Biomimmicry in Urban Spaces

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BIOMIMICRY IN URBAN SPACES URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SHREYA MEHTA PUBLIC SPACE DESIGN


BIOMIMICRY Biomimicry is an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies—new ways of living—that are well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul. The core idea is that nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the consummate engineers. After billions of years of research and development, failures are fossils, and what surrounds us is the secret to survival.

DESIGN SPIRAL The Biomimicry Design Spiral is a step-by-step process for turning nature’s strategies into innovative and sustainable design solutions. The Biomimicry Design Spiral was developed in 2005 by Carl Hastrich, an industrial designer. Hastrich took a standard design process, added the unique steps needed for biomimicry and turned it into a spiral.


biomimicry and light

One of the problems that I discovered in an office space was the monotony which had become such a normal part of the experience. I started out with the idea of introducing dynamic lighting, similar to the changes of light we see during our day. Moving from this basic idea, I looked into the various ways in which biomimicry can be merged with this idea. I studies the various systems of sunflowers, purple bacteria and olive trees to understand how they used light and shade. From thereon, I derived this idea of lighting which is flexible and adaptable to any environment.


biomimicry and hvac

The alignment with the North- South axis to regulate the heat absorbed by the structure

Detail at A

The Lobster’s eyes are made of tiny glass cubes, which focus the light towards the lens. These become a useful tool in capturing the maximum amount of light available.

The efficient circulation provided by these ingenious creations

The area that I selected includes my room, the room adjacent to mine and our bathroom. The space is located on the first floor of a G+1 bungalow. The area that I selected would be too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Basically, the structure was unable to adapt to the outside environment. Additionally, a coat of waterproof paint on the terrace overhead reduced the temperature of the structure by 1-2 degrees. To balance this out, The outside elements of wind and sunlight needed to enter and exit the buildingv


biomimicry and toilets

The working of the Advanced Integrated Pond Systems Technology

The various pipes from each house would lead to common street pipe to be drained to the toilet. The pipes can be made of recycled material.

The aim of this exercise was to make portable toilets for a rural setting, while ensuring that the system is sustainable as well as lucrative for the users. The design of toilets can be divided in three parts: Water supply, usage and water outlet. Rather than focusing on one single toilet, I thought of looking at the system at large. I looked at various systems, like the Harappan drainage system as well as Roman and Greek systems, and realized along with communal washrooms, they also reused the water, hence ensuring at least 2 uses of the water before its disposal.In nature, the disposal of waste was just dumping it in a corner, and letting nature take its course with it.Hence, I also looked at ways of biological waste disposal like bio-digestors, geological toilets, AIWPS and feces pond.


project brief The objective of this project was to design the systems in a house to be cyclical in nature and to use biomimicry to achieve this.

SITUATION Water is the lifeline for the human race. Our earliest civilizations were established near rivers, and ever since all of our progress has relied on it. But now, water is increasingly becoming a luxury, and the efficient use of water is of the utmost importance. To design a space, which is capable of doing the same, will be a huge step ahead in the preservation of our already depleting resources.

Bengaluru is the capital city of the southern state of Karnataka in India. It is a landlocked city and for ages, it has relied on it ingenious system of lakes to sustain its needs. But lately, overpopulation and lack of foresight and planning has driven the city’s water resources to the very edge.

The site of the project lies in the suburb of Yelahanka lies in the northern side of the city. As is shown in the map, It is one of the areas with the highest requirement of water tanks. Hence, an intervention for water is highly suitable and required in this area. http://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/5004-bwssb-trying-to-register-all-the-borewells-in-bangalore-5004 http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/more-90-bangalores-lakes-are-polluted-or-encroached https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Bengaluru-may-have-to-be-evacuated-in-a-decade-if-water-crisispersists/articleshow/50348148.cms https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/ http://kiranconsultants.com/current-groundwater-research-in-bangalore/ http://parisaramahiti.kar.nic.in/hp_water.html


SITE ANALYSIS- SWAMI

VIVEKANAND PARK,YELAHANKA NEW TOWN

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In the evening, the area sees a marked increase in movement, vehicles and pedestrian alike, due to the setting up of the evening market.

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The area around the park has a lot of government housing

06 The park houses a gym, playgrounds, basketball courts, football and cricket fields as well as a stage, where yoga classes and school events take place.

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03 Along with bungalows, the area also houses a clinic and various bakeries.

07 The latest addition to the park is a dedicated seating area for a football field.

The lane has developed into a thriving market with restaurants, grocery stores and an internet cafe.

08 The park has no effective drainage, which is why puddles often form, blocking the entrance.

The wind in the area is mild, and flows from the south- southwest direction, to the north- north east direction.

The streets have a few or no street lights. The only light source is the lamps in the park, which are also obstructed by trees in many areas.

The area in and around the park sees a lot of pedestrian movement, which increases in the evenings when the market is set up.

Vehicular movement, barring the main market road, is very nominal. The thickness of the lines show intensity of the traffic.

The park incorporates a lot of shady trees in and around its premises. The trees on the premises end up blocking the light fixtures as well as the only CCTV camera in the area.

PUBLIC SPACE COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL

The area denoted in white is the proposed space for construction

The only drainage in the area is provided by storm water drains, which often double as sidewalks. Alot of uncovered drains also pose a threat, specially without appropriate lighting


distill

HOW DOES NATURE DO THAT FUNCTION?

WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR DESIGN TO DO?

How do I manage water efficiently? How do I generate sufficient water for the needs of the inhabitants? How can I harvest, store and manage water in such a way that there is always enough water to fulfill all the requirements?

Deciduous Trees (oak)

Collospermum epiphytes

Golden Rimmed Navel Lichen

Namaqualand monocot

translate IDENTIFY THE FUNCIONS

Collect water Store water HABITAT CONDITIONS

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Height- 915 m above sea level Temperature- 22- 34 C in summer, 15- 28 C in winter Humidity- 70% Soil Conditions- Nuetral Rainfall Level- 1143 mm

DESIGN PARAMETERS

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Multipurpose use of available surfaces Increase surface area by a large number of small units Using hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials Using surface texture to direct flow of water Using spiral shape to maximize surface area Using grooves to increase surface area Using grooves to facilitate transportation Using surrounding temperature to one’s advantage Using spiral shape to minimize surface evaporation Placing the structure against the wind direction to capture maximum amount of water vapour Using various heights and levels to capture maximum wind Using gravity wherever possible, to reduce energy used in transportation Using the same material for multiple uses. Using existing and under-tapped resources Usage of a combination of renewable energies to make the best of the available resources. Replicable design of the systems

Thorny DevilAustralia

Desert Hottentot Bread Plant

Darkling Beetle

Crystalline ice plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L

Cribellate Spider

Namib Desert Beetle


DISCOVER

Thorny Devil Lizard


Namib Desert Beetle


Namaqualand monocot


Emulate

The interventions in the house are designed in such a way that they are able to generate and store sufficient water for its needs. The water harvesting system is divided in two parts: the fog-harvesting structure and the fog and rainwater harvesting roof. The fog harvesting structure is essentially a bamboo stalk twisted into a spiral. When the moisture filled wind blows from the southern direction, these structures, which rise higher than the trees, would capture the water. Owing to the structure of the stalk, the water will travel along the stalk downwards to be drained into a common pipe which then transfers the water to an underground tank. Bamboo proves to be the perfect material for this function owing to its hydrophilic qualities coupled with a hydrophobic coating. The primary function of the roof is to collect rain water. Along with this function, the roof is also capable of harvesting fog, albeit when the fog is thicker and blows at a lower height. The roofs are intentionally placed against the existing wind direction, to capture maximum fog. The Mangalore tiles also work on similar lines like the bamboo. The tiles will be customized to have a rough texture which further facilitates collection of water. Since the materials used are locally sourced, replacing the same would not cost as much. The water will be collected in an underground water tank, with access from the courtyard. The water will be filtered through a sand filter bed. Another water tank would also be set up for the collection and filtering of grey water. The space will also incorporate a solar water heater. Each of the windows will be stained with DyeSol paste, ensuring a steady collection of solar energy.


Emulate

key objectives:

- minimalistic design -zero waste policy - cyclical systems - systems inspired by and in tandem with nature


Water

Rainfall Water vapour

The ‘Curly whirly plants of South Africa’ are the inspiration for these fog-harvesting structures. They are made of bamboo, an equally hydrophilic and hydrophobic as well as an extremely flexible material. The water is collected on the top- most part of the spiral and drained into the main central pipe which then drains into the rain gutter

Collected water

Towards Septic Tank

Filtered water for use

The water harvesting system works in the following steps: 1a. Water vapour- filled winds run over the roof and the bamboo stalks. 1b. Rainwater falls on the roof. 2. The respective mechanisms collect the water and drain it into the water gutter which runs along the roof. 3. The water drains into an underground water tank. 4. A pump then transports the water to the kitchen, and then through the washrooms and sinks. 5. The water is then drained out to a common septic tank, from where the recycled water is used for watering the landscaping plants.

Overflow

For Backup: 1. In case of a mechanical emergency, The backup water of the other units can be accessed. The secondary tanks of the four units would be connected and operated by a manual crank. 2. In case of an emergency due to weather conditions, the government pipeline can be accessed.

With an average of 895 mm of rains per year, the roofs are capable of collecting around 90,000 litres of rain. Since not all of the water will be used by the structure, the runoff from the system would be allowed to seep back into the ground, through the overflow pipe of the tanks and permeable pavers on any open, available ground space.

The primary task of the roofs is to collect rainwater. The roof is made of Mangalore tiles, specifically sun- dried to avoid causing more pollution. The tiles would be manufactured with a slightly rough glazing to enable collection of water vapour in dry seasons.

A single water storage has the capacity of 10,000 litres. There are two such tanks, one solely to be used as a backup tank. The backup tank would also have manual cranks to supply water to neighbouring units.


LIGHTING

Certain cells would emit the energy collected by the collector cells. These would alternatively be powered by the overhead solar panels, .

The emitting cells are made by sandwiching Dyesol between two pieces of glass. Since its a paste of compounds, its easily disposal at the end of its long lifecycle. The panels would be attached with tiny batteries to store the energy collected over the day.

The lighting of the house stands as an independent light fixture capable of generating, storing and emitting light. The remaining requirement of electricity is fulfilled by two dual axis solar trackers, intalled on top of the garage. Each of them is fitted with a micro inverter which is then attached to a battery. This battery is then connected to the main distribution board of the house. A typical house with four inhabitants requires around 5 kwh of energy. Since all of the lighting is an independent system, the trackers have 2.5 kwh capacity each.

For Backup: 1. The energy from the solar trackers will be used as back up for the lighting fixtures. 2. Both of the trackers will work independently of the other, with separate micro inverters, to avoid a complete shutdown in case of any failure.

A dual axis solar tracker performs far better than a fixed panel in terms of energy collection. Despite using more energy to operate, it more than compensates by its energy efficiency. The above graph represents a study where both kinds of panels were kept in the same plot. The Solar trackers performed better than fixed panels by 65 % during summer months and 40% through the year.


ventilation

The central courtyad already does the lion’s share in ventilation. Additional air flow would help facilitate this process. The largest windows are south facing to capture most of the incoming wind. The vents for the hot air are made at the western, eastern and northern sides. These vents are covered with wire mesh to prevent any insects or birds from entering. The materials of the building also facilitate thermal comfort. The flooring is made of mud, which would be excavated while building the foundation. The walls have brick cladding which are adaptable to the outside temperature. The roof of Mangalore tile already facilitates thermal exchange and the constant condensation of water wil only help further.

waste disposal

For liquid waste, a common septic tank is placed for four units of the house. The filtered water would be used for the landscape and the manure can either be used in the same or can be sold to the government.

For the kitchen waste, a compost pit garden is set up. The pit is divided in seven sections for the seven days. Each pit contains bacteria which decompose the waste and the plants above immediately use the same. This tiny eco system ensures that there is no odor emitted. Like the septic tank,the excess manure from this pit can be sold to the governement,


site PLAN

NAME : SHREYA MEHTA UNIT: URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SCALE: 1: 200 DATE:: 13/10/2017


FLOOR PLAN

NAME : SHREYA MEHTA UNIT: URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SCALE: 1: 200 DATE:: 13/10/2017


ROOF PLAN

NAME : SHREYA MEHTA UNIT: URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SCALE: 1:100 DATE: 13/10/2017


REFLECTED CEILNG PLAN

NAME : SHREYA MEHTA UNIT: URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SCALE: 1:100 DATE: 13/10/2017


WESTERN ELEVATION

NAME : SHREYA MEHTA UNIT: URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SCALE: 1:100 DATE: 13/10/2017


SECTION AA’

NAME : SHREYA MEHTA UNIT: URBAN STRATEGY AND ENVIRONMENT SCALE: 1:100 DATE: 13/10 2017


REFLECTION This unit has been instrumental in introducing me to the concept of biomimicry as well as the means through which it can be applied practically in one’s design. Moreover, not just mine but my peers’ research has exhibited the countless ways in which one can draw inspiration from nature. Besides, this knowledge is also relevant now, because of our present circumstances and the increasing drive to create better solutions for our problems. The knowledge about systems that I have gained from this unit have given a definitive grounding to my designs and and henceforth, all of my designs will be much more realistic and informed than what they used to be.


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