and materiality. “Material” is both compatible with and opposed to the term “nature”. The material can directly come from nature, or it can be a combination of substances and processes. I am trying to investigate the intersections of materials with nature. In this case, I am suggesting the term “Biophilic materials” to define the poetic relationship between the living things and materials. It is a temporary condition of the material in a certain situation. The meaning can include different ways of engaging with nature such as; contributions to the biodiversity or natural life, not giving harm to the environment or being in harmony with nature. It is important to sift out “biophilic materials” from “bioreceptive materials”. Distinctly, “bioreceptivity” is stating a property of a material and it is a permanent property. However, bioreceptive materials are more likely to be biophilic than the others. On the other hand, it is common to encounter non-bioreceptive materials engaged with living systems. Mostly, in some conditions of the urban context, nature, finds a way to take over against the built environment. Designers of built environment are generally denying or ignoring the unpremeditated surface growth of species in designed platforms. Despite this fact, it is not hard to find these living organisms such in different urban areas. I have done observations 22

and documented some urban conditions where artificial and natural intersects. You can see in the figure 13 various daily examples from different urban areas, some nonbioreceptive materials engaging with nature. These uncontrolled growth conditions are augmenting a layer in contemporary urban space. I want to raise a question: instead of ignoring this layer of the built environment, can designers control and design for bioreceptivity of the elements in urban spaces by defining geometries and materials? In our proposal, different materials and geometries will be hosting particular species. The plateau has several key elements in which the design, geometry and materiality should work together to be successful. These are bioreceptivity, permeability, functionality, and gradience in transitional areas. Considering our vision, we have decided to use a type of bioreceptive concrete, MPC concrete. MPC is an abbreviation of Magnesium Phosphate Cement. The MPC concrete is a material composed of aggregate, cement and water. The cement is an

(a)

(c)

(b)

(d)

(e)

Fig. 13. Urban and green intersection observations (a) Lisbon, Portugal, (b) Sintra, Portugal, (c) Seville, Spain, (d) Sintra, Portugal, (e) London, UK 23

outcome of a chemical reaction of, Magnesium Oxide (MgO), Ammonium Dihydrogen Phosphate (NH4H2PO4), Borax (Na2B4O7â&#x2C6;&#x2122;10H2O) and water (H2O). It is a special kind of cement, and its architectural usage and bioreceptivity are further being studied by researchers and students of BiotALab. Prior to this study, the investigations were carried out for the vertical usage of MPC Concrete, mostly for facade and cladding systems. We wanted to take this research and apply it to horizontal conditions. Concrete and asphalt are the most used materials of horizontal urban built environments. However, these materials are impermeable and need artificial irrigation systems to penetrate water. Moreover, concrete has a poor reputation because of its contribution to global climate and high carbon footprints from the production process. MPC concrete not only allows us to create bioreceptive conditions, but it also absorbs water, helps to follow a permeable strategy and uses less water in the production process. Different zones are designed with the various porosities of MPC concrete so that, the urban plaza will catch the water, direct it to the areas where more humidity is needed, and allow excess water to permeate the earth without any artificial irrigation system. Permeability is a feature of the plateau which only comes with materiality design which is a biophilic condition. Initial Material Tests In the initial tests, experiments are performed with different types of sands to understand the potentials of the material. The ratios and ingredients are defined based on the existing knowledge of Bioreceptive MPC Concrete by BiotALab. Silica Sand, Pumice, onyx sand, woodchips, coral sand, recycled blue glass and recycled clear glass was selected. Aggregate Selections and its properties: Silica Sand: Different sizes of silica sand is used as aggregate. It is the most commonly used sand, most affordable and easy to find. The previous existing research is done by this type of aggregate. It can be used with different porosities. Pumice: Selected mainly because of its lightweight. It is a volcanic rock, potentially

Silica Sand

Silica Gravel

Pumice

Onyx Sand

Woodchips

Coral Sand

Recycled Blue Glass

Recycled Clear Glass

Fig. 14. Initial material Studies with MPC Concrete

ideal as a growing medium. Highly porous and potentially retains moisture well. The water absorption studies performed by the group members demonstrate that MPC concrete reduces the capillarity of pumice sand. Onyx Sand: Selected mainly because of it is used as a ground medium for moss growth in aquariums. It provides iron and minerals for species growth. It can be utilised with different porosities. Woodchips: Selected to test fungus growth on it. It is lightweight. Coral Sand: Selected because it contains natural marine bacterias found in oceans and it is a growth mediÄąm for aquariums. The aggregate failed in initial tests because of its weak stability properties. Recycled Glass: Selected to test a recycled material. Different colour and aggregate sizes are tested. Experiments on compositions There are four main functions of the plateau which are relevant to material selection; walking path, biological growth zones, transitional components and functional seating areas. Based on the needs of each function, silica sand, pumice sand and onyx sand have selected for the further tests. Among this three selection, the tests

Porosity Gradience in components

Porosity differences for growth

Fig. 15. The Plateau, section

Fig. 16. The Plateau, 1:5 model

Materiality of growth components

MPC with Kiln Dried Sand Cement % 31,8 Aggregate % 55,4 Water % 12,8

Cement % 22,9 Aggregate %67,9 Water % 9,2

Cement % 16,7 Aggregate % 79,1 Water % 4,2

Cement % 19,4 Aggregate % 72,9 Water % 7,8

Cement % 15,8 Aggregate % 77,9 Water % 6,3

Cement % 16,2 Aggregate % 79,7 Water % 4,1

Cement % 32,0 Aggregate % 51,3 Water % 16,1

Cement % 28,4 Aggregate % 56,8 Water % 14,2

Cement % 30,4 Aggregate % 60,9 Water % 8,1

MPC with Onyx Sand

MPC with Pumice Sand

Fig. 17. Material Studies with MPC Concrete

are done to specify suitable water, cement and aggregate ratios. Silica Sand : Properties: A kiln-dried sand with a grain size between 0.1-0.5mm. It is dry, lime-free washed pale yellow silica sand which contains 95% silica. Functionalities: Growth component, transitional component The ratios of aggregate, cement and water are modified to adjust the porosity and permeability of the components. Different tests according to water/cement, cement/ aggregate and water+cement/aggregate ratios can be found in Table 1. Through changing these ratios, we are designing a gradience from epicentres of growth to non-growth areas.

Table 1 Ratios of ingredients, MPC concrete with Silica Sand Aggregate

Pumice: Properties: Medium dried pumice sand with a grain size between 0.5-2.0mm. Functionalities: Transition elements, for permeability The ratios of aggregate, cement and water are modified to adjust one homogeneous and stable mixture. Different tests according to water/cement, cement/aggregate and water+cement/aggregate ratios can be found in Table . Through changing these ratios, we can design a gradience from epicentres of growth to non-growth areas.

Table 2 Ratios of ingredients, MPC concrete with Silica Pumice Aggregate

Onyx Sand: Properties: Naturally dark grey aquarium sand with grain size between 0.1-2.00mm. It provides iron and carbonite and used for promoting the moss growth in the aquariums. Functionalities: Walking path, will be used for bioluminescent moss growth. This sand will be used in the walking path wherein the surfaces should host no growth. However, inside the cavities, it should be hosting bioluminescent moss growth. As can be seen from the section in the Figure 15 there will be two different porosities and surface conditions. Depending on this assumption, samples are produced according to water/cement, cement/aggregate and water+cement/aggregate ratios can be found in Table. Through changing these ratios, we can design a gradience from epicentres of growth to non-growth areas.

Table 3 Ratios of ingredients, MPC concrete with Silica Onyx sand Aggregate

III.IV. Biophilic Morphologies Moving beyond architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional disciplinary boundaries, the praxis between design, biology, biotechnology, genetics, mathematics and computer sciences generates a production field unprecedented in its interdisciplinarity. The new computational design tools provide the opportunity to analyse, understand, characterise, generate and transform the three-dimensional principles of living organisms. The logic behind these computational tools is rooted in predecessor research and knowledge. Design plays an important role in building a life integrated design strategy. Is it possible to find a link between the morphology of matter and living organisms? This section presents researches and digital tests towards understanding Biophilic Morphologies. The studies aim to provide geometrical test grounds for possible physical experiments. The relation between biology and geometry has been a topic of interest throughout history; it has been widely researched and investigated from different angles. Computational techniques provide a unique opportunity to explore this relation the historical researches are underlying. One of the first thinkers who looked into the processes behind forms is the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He was the first to use the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;morphologyâ&#x20AC;? in 1806, arguing that forms in nature are a result of internal and external transformations and changes that one organism undergoes (Menges and Ahlquist, 2011). Currently, designers use the 3D modelling softwares to generate morphologies. These softwares, make it is possible to apply forces on objects and simulate the response. This study applies natural forces on

Fig. 18 Morphology study

Fig. 19. Morphologies of inner bodies - Pathology Museum, Royal Free Hospital, UCL

to a basic sphere and simulate the changes over time by using the 3D animation application software Houdini (developed by Side Effects Software). This script is for simulating recursive growth on a surface. The results can be seen in the figure 18. This only shows a diagram of forces to aid understanding of how a specific force can modify a basic shape. Despite the static approach of conventional architecture, it is clear that everything in nature is dynamic and is constantly changing by the forces of nature. In 1917, the Scottish zoologist Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcy Wentworth Thompson in his work On Growth and Form, defined form as a diagram of forces. He has defended the idea that the change in form and movements of species are linked to the effects of forms and all the objects form, at the same time is a force diagram (Thomson, 1917). In nature, the form has a meaning and information which is embedded in the geometry itself. In another formal investigation, I simulate differential growth and generate a corresponding point cloud. These points are transferred to cells and the growth is simulated as cell division. Cell multiplication with the application of natural forces are presented in the figure 20. How is this related to biophilic morphologies?

Fig. 20. Morphological Studies

Fig. 21. TFL, East Putney Wall Studies

In this context, it is illustrative to consider another study I generated using the same software, relating to a bioreceptive wall design for Transport for London, as part of research being carried out by BiotALab. The wall is located in East Putney train station in London. It will be seeded with moss and algae. The most important goal is for the wall to retain water and supply humidity for moss and algae growth. I have investigated component strategies as well as walls. For components, it was important to design a geometry which captures the water and retains it. It should also create a shadow to promote growth. The question was whether to design a component boundary and simulate it with recursive growth forces. These forces are placed in where the growth needs to happen to create micro-scale habitats for moss growth. The second strategy was designing the wall itself. A simulation with a differential growth strategy was run and some variations tested. In this case, the geometry plays a role in capturing the water as well as retaining it. To maximise

Fig. 22. TFL, East Putney component Studies 33

the surface area and localise the growth I controlled and direct the geometry by using forces in angular directions. The morphology studies for the wall can be seen in the figure2 1. To be able to understand the growth in these geometries, a further investigation and physical tests are crucial. These were only digital tests to understand growth conditions in relation with geometries. One of the definitions of our post-digital era represents the phrase as a sophisticated intellect of art which integrates digital conditions with humanist approaches while having a mutual interaction amongst several aspects of culture, biology, digital, different forms of medias or experiences (Alexenberg 2011). Alexanderberg brings not only an interdisciplinary approach to the digital realm but also criticises computational production tools for not being humanist. However, it is clear that digital tools have reformulated conventional design cognition and given them an entirely different perspective. A multitude of complex computational fragments has produced and pushed the limits of design. Moreover, the computational design technologies have prepared a significant ground for testing ideas and

Fig. 23. Design studies of Inhabited Exoskeleton

Fig. 24. Design studies of Inhabited Exoskeleton

producing tens or even hundreds of fragments for designs. The Biophilic Interfaces is a catalogue of biological interface design proposals, and they open a discussion with an interdisciplinary approach. The scale jumps between different conditions are investigated geometrically to create new habitats for species. The wearable â&#x20AC;&#x153;Inhabited Exoskeletonâ&#x20AC;? is also explored from a computational point of The aim of these geometrical experimentations is to create the habitats of living organisms. It is important to generate different types of micro-scale geometries to provide a variety of habitats for species. In the every condition change, the exoskeleton will be providing a new environment. Moreover, for the Biophilic Body, it is also important to capture seeds and pollens from surrounding and leave them coincidently to an urban space. As a result, two different morphological strategies have been followed. One of them is path growth, and the other one is point advection strategy which combined with curl noise. Both the geometries provide pockets for species growth. The path growth strategy is generates a branching system and shapes the body with this system figure 24. The point advection strategy is a particle system, which creates more shallow pockets and more detailed habitats for species figure 23.

The geometry studies for the urban intervention project â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Plateauâ&#x20AC;? has done with different 3d modelling softwares. In this case, a boundary is generated from a tessellation strategy by our team members in Houdini software. From this tessellated system, the growth areas are defined for geometrical explorations. First explorations were done for an additional layer of agar to attract the microorganisms and collect them in the selected areas. This was an initial study for infecting a component. First, using polygon and subdivision surface modelling software, I created an inner geometry that will create a pocket system to retain water. Then inside, I scattered points according to a colour mapping study in Houdini software. Based on this mapping, I have assigned a pocket geometry to each point. The points become micro-geometries on the surface. Depending on the sizes, each micro-geometry has intersected or detached. All these points are in different sizes to become different

Fig. 25. Design studies for colonization in one component, The Plateau

Fig. 26. Component design iterations

habitats for different species. In these habitats, there will be nutrients. The geometry can be seen a 3-dimensional petri dish which will be infected by local species. The simulations of geometrical studies can be seen in the figure 25. However, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Plateauâ&#x20AC;? is a testing ground for architecture to host a variety of species. These species include bioluminescent moss, fungi and algae. The most important factor for each of these species is the humidity. So all the biophilic geometries have to collect and retain water for living organisms. From this starting point, we carried out design alterations using polygon and subdivision surface modelling softwares. The first studies performed for moss growth were just tests without using the existing boundaries (figure 26). Growth components will become epicentres for hosting different species. We can divide these various strategies into categories as, pockets, channels and bridges. These systems will be holding the water. However, shading is also a crucial factor for moss growth. Besides these, it is important for the geometries to catch dust, pollens and organic substances. This can happen both with the design of the micro-geometries and textures of the surfaces. After deciding the boundaries of each component, we applied these strategies to design. Each component is approximately 120cm by length, 8-15cm by width and 10-16cm by height. From different strategies, we have selected pocket systems for

Fig. 27. Component Studies, The Plateau

moss growth. It is important to link this section with the Biophilic Materials section because the geometry and making relationship has played a role while designing the geometries. As mentioned before, the growth components are made from MPC concrete. However, the casting process of MPC concrete needs compacting of the material because it is not a fluid concrete. Because of this, the casting process has some restrictions over the geometry, and it affected the selection of the growth component inside from the alterations. We have decided one of the pocket systems is an optimum design for further investigations. To create each pocket on growth components, I used a strategy which I named as negative bridging. The bridging tool is normally created from positive and solid volumes, however, using the same strategy, I have created hollow pockets in one component by using negative bridging from the top surface to the bottom surface. However, this strategy does not create enough shadow in the afternoon, and it is not a good way of retaining water. So I decided to link two components and designed a negative bridge in between them. This strategy has created the relevant area for capturing and holding water as well

as creating the relevant shadow. In these pockets, we will be expecting moss growth to happen. This particular research is trying to understand geometrical relations between the morphologies of the living things and morphologies of their designed habitats. It should be noted at this point that Biophilic Morphologies are not a method of mimicking the nature. It is clear that, in nature, some geometries inhabit certain species and some of them are not hosting the species that we can see. Biophilic Morphologies are searching for the causal relationship between design and biology.

IV. Transfer of Data

“... a typical seed with two cotyledons. The cotyledons are specialised rudimentary leaves containing a supply of nourishment sufficient for the initial stage in the development of the germ. The germ is the real thing; the seat of identity. Within its delicate mechanism lies the will to power: the function of which is to seek and eventually to find its full expression in form. The seat of power and the will to live to constitute the simple working idea upon which all that follows is based...” Louis Sullivan, A System of Architectural Ornament, 1924 (Sullivan, 1924) In this section, I will try to carve out and map the transfers between the words, information, scales, habitats, disciplines, facts and geometries. These transfers have happened directly, indirectly, scientifically or fictional. To understand human knowledge, Diderot and d’Alembert mapped the taxonomy of it, in the 18th century (Michigan Publishing, 2017). This relations and flows between the history, philosophy, knowledge, sciences and imagination still principally represent the current schemes of integrations in the production of systems. In Diderot’s map, memory, reason and imagination are the main topics of Human knowledge and understanding (Figure 27). In this research, my aim was to translate the memory into the imagination and give a shape with reasons and results. The first transformation has happened in the word “Biophilia”. This term was assigned the human being because it was a word describing the love that existed for biology. However, the first transformation was very smooth and directed the imagination. The word body becomes biophilic, but it was clearly fictional. As a result, the word relocates to a more abstract meaning. Meanwhile, the data from biology has transferred into the design. Thus, the transformation of the imaginary is supported by reasons, and the word becomes more familiar than before, and the adaptation of the word to materials and morphologies become easier.

Fig. 28. Map of the system of Human Knowledge

Scientific and direct transfer of data are two factors that are particularly relevant at this point. In the Inhabited Exoskeleton section, I explained DNA transfer from a bacteria to a plant. Then, I take this scientific evidence and convert the information into a fictional design condition. Actually, the transfer starts with being fictional and then it becomes scientific and returns to fictional. The most apparent transfer is happening among scales of habitats. In this thesis, there are five different habitats which are for: humans, vegetations, animals, rootless species (algae and moss) and microorganisms. An urban condition is examining under the microscope in 10:1 scale instead of 1:100. In this condition, a biological knowledge is transforming into an architectural knowledge. In other words, microhabitats are becoming urban environments among disciplines. The scale transfers are not only happening between habitats. A scale mutation is occurring between geometries and morphologies of habitats and designs. In nature, the forces are giving the shape of geometries. This is transferred into rules by scientist including Goethe, Thompson and Turing. In this research, computational techniques are used to apply natural forces and simulate transformations of geometries. Despite, the rules of nature, the transformation is happening in certain scales. However, in computational environments, it is possible to apply extreme versions of forces to various scales. The relative formations in biological systems are called â&#x20AC;&#x153;allometryâ&#x20AC;?, and ratio-scale relations among geometric attributes is the key factor of this transition (Thomson, 1917). The transfer of knowledge between scales in this research can be defined as allometric. Another scale transfer type, which I will be calling augmentation of the biological imprint, is relevant here. As mentioned, all the surfaces have biological imprints. When we take samples and place them into Petri dishes, the microorganisms start colonising. As result of this colonisation, they are becoming visible. It is a scale jump, however, this time the scale is defined by the number of species that are colonised on the nutrition source. This strategy has investigated a biological survey study in Camden and also, as a digital proposal for a bacteriological habitat in The Plateau.

Moreover, we should consider the information transfer from a plant to its seeds in the fruit and from fuit to a bird, from bird to the earth and again from earth to a plant. This is the most significant data transfer in nature. It is stunning in its complexity. This data has transferred as imagination into the thesis. The imagination transferred this information into a fictional design proposal. Moreover, the proposal changes its scale from being a wearable to being an urban intervention proposal. Also, the proposal is instantiated in material form. So, the ideas are converting into things. My aim was to rethink the thesis from a metacognitive approach to bond all the mentioned ideas and research studies together. This relation map can be transferred to a taxonomical map of The Biophilic Interfaces in the future.

V. Conclusion

This report introduces â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Biophilic Interfacesâ&#x20AC;? research as a process of exploring the multilayered and cross-scalar networks between the professions. It states a criticism of the narcissistic human relationships with other living systems. It questions the existing and nonexisting boundaries between humans and ecologies while touching various topics on the intersection of geology, biology, microbiology, genetics, philosophy, history, psychology, architecture, design, urban design, material science, and geometry. All of these disciplines blended together with three keywords: Biophilia, leaving trace and transfer of knowledge. The human desire for permanence and leaving a trace on earth are linked together. Other ways of leaving traces are explored while exploring the ways of human species engagement. A biophilic approach in design is suggested for real and fictional condition against human persistent damage to the environment. A catalogue of the design proposed as an interface and two of them are explained further. Despite the initial design perspective and its relation to the body was being fictional, the design proposals, converted this approach into real conditions. Physical and digital experiments on design and materiality are done while linking the topics of biophilia, bioreceptivity, microhabitats and scales. With this experiments, I questioned the scale transfers between ecologies and geometries. Despite the detached topics, I have discussed the relations and information transfers between them and describe the map of transfers. As stated in the beginning, the research process was not linear. From a designer perspective, I have combined multiple approaches beyond my discipline. The biological research needs time and testing because all the living systems have complex living cycles and conditions. The research from this point, can stay fictional but also if collaborated with other disciplines it can be realised. A problem in the research was creating a relationship with microbiology. My first aim was to propose

a microbiological integration to architecture. However, It can be unhealthy to work with bacterias outside the laboratories. Even if I explore the possibilities, the real applications of bacterial integrations might create unhealthy conditions. Because even after preparing a petri dish, no one should contact with it since it colonises easily with all kinds of microorganisms. This research is showing the potential collaborations between design and other disciplines. Despite the fact, the research could not answer all the questions directly, it creates the links smoothly and transfers data between various conditions, scales, terminologies and ecologies.

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List of Figures

Figure 1. Traces in nature, London. 2016 London, UK. Photograph by the author Figure 2. Traces in urban area, Bath. 2016 Bath, UK. Photograph by the author Figure 3. Applewhite, Ashton. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meet Your Microbiomeâ&#x20AC;?. AMNH, 2014. Available: http://www.amnh.org/explore/science-topics/health-and-our-microbiome/meetyour-microbiome [accessed 17th April 2017] Figure 4. Massive Algea Bloom, From: Reuters. 2011, China. Available: http://news. nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/04/pictures/130423-extreme-algae-bloomfertilizer-lake-erie-science/ [accessed 13th March 2017] Figure 5. Pike, Steve. 2003. Contaminant. Available: http://syndebio.com/ contaminant/[accessed 30th June 2017] Figure 6. A microbiological observation. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Photograph by the author Figure 7. Inhabited Exoskeleton. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2016. Image produced by the author Figure 8. Pyrococcus Furiosus under microscobe, Available: http://www. sciencephoto.com [accessed 20th October 2016] Figure 9. Detail from inhabited exoskeleton. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2016. Image produced by the author

Figure 10. The Plateau project, Dewi, M., Eljamal, S., Hao D., Li, J., Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2016 Image produced by Marisa Dewi Figure 11. Tesselation System, The Plateau Project. Dewi, M., Eljamal, S., Hao D., Li, J., Yucel Inal. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 12. Detail from The Plateau. Dewi, M., Eljamal, S., Hao D., Li, J., Yucel Inal. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 13. Urban and green intersection observations. 2017. Portugal, Spain and United Kingdom. Photographs by the author Figure 14. Initial material Studies with MPC Concrete. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Photographs by the author Figure 15. Section, The Plateau Project. Dewi, M., Eljamal, S., Hao D., Li, J., Yucel Inal. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 16. Model 1:5, The Plateau Project. Dewi, M., Eljamal, S., Hao D., Li, J., Yucel Inal. 2017. Photograph by the author Figure 17. Material Studies with MPC Concrete. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Photographs by the author Figure 18. Morphology study, Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 19. Morphologies of inner bodies - Pathology Museum, Royal Free Hospital, UCL, 2017. Photographs by the author Figure 20. Morphological Studies. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Photographs by the author Figure 21. TFL, East Putney Wall Studies. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Image produced by the author

Figure 22. TFL, East Putney component Studies. Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 23. Design studies of Inhabited Exoskeleton Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2016. Image produced by the author Figure 24. Design studies of Inhabited Exoskeleton Yucel Inal, Idil S. 2016. Image produced by the author Figure 25. Design studies for colonization in one component, The Plateau Idil S. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 26. Component design iterations, The Plateau Idil S. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 27. Component Studies, The Plateau Idil S. 2017. Image produced by the author Figure 28. Map of the system of Human Knowledge, Diderot D., dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alembert J., 1751. translated by Benjamin Heller, Available: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/d/did/tree. html [accessed 20th June 2017]