SECONDARY RESEARCH

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Biomimicry is a subject that affects a range of disciplines within the design and science worlds and has proven to benefit the overall outcome. From new injection needles containing a small amount of anaesthetic to stop the injection from hurting, inspired by a mosquito’s bite, to concepts of buildings becoming self-sufficient based on much smaller ecosystems, it is a process of discovery, to find the most suitable aspect of nature to mimic.

Her definition of biomimicry, “sustainable innovation inspired by nature” (Benyus, 2009), comes from her years of research into the field. Nature has used thousands of years to develop its design, through the process of natural selection to show today the most effective solution. Benyus has been working in collaboration with other scientists and designers on a website called AskNature, a single location of all known biological phenomena where people can ask how nature has solved specific problems, to correctly inform designers and scientists (http://asknature.org/). The aim is to use biomimicry to support the human race, “living gracefully on earth for the long haul” (Benyus, 2009).

BIOMIMICRY AS A PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY

Rasha Mahmoud Ali El-Zeiny, wrote the article “Biomimicry as a problem solving methodology in interior architecture” (El-Zeiny, 2012). She discusses how designers are confusing biomorphism with biomimetic design, how to categorize aspects of nature and how designers should be using biologists within the design process. As described, biomimicry is “sustainable innovation inspired by nature” (Benyus, 2009), biomorphism is design affected through the inspiration from nature. For example, the Spiral Shell House designed by Senosiain Arquitectos, is a house based on the form of a shell. It has a very organic appearance, lots of curves and smooth finishes to all the materials much like a shell but again this is purely aesthetic.

This table (within text of El-Zeiny, 2012) shows, by looking at the general details, nothing specific to a particular organism, there are in fact thirty-two possible areas in which a building can base its design upon. This table could be a simple source of information to designers, by analysing problems within their own building or site and relating them to similar, if not identical, issues found within organisms.

The third aspect of her article (El-Zeiny, 2012) is how biologists should be included in the design process. For the majority of designs, the idea of sustainability, or green spaces may come as an afterthought and designers have to adapt or alter their design to suit.

El-Zeiny describes the need for biologists to be included and a requirement for all design teams to use biomimicry from the start, rather than be contacted towards the end of the design stage for their opinion. Realistically this approach is unlikely to happen as consultants can be incredibly expensive to involve in projects and are generally very singular in their field of interest (biomimicry being one of them), and there would not be any other use for a biologist on a design team.

A prime example of Benyus’ definition is the Palazzetto dello Sport, designed by architect Pier Luigi Nervi. This indoor arena, built for the 1960 Olympic Games used prefabricated concrete and was inspired by the structural form of an Amazon water lily, which was radical for its time. By using bifurcating ribs (one rib that splits into two ribs) similar to the underside structure of the water lily, and his own invention of ‘ferro-cemento’ (layers of fine steel mesh, sprayed with cement mortar to create thin, flexible and incredibly strong sheets of material), Nervi created a self-supporting ceiling structure capable of spanning sixty metres. Not only was this radical designing completely new at the time, the technique of prefabrication and minimal use of materials made the project cost-effective. This is an example of sustainable innovation at its best, using minimal materials to provide the most effective outcome.

Biomimicry is informed design from the biological phenomena that feature within natural organisms, this does not necessarily mean the outcome of the design must look like the organism of inspiration. El-Zeiny however does not criticise the architects when describing the Shell House, it’s purely a matter of not-knowing.

Shells themselves have a biomimetic feature that could have been used if the architects had done some research. For example, the abalone shell, recognisable by the mother of pearl finish to the inside, has a particularly strong exterior, to protect this, formed of microscopic calcium carbonate ‘placelets’, layered and offset from one another. This means that when pressure is applied the crack will only travel through a singular layer before stopping. This concept could have been applied to the curving walls of the Shell House to increase strength.

Spiral Shell House, designed by Senosiain Arquitectos - Interior

Spiral Shell House, designed by Senosiain Arquitectos - Exterior

El-Zeiny devised a table detailing the information found in each organism and organised them into three sections and many levels within each section, detailing each aspect. These three sections cover:

Organism features (Features of the organism itself)
Organism Community relationship (The relationship to its community of similar organisms as well as other creatures that it may deal with)
Organism Environment Relationship (How an organism fits in its biome and environment)

(El-Zeiny, 2012)

Abalone Shell - Mocular photograph of calcium carbonate 'placelets'

El-Zeiny's Levels of Biomimicry Table

WHAT SHOULD ARCHITECTURE SCHOOLS TEACH US?

An article published by Archdaily.com, “What should architecture schools teach us?” (Lynch, 2015) by Patrick Lynch details many comments made by former students about which principles should be taught. If the business of architecture should also be included, simple skills of computer software and even the sociology behind architecture are to name a few. However, nothing was mentioned about new technologies or the issue of sustainability. All the responses have the impression of the here-and-now, arguably highlighting a selfish approach. There were not any thoughts of the future of architecture and what should be taught long-term.

Palazzetto dello Sport - Interior Dome

Palazzetto dello Sport - Computer model of structure

CASE STUDY: PALAZZETTO DELLO SPORT

LEADING BIOMIMICRY EXPERT

Janine Benyus, one of the leading pioneers within the discipline of biomimicry, lives and studies nature at its very heart, within the mountains. She has become immersed in the world of nature and studies the potential benefits biomimicry can provide to mankind.