Design in Nature

Design in Nature

The greater part of of natural inspiration i design is visual rather than mechanical. 

What is the reason for natures richness in pattern? Is it all function of adaptation to environment and of the struggle to survive? What pattern-forming mechanisms underlie the structure of matter to bring about results in which the pattern features of one species or material are so similar to another? These questions have begun to receive answers in recent years. The results have the capacity to alter many of our assumptions, bringing back to nature many of the associations of beauty and wisdom that were traditionally found there, and which have important implications in cultural, even political terms.

The ecological movement has created a justifiable anxiety about mankind's relationship to nature. It has urged us to pay attention to lessons of the natural world, for the order of nature is not just visual. It includes the cycles of birth, life and death, the cycle of day and night, and the cycle of the seasons. Nature is not just about objects; it is also about systems and the shifting relationship between an object and its context. It has much to do with submission to the cycle. This is ancient wisdom, but it has taken a long time to learn it through the medium of modern science. (Alan Powers, Nature in Design, 1999.) 

Examples of Biomimicry for design

Examples of Biomimicry for design

Chinese material scientists have been studying the design of butterfly wings to unlock ways to make solar electricity more efficient. Inspired by the way that butterflies use their wings to collect solar heat, researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University took a closer look at the wings’ makeup. What they found was a shingle-like structure whose complex shape allows light to fall to the lower layers, doubling the light-gathering potential. The insight could pave the way to electric solar panels which can produce much more energy in a smaller area.

The discovery was unveiled at the American Chemical Society’s annual meeting with lead scientist Dr. Tongxiang Fan explaining how the intricate shape of the scales in the wings allows for better solar absorption. The research pivots on classic biomimicry design. They looked at two species of black butterfly wings which best absorb heat. The wings are made from elongated scales layered in offset rows like shingles on a roof. Raised ridges in the scales contain tiny holes on the edge to allow light be funneled to the scales below. The technique maximizes light-gathering potential and helps the butterfly heat up quickly on a cool morning.

The scientist made a model of the wing to test its effectiveness. The model used titanium dioxide which acts as a photocatalyst in splitting of H20 when exposed to light. The findings showed a doubling of the production of hydrogen from the wing design compared to a flat surface. Dr. Fan said that “the prototype is very, very effective,” and he is looking to commercialize the findings. The research looks like a promising avenue for three dimensional solar arrays which capture light in more complex ways than traditional flat arrays.

Read more: Chinese Researchers Unlock Secret of Butterfly Wings to Make Efficient Solar Power | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building 

Precedence

Architect: Andrew Maynard Architects

Project: Corb 2.0

Design team Chimera has conceived of an incredible series of spiraling skyscrapers for New York’s Hudson Yards that are modeled after the complex ecosystems created by the mangrove tree. Dubbed Mangal City, the project is an “urban ecological system” composed of modular pod capsules that shift to adapt to environmental and contextual conditions. A beautiful example of biomimicry and certainly a flight of fancy, the plan proposes a futuristic building system based upon flexibility.

The project was designed by Pierandrea Angius, Alkis Dikaios, Thomas Jacobsen, and Carlos Parraga-Botero and is a thesis proposal for the Masters of Architecture in Parametric Urbanism program at the AASchool of Architecture in London. According to the designers, “our vision is to define an urban ecosystem which supports housing and cultural programs and has the ability to adapt, transform, mutate and adjust according to the specific urban and social character of the site”.

Read more: Spiraling Skyscraper Pod City For a Future New York | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building 

Web Pages

Web Pages


Biomomicry Guild - www.biomimicryguild.com

Biomimicry, (Mangroves)

Biomimicry, (Mangroves)

For this project an examination through the means of  design through biomimicry will be undertaken, for this an item has to be selected in which I will mimic. This item is to be site specific, after some research a mangrove ecosystem has been selected. This fits into the project because on the site pre European influence there was a mangrove forest as the water line of the harbour was much higher and secondly much of the surrounding context of Newcastle still has mangrove forests, both these gives this mimicry selection historical and present context. 

When it comes to delving further into the biomimicry theory and using the mangrove ecosystem there are many variables that can be used, ranging from the ecosystem as a whole to individual aspects. For this project I would like to have an overall understanding of the ecosystem within the design and Architecture and focus on individual parts of the ecosystem such as the mangrove tree for architectural details such as facade systems.

Description

Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S. The mangrove biome, or mangal, is a distinct saline woodland or shrubland habitat characterized by a depositional coastal environments, where fine sediments (often with high organic content) collect in areas protected from high-energy wave action. Mangroves dominate three quarters of tropical coastlines. The saline conditions tolerated by various mangrove species range from brackish water, through pure seawater (30 to 40 ppt), to water concentrated by evaperation to over twice the salinity of ocean seawater (up to 90 ppt).

Economic Values

Mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge, and tsunamis. The massive root systems of mangroves are efficient at dissipating wave energy. Mangroves retard the tidal movement of water, allowing sediment to be deposited as the tide comes in, and leaving all except fine particles when the tide ebbs. Mangroves therefore build their own environment. The commercial and recreational fishing industries are prime beneficiaries of mangrove forests, which provide breeding and feeding grounds for fish and prawns. About 75% of the fish and prawns caught for commercial and recreational purposes in Queensland spend at least part of their lifecycles in mangroves. In some coastal communities, boardwalks and bird-viewing areas in mangrove forests provide attractions for the eco-tourism industry, for example, at Boondall Wetlands.

Threats

Threats to mangrove ecosystems include;

▪    coastal modifications such as reclaiming land (e.g. for building canal estates and marinas);

▪    erosion of shorelines in coastal lakes and estuaries;

▪    elevated levels of nutrients and sediments from land clearing, overgrazing and cropping;

▪    increased levels of heavy metals such as copper, lead, cadmium, zinc and mercury, and tributyl tin (TBT) from anti-fouling paints;

▪    marine oil pollution from sewage systems and drains, which are estimated at 16,000 tonnes a year over the whole of Australia;

▪    accidental spills during re-fuelling of vessels in ports.

Removal of mangrove forests can lead to erosion of the shoreline, exposure of acid sulphate soils, shallowing of estuaries and waterways, and a reduction in water quality. These threats can deplete the populations of fish, prawns, crabs and other sea life that use mangroves as breeding and feeding grounds, which would then impact on commercial and recreational fishing.

Local Environment

Local Newcastle mangrove consists mainly of the Avicennia marina, commonly known as grey mangrove

Description

Excreted salt on the underside of a Avicennia marina var. resinifera leaf Grey mangroves grow as a shrub or tree to a height of three to ten metres, or up to 14 metres in tropical regions. The habit is a gnarled arrangement of multiple branches. It has smooth light-grey bark made up of thin, stiff, brittle flakes. This may be whitish, a characteristic described in the common name. The leaves are thick, five to eight centimetres long, a bright, glossy green on the upper surface, and silvery-white, or grey, with very small matted hairs on the surface below. As with other Avicennia species, it has aerial roots (pneumatophores); these grow to a height of about 20 centimetres, and a diameter of one centimetre. These allow the plant to absorb oxygen, which is deficient in its habitat. These roots also anchor the plant during the frequent inundation of seawater in the soft substrate of tidal systems. The flowers range from white to a golden yellow colour, are less than a centimetre across, and occur in clusters of three to five. The fruit contains large cotyledons that surround the new stem of a seedling. This produces a large fleshy seed, often germinating on the tree and falling as a seedling. The grey mangrove can experience stunted growth in water conditions that are too saline, but thrive to their full height in waters where both salt and fresh water are present. The species can tolerate high salinity by excreting salts through its leaves. Avicennia marina var. resinifera fruit Grey mangrove is a highly variable tree, with a number of ecotypes, and forms closely resembling other species. It has been reported to tolerate extreme weather conditions, high winds, and various pests and diseases. It is a pioneer in muddy soil conditions with a PH value of 6.5 to 8, but is intolerant of shade

Sources:

• Mangrove Management in the Northern Territory
• Trees in Newcastle: PLANT COMMUNITY FIELD GUIDE, Mangrove Estuarine Complex Saltmarsh
  www.treesinnewcastle.org.au
• Natural Heritage Trust
• Hunter Central Rivers, Catchment Management Authority
• Landcare

Concept Presentation

Concept Presentation

"Many books and articles suggest that nature will inspire design to provide for a sustainable future. These sources provide lessons that tend to lead to patterns or forms that copy natures solutions in forms only. The deeper lesson of ecology is that natures form is a direct response to capturing the flow of energies and materials that reside within the bioregion. The huge diversity in natural forms teaches us that there are many ways, many forms, to capture and use available energy. The form itself, made up of biological processes, maximises the use and storage of energy and materials for its needs and functions within its ecological and energy location." (Daniel E. Williams, Sustainable Design, pp.1, 2007)

Sustainability in buildings and construction to many people (consumers) today consists of simple installations and retrofits, of solar panels, solar hot water and energy efficient appliances. Consumers find themselves unaware, blinded to the fact that in becoming what they believe sustainable they are in fact only consuming more in materials and embedded energy. They are still on the linear path and not yet fully comprehended as to what defines true sustainable design.

As architects (or students of Architecture) we are trained to understand the core principles of sustainability and apply them to our own work to help create a closed, circular path of energy. However we are not the only professionals that are applying their skills and knowledge to the design of a more sustainable and waste free future. There is a field of study invented by Janine Benyus that incorporates scientists, (biologists, chemists), engineers, designers to help with this problem. It is BIOMIMICY research. This is an area of research that takes inspiration from the natural world, closely examining what evolution has created.

Although the term ‘biomimicry’ is relatively new (1982), inventors, artists and engineers have often turned to natural solutions for human problems.  Perhaps the best example of early biomimicry is Leonardo da Vinci, whose sketches for a “flying machine” were largely based off his observations of birds in flight.  Centuries later, the Wright brothers also observed pigeons to help develop the first plane. This type of research has also recently entered into the field of medical research, understanding the way the natural environment fights unwanted infections and using this information in modern medicines.

What I am examining here within my project is not the mimicry of form, a superficial wing of a bird or the negative mold of the surrounding environment, it is not about creating aesthetics through parametric design. Rather it is about looking deeper into what is being mimicked and understanding how and why its functions the way it does and using this information within the design process. 

This project is about creating a research facility in the center of Newcastle that examines biomimicry and its possible outcomes in the design world. Not only will this be a research laboratory devoted to bimimicry but the architecture will also invoke the theories and technologies from biomimicy. Within the program of the project there will be an intersection / collaboration with other various fields of scientific research which all can learn form one another, creating a fluid and flexible community of like-minded people.

As this is in an urban context and has a high community basis the second part of this project is a more community interactive zone consisting of a library, particular to the information gathered in the labs and specific to biomimicy in design. This space allows the public (consumer) to interact with the information, learn and be able further the inception of biomimicy into every day design practices. 

The project has three overlaying theories that manipulate the design these are:

-        biomicry which is the overriding theory and enters all areas of the design.

-        Research Patterns and Stages of Research that gives to the program design and user engagement.

-        The second law of thermodynamics which leads to entropy that explains the phenomenon of irreversibility in nature, that time is linear and everything is deteriorating. This shows in the planning arrangement of the boundaries of the program, the beginning of time shown in the labs through to the deterioration shown in the pavilions.

Example strategies for biometric building design:

Harmonize / integrate with local environment - this requires a considerable understanding of (and appreciation for) the immediate environment and its natural history

Maximize passive design and renewable energy sources - alignment of energy flows with natural tendencies, use of solar / wind, geothermal sources of energy

Harmonize building hydrology / water cycles - employ geothermal water temperature (as energy) for heating and cooling and retention and use of rainwater as available

Project scale matches environmental capability - design of projects that match the ecological footprint and capacity of the natural environment (correct building on the correct site). In a high-density urban environment it may not be possible to achieve this target.

Newcastle Laboratory of Future Thinking

This is my currant evolution in the project, I am moving away from the whole permaculture and experimenting with the idea of biomimicry in Architecture through creating a laboratory and library.

Sustainability in buildings and construction to many people (consumers) today consists of simple installations and retrofits, of solar panels, solar hot water and energy efficient appliances. Consumers find themselves unaware, blinded to the fact that in becoming what they believe sustainable they are in fact only consuming more in materials and embedded energy. They are still on the linear path and not yet fully comprehended as to what defines true sustainable design.

As architects (or students of Architecture) we are trained to understand the core principles of sustainability and apply them to our own work to help create a closed, circular path of energy. However we are not the only professionals that are applying their skills and knowledge to the design of a more sustainable and waste free future. There is a field of study invented by Janine Benyus that incorporates scientists, (biologists, chemists), engineers, designers to help with this problem. It is BIOMIMICY research. This is an area of research that takes inspiration from the natural world, closely examining what evolution has created.

Although the term ‘biomimicry’ is relatively new (1982), inventors, artists and engineers have often turned to natural solutions for human problems.  Perhaps the best example of early biomimicry is Leonardo da Vinci, whose sketches for a “flying machine” were largely based off his observations of birds in flight.  Centuries later, the Wright brothers also observed pigeons to help develop the first plane. This type of research has also recently entered into the field of medical research, understanding the way the natural environment fights unwanted infections and using this information in modern medicines.

What I am examining here within my project is not the mimicry of form, a superficial wing of a bird or the negative mold of the surrounding environment, it is not about creating aesthetics through parametric design. Rather it is about looking deeper into what is being mimicked and understanding how and why its functions the way it does and using this information within the design process. 

This project is about creating a research facility in the center of Newcastle that examines biomimicry and its possible outcomes in the design world. Not only will this be a research laboratory devoted to bimimicry but the architecture will also invoke the theories and technologies from biomimicy. Within the program of the project there will be an intersection / collaboration with other various fields of scientific research which all can learn form one another, creating a fluid and flexible community of like-minded people.

As this is in an urban context and has a high community basis the second part of this project is a more community interactive zone consisting of a library, particular to the information gathered in the labs and specific to biomimicy in design. This space allows the public (consumer) to interact with the information, learn and be able further the inception of biomimicy into every day design practices. 

The project has three overlaying theories that manipulate the design these are:

•         biomicry which is the overriding theory and enters all areas of the design.
•          Research Patterns and Stages of Research that gives to the program design and user engagement.
•        The second law of thermodynamics which leads to entropy that explains the phenomenon of irreversibility in nature, that time is linear and everything is deteriorating. This shows in the planning arrangement of the boundaries of the program, the beginning of time shown in the labs through to the deterioration shown in the pavilions.

Example strategies for biometric building design:

Harmonize / integrate with local environment - this requires a considerable understanding of (and appreciation for) the immediate environment and its natural history

Maximize passive design and renewable energy sources - alignment of energy flows with natural tendencies, use of solar / wind, geothermal sources of energy

Harmonize building hydrology / water cycles - employ geothermal water temperature (as energy) for heating and cooling and retention and use of rainwater as available

Project scale matches environmental capability - design of projects that match the ecological footprint and capacity of the natural environment (correct building on the correct site). In a high-density urban environment it may not be possible to achieve this target.

ARCHITECTS

William McDonough + Partners (all these buildings are designed for temperate climate zones)

-         House Like a Tree

-         Ford Truck Plant, Dearborn, Michiga

-         Office Building of the Future,

Michael Pawlyn 

-         Sahara Forest Project, combines Seawater Greenhouse and Concentrated Solar Power

-         

Seawater Greenhouse

The process uses seawater to cool and humidify the air that ventilates the greenhouse and sunlight to distill fresh water from seawater. This enables the year round cultivation of high value crops that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to grow in hot, arid regions The overall process is extremely energy efficient. 1kW of electricity expended on pumping will remove 500kW of heat. Water can be produced at low energy costs (<3kWh/m3)".

-        rcr architects spain

Design

•          Special care is to be made when considering existing heritage buildings, Civic Theatre and Nesca House. Options for connecting to these buildings through the new architecture are to be examined.
•          Building proximity of the new and existing architecture are to be judged correctly, should the new connect directly into the existing or should there be a conscious gap between the new and the existing either left open or bridged with respect?
•           Materials, scale and function are to be carefully chosen as to not only respect the heritage of the site but also to enhance the heritage of the site.
•         Site and across site access are to be considered. Civic Park is an important feature within the surrounding site and it is important to make reference and possible connection to it. Also in this package of importance within the site is the Town Hall, Council Chambers and Wheeler Place, all these elements are to be referenced in the design and made connections to.

Precedence’s

-        Prisma Building

Nuremberg, Germany

Architect Joachim Eble, project architect G. Richter, Tübingen

(Greenhouse atrium)

-        Institute for Forestry and Nature Research

        Wageningen, The Netherlands

-

       mit-media-lab

Massachusetts

Architect Fumihiko Maki

(external skin of building, double skin)

rcr architectus, spain

(Small single instaulations)

Architect: Stefan Behnisch

(Atrium and offices with nature)