"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.
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