Biomimicry: Applications in Architecture

 

Biomimicry: Applications in Architecture

“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher”

William Wordsworth

 The great poet rightly said that the nature is first and foremost teacher. The teacher who is eternal and has a lot to deliver in terms of resources, wisdom, facts and beyond.

The nature comprises biotic and abiotic components and their interrelationship. The forms and functions of these components are well integrated with their surroundings. Bio-mimicry is a practice which enhances connection between human and nature. Adopting these practices in architecture make positive impact on human mind and behavior.

What is a Bio mimicry?

Nature is a complex system and hence it assures sustainability. There are certain questions arise in the mind. How does nature function and respond to a particular situation? How does natural elements integrate with the surrounding? What makes nature resilient against the adverse forces? The nature has solutions of all such the questions. 

Biomimicry is a practice to learn, understand, analyze and adopt the strategies found in nature. It’s all about mimicking the natural forms, processes, systems for resolving human challenges in strategic way.

The forms of natural elements support their own functions. The processes in nature are effective and efficient to fulfil needs in their own capacities. The systems in nature are symbiotic and context responsive.  All are interconnected and hence sustainable.

Why Biomimicry?

A study says that nearly 40% of carbon emissions are generated by built environments. The percentage includes 27% building operations and 13% for construction activities. The numbers are threatening for the planet’s sustainability and the primary reason is human interventions in nature with least sensitivity. 

The nature has survived since 3.8 billion years and evolved consistently and hence we consider as a teacher with eternal wisdom. It comprises several elements, ecosystems which have their own characteristics and connectedness to respond the surrounding. These responses ensure the sustainability of their own as well as their ecosystems. The responses are form-based, process- based and system based.

By studying their responses, we can learn to develop the strategies for new products, processes, systems, or improve the existing ones. These strategies may prove more practical, innovative and sustainable. 

Function, Strategy and Context

Product and process are the outcomes and can be derived by analyzing the Function, Strategy and Context.

·        Function defines the purpose or outcome of the product … It answers the question What?

·        Strategy is a methodology or process to accomplish the function as…It answers the question How?

·     Context refers situation or location in which the product is being utilized… It answers the question Where and When?

Example: Birds’ Nests

Examples of Bio mimicry

In Bio mimicry forms, processes and systems are imitated strategically to resolve human challenges.

·        Mimicking the forms: Shape, Surface, Texture

Every organism has a certain form that allow that organism to carry out it’s functions efficiently and effectively in their context. Studying the form and functions of the organism we can adopt them for similar kind of design.

Architectural Application: The Gherkin London

The forms of biotic and abiotic components are derived as per their contextual settings. The forms are outcomes of adaptation and evolution of those components and hence they are resilient. This is one of the fundamentals of survival and sustainability. 

Venus Basket Sponge	Gherkin Skyscraper, London

Venus Flower Basket is a spongy marine creature. The form of this creature is cylindrical and tapering to both the ends. The structure is a network of horizontal, vertical and diagonal spikes which makes this spongy creature more stable and stronger against the water currents in seas ad oceans.

Gherkin skyscraper is similar to the Venus Flower basket in terms of form, structural system. The cylindrical form allows air to flow around it more easily and quickly than the conventional angular form of the building. The structural system and architectural form are in perfect synergy ensures resilience against wind loads and seismic loads. 

·         Mimicking the processes: Operation or Behavior

Living organisms and nonliving elements in nature are interdependent and follow certain processes for their functions. These processes are their biophysical necessities and context responsive. This is a great learning and can be adopted for built environments for any given location.

Architectural Example: Eastgate Centre, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Termite Mound	Eastgate Centre, Harare

Termite mounds house the termite community underground. The design of the mounds has its uniqueness in terms of thermal comfort. Internal temperature of these mounds is 30⁰C though the ambient temperature is 1⁰C-40⁰C. The stack effect in mounds effectively regulates inside temperature. 

Eastgate Centre, located in Harare, Zimbabwe has adopted the similar principal of heat exchange. In the evening when external temperature drops the cool air enters through the bottom inlets and warm air is vented out through vents located at the building terrace. This uses less than 10% of energy than that of conventional building of same volume.

·         Mimicking the systems: Collaboration between Many Forms and Processes

Nature comprises several ecosystems which are intra as well as interdependent in terms of their functions. These functions efficiently work when the surrounding conditions are conducive. The extent of this conduciveness is at micro to macro level. i.e. local, regional as well as global level.

Architectural Example: Integrated Township

Honeycomb	Integrated Township

Honeycombs are a community housing of created by honeybees which are self-sufficient and context responsive. Honeycomb is a mass of hexagonal cells made up of wax. Honeybees keep their brood, store honey and pollens into it. Roll of honeybees in pollination is primary which keep surrounding ecosystems intact. Interdependency between honeybees, their surrounding and human life is significant.

Integrated Townships are a symbiotic development and an ecosystem of their own. It comprises residential, economic activities, compatible infrastructure (physical and social), sustainable transportation systems etc. All these factors are interdependent and efficiently maintained without compromising environmental quality. 

The learnings for architects……

Ø  to respond to context and local conditions by deriving the forms

Ø  to regulate the processes by optimizing the resources

Ø  to restore the systems by managing the resources

Applications of biomimicry in architecture domain simply make wonders in terms of forms, processes and systems.  United Nations (UN) declared Sustainable Development Goals 17 (SDG 17) in 2015. These goals can be achieved in large extent if we architects learn from nature to design the built environment which lead to sustainability.

…Biomimicry is a Source of Information and Inspiration for Innovative Solutions in Architecture…

Ar. Aditi Sontakke

Associate Professor

TSAP, Mumbai

HSC in Science Stream, with 50% Aggregate and 50% Aggregate in PCM.

Qualifying Entrance Exam: NATA or JEE-Paper II

(For any details contact us)

Website: www.tsapmumbai.in

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