Biomimicry Avjeet Singh
Biomimicry Avjeet Singh
Biomimicry Avjeet Singh
BIOMIMICRY
Nature as the foundation for
design
Abstract
In the physical realm that humanity occupies, nature has always been the
one omnipresent source for man to get inspired from, innovate and create
entities that he can use. He has used countless examples as sources of
inspiration and imitated their innovative characteristics to create objects that
were once deemed fictional. Biomimicry, as the approach is known, has
been at the helm ever since the Wright brothers invented the first flying
machine and the same approach has been for long applied in the
development of material sciences, most notably Kevlar and self-cleaning
paints.
As witnesses to the 21st century and the later parts of the 20 th century, the
one common event that has been consistently prevailing is the rather blatant
use of natural resources which is creating a cyclic chain of undesirable
environmental effects. Architecture and planning have been at the forefront
of this event and the idea of sustainability in building design and city
planning is being portrayed as a remedial solution in rather superficial terms.
Biomimicry, as of late, is being considered as a tool to aid in sustainable
architectural design and urban planning and is being considered as the next
paradigm of design and planning.
This report is an attempt to study and get a broad understanding about
biomimicry as a philosophy of design, comprehend its relevance as an
integral part of sustainable design, by means of case studies understand the
interpretation and implementation of examples from nature in the design of
buildings and the types of complexities they address in these buildings,
evolve a set of recommendations as a part of the inferences which address
the relevance of biomimicry as a practise for sustainable design.
Keywords: Biomimicry, architecture, sustainable design, environment
CONTENTS
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Abstract.
1
Contents
2
Chapter 1: Introduction to
Biomimicry..3-5
1.1
1.2
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Figure 1
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 8
Figure 2
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Figure 3
Figure 7
Perhaps the most iconic example is the study of flight patterns of birds by
the Wright brothers to develop the first flying machine as well as the controls
that made fixed-wing flight possible. Developments also include the
invention of Velcro in 1948, based on the structure of burs; the design of
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Olympic swimsuits based on shark fins and Kevlar, used in bullet-proof vests,
inspired from the web created by spiders.
Even though the applications of biomimicry towards the design of the builtforms and the built-environment have been limited, there are examples that
will be discussed in subsequent sections in this report.
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Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
The trade-off with this approach is that even though the problem/issue
identification maybe solved using an analogy of biological organism, the
issue of sustainability may or may not be addressed as the relationship of the
problem with the environment may not be addressed.
2.2 Biology influencing Design
In this approach, any function or characteristic in an organism is identified
and is translated into a design solution. As clearly indicated by the topic, this
approach is a collaborative design process dependent on people having
knowledge of relevant biological or ecological research rather than on
problems or issues identified by man.
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Example for this approach is the scientific analysis if the lotus flower that
emerges clean from the swamps and which has been used as an innovation
for the Lotusan paint which enables buildings to be self-cleaning.
Figure 12
Figure 13
The paradox with this approach is that the design solution provided by this
approach may not be an answer to a pre-determined issue but it may result
in technologies or systems for other design solutions. As it is a collaborative
effort of designers and biologists and scientists, the biological research as
well as identification of potential of the research must be conducted before
providing any solution.
2.3 Framework of Biomimicry for the Built Environment
The above approaches can be applied on three levels for a design problem/
issue (the Biomimicry Guild,2007). The levels are the form and process
which are aspects related to the organism or an eco-system which can be
mimicked. Ecosystem is another level which can be studied for mimicking
specific aspects at the ecosystem level.
Using these levels as integral components, Prof. M. Pedersen Zari proposed
a specific framework for Biomimicry which attempts to clarify the potential of
biomimicry as a tool to increase re-generative capacity of the built
environment. This framework helps to employ biomimicry as a methodology
of design for improving sustainability of the built environment.
The framework basically has two parts. The first part is the level of the bio
that has been mimicked. Each level has been further divided into the 5 sublevels which describe the type of mimicry that may be implemented.
Level of Biomimicry
Form
Material
Organism
Construction
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(mimicry of a
specific organism)
Process
Function
Form
Material
Construction
Behaviour
(mimicry of a
behaviour of
organism to a
larger context)
Process
Function
Form
Material
Ecosystem
(mimicry of an
ecosystem)
Construction
Process
Function
Table 1 Frame-work of Biomimicry for the Built Environment (M. Pedersen Zari,2007)
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Figure 14
Figure 16
Figure 15
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Figure 19
Figure 18
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Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22
For
instance, the west facade is the epidermis of the tree. It was inspired in how
the facade would moderate the external climate. While the north and south
facades were inspired from the bronchi of the tree. These were implemented
as wind pipes and allowed for air ducts on the exterior of the CH2. The
eastern core and the facade, consisting of the service core and the toilets,
emulated the tree skin (bark) and the skin acted as a protective layer which
filters light and air in the ventilated wet area spaces behind.
The results of using such a skin include:
- Air is 100% filtered.
- Artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation saved by 65%.
3.2b The Water Cube, Beijing
The water cube, also known as the Beijing National Aquatic centre, was built
between 2004 and 2007 mainly for the 2008 Olympics. The Biomimic was
exemplified in the building by mimicking the form of soup bubbles which also
represented the main ideal for swimming. The Biomimic approach is also
Design to biology.
Even though the geometric structure is purely regular, when viewed from a
certain angle it appears completely random and organic. The building skin
offers the transparency of water with the mystery of the bubble system.
Thus, it engages the people both inside and outside experience water
throughout. The Water Cube achieved many environmental outcomes that
led it to achieve an energy efficient design and overcome all the challenges
and objectives through applying a biomimic approach.
The outcomes
include:
- Energy costs reduced by 30%
- Artificial lighting reduced by 55%
- Experience of water transparency to the visitors
- ETFE energy savings are equivalent to covering the entire roof with solar
panels. - 20% of solar energy is trapped and used for heating
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Figure 23
Figure 24
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building breeze-catchers at the base of the structure which draw in air, then
cool it by pulling it through chambers carved out of the wet mud at the base,
while hot air escapes through flues at the top of the mound. A deeper
examination reveals that the Eastgate form arises out of the needs of
everyday life and is use-based.
The building form reflects a wholeness of nature by revealing and
paralleling natural processes, rather than mimicking static form to
achieve a massive height. The linear structure of the office cores allows
for two rows of offices surrounding a central atrium. Located between the
rows of offices are forty-eight brick funnels connecting to each office.
These funnels draw cool air up from the basement and allow hot air to
escape from the top of the building, effectively duplicating the heating
and cooling process of a termite mound.
Eastgates form reveals the wholeness of natural processes in its form.
The building design reflects a connectedness between form, nature, and
people that is not merely a purification of natural form for structural or
image-based reasons.
Figure 25
Figure 26
Figure 27
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The Kalundborg Industrial Park was not originally planned for industrial
symbiosis. Its current state of waste heat and materials sharing developed
over a period of 20 years. Early sharing at Kalundborg tended to involve the
sale of waste products without significant pre-treatment. Each further link in
the system was negotiated as an independent business deal, and was
established only if it was expected to be economically beneficial.
The park began in 1959 with the start-up of the Asns Power Station. The
first episode of sharing between two entities was in 1972 when Gyproc, a
plaster-board manufacturing plant, established a pipeline to supply gas from
Tidewater Oil Company. In 1981 the Kalundborg municipality completed a
district heating distribution network within the city of Kalundborg, which
utilized waste heat from the power plant.
Since then, the facilities in Kalundborg have been expanding, and have been
sharing a variety of materials and waste products, some for the purpose of
industrial symbiosis and some out of necessity, for example, freshwater
scarcity in the area has led to water reuse schemes. 700,000 cubic meters
per year of cooling water is piped from Statoil to Asnaes per year.
The aim is to reduce resource consumption and achieve a significant
reduction in environmental impact. Several educational institutions have
developed curricula and classes about Kalundborg and the model is being
exported to different industrial areas all over the world.
Figure 28
Figure 29
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commonly
encountered
slime
molds
is
the
yellow
Physarum
learn
and
predict
periodic
unfavourable
conditions
in
laboratory
experiments. John Tyler Bonner, a professor of ecology known for his studies
of slime molds, argues that they are "no more than a bag of amoebae
encased in a thin slime sheath, yet they manage to have various behaviours
that are equal to those of animals who possess muscles and nerves with
ganglia that is, simple brains."
In an experiment conducted at the Hokkaido University, Japan the slime mold
Physarum polycephalum was gown in a flat wet dish, placing the mold in a
central
position
representing
Tokyo
and
oat
flakes
surrounding
it
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List of Figures
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Pigeons in flight
The first flying machine
Burs
Velcro
Dolphin
Ship hull
Spider Web
Carbon-fibre Kevlar
Box-fish
A Tree
Bionic Car
Lotus Flower
Lotusan Paint
Victoria Regia, Water lily
Crystal Palace, Hyde Park
Great conservatory, Chatsworth
Cactus
MMAA Building, Qatar
MMAA Building, Qatar
A tree
CH2 Building, Melbourne
CH2 Building, Melbourne
Soap bubbles
Water cube, Beijing
Termite mound
Section Showing ventilation flue
Eastgate Center,Harare
Kalundborg eco-Industrial park
Process diagram
Physarum polycephalum
the slime mold over the tokyo rail netwrok
List of References
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http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/can-we-use-
biomimicry-to-design-cities-janine-benyus-says-yes.html
greatecology.com/biomimicry-natures-solutions/
https://biomimicry.org/asknature/#.WAN34yQstHU
http://living-future.org/ecosystem-services-biomimicry-new-tools-and-
approaches-improve-urban-resilience-and-health
https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/#.V-T68q0svLM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomimetics
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/7-amazing-
examples-of-biomimicry/copying-mother-natures
Pawlyn, Michael (2011) Biomimicry in Architecture, RIBA publishing
Benyus, J.M. (2002) Biomimicry: Innovation inspired by nature, Harper Collins
Publishers
Benyus, J.M. (2008) A good place to settle: Biomimicry, biophila, and the
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