Natural and Architectural Convergence: A Model of Nature-Based Strategies in the Architectural Design Domain

2019

Sustainable architectural design is the design of the age. It is based on the solution of environmental, social and economic problems of architectural design for providing resources and improving the quality of life for mankind. Sustainable solutions of architectural design result mainly from the principle of sustainability which is derived from natural systems and what they offer to humans. The main objective of this paper is to highlight the natural strategies of solving the problems of sustainable architectural design as an integrated approach for the knowledge of the secrets of sustainability. These strategies of sustainable architectural design derived from nature and interacting with it. The first strategy is inspired from nature by implementing the Biomimetic design which mimics the performance of nature and provides clean technologies. The second strategy is integrated into nature by using Biophilic design and its role in achieving human well-being and improving their perfor...

American Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2022

Nature serves as a compass for all the sciences. Nature was and continues to be the first teacher for humanity. A certain area of study advances through observing and copying nature. This area of research, known as biomimicry, can be characterized as the imitation of organic biological processes. Just like scientists and designers, architects can find inspiration in nature. Like many other professions, the realm of architectural design holds that behavior resembles nature. For instance, it is used as a source of inspiration for architectural designs, building materials, and aesthetic and environmental systems. To draw conclusions and develop solutions from nature to all fields of science and architecture, there are not enough investigations. A new field of study known as "Biomimicry" has emerged, and it is an innovation strategy that seeks sustainable solutions by modeling nature's time-tested patterns. In this context, the research paper discusses biomimicry, a recent development in the field of architecture, the idea of nature as inspiration; the concept of biomimicry, its levels, its application to architecture, and how to think about design and nature in the context of architectural sustainability.

Nature and man have long been a representation of a complementary relationship in which both realms lie within the field of control and containment of the other. Throughout ages of their intercourse, they stand and appear in strong relation, a relation that continually and definitely plays a role in man's conception and generation of his built environment. The idea of nature and its components, discussed in various fields of philosophy, art and architecture, provides new world views of the man-nature relationship and its role in determining form, from Aristotle to Alberti and Vitruvious, from Frank Lloyd Wright, and Louis Khan to Christopher Alexander’s ‘Nature of Order’ and Charles Jencks’ notion of ‘Cosmogenic Architecture’. From the beginning of our existence and until our present time, many built forms have shown and manifested such an understanding in a variety of ways. Contemporary interpretations can generally be exemplified under three main directions; Pearson’s ‘New Organic Architecture’, Alexander’s ‘Nature of Order’, and finally Jencks’ ‘Cosmogenic Architecture’ reported in his book 'The Architecture of the Jumping Universe'. Each of those directions comprises a variety of nature-oriented interpretations in terms of order, form, and expression. Such a variety of interpretations calls for the need of an objective frame of reference in terms of which these new approaches together with all its precedents in history could be interpreted, analysed, and evaluated. This paper proposes a 3-Dimensional (3D) generic/analytical model that fulfils two complementary roles; a descriptive, and a critical role. Any nature-oriented trend can then be either predicted or analysed in terms of three dimensions, namely its basic stance from nature, its domain of interest and application, and finally its modes of action. The validity of the model is tested by applying it to some nature-oriented trends in philosophy, art, and architecture.

Manipulating Architectural Design Forms Based on Nature, 2019

Since the creation of earth, all of its creatures started establishing shelters for themselves. Humans as well started to build dwellings to protect themselves from the climatic conditions and predatory animals. All what they looked around was nature to assemble all available materials helping them to build those accommodations. Not only materials, but also built structures were inspired from those configurations found in nature like bird nests or other animal huts. No aesthetic aspect was taken into consideration as much as the structure and its stability. (merriam-webster, 2009) Throughout time, architects have believed that nature is a very good source of inspiration for their works. Louis Khan said on nature as a powerful and trustful foundation: “It is my feeling that living things and non-living things are dichotomous… but I feel that if all living plants and creatures were to disappear, the sun would still shine and the rain still falls. We need nature, but nature does not need us.”

Increased environmental consciousness in recent years, stimulated by concerns about human-induced climate change, has motivated a desire to reduce the impact of the built environment through eco efficient design imperatives. This evolution has provided eco practitioners with multifaceted challenges in making their practices more ecologically sustainable through optimal approaches to design. One such design approach to ecological sustainability is to emulate or take creative inspiration from natural systems. This approach is often referred to as biomimicry. Most see biomimicry as a design theory and procedure that can be applied at a form, process or ecosystem level, although there are different views about how this is most effectively accomplished. The concept of biomimicry has potential application to ecologically oriented architectural practice, but because it has thus far attracted only limited relevant research it requires further clarification and development as a design approach. This study examines how eco practitioners perceive biomimicry as a design approach in architectural eco design practice. An exploratory approach, taking a post-positivist epistemological framework informed a mixed method, correlational, project-based research design. Specific objectives and a theoretical enhancement were developed to identify some key constructs that could contribute to a more comprehensive Biomimicry Approach to architectural eco design practice. The theoretical contribution was a model and framework for ‘biomimicry thinking’ which suggested ways of addressing problems of conceptualisation and understanding the complexities of ecological integration that had been identified as barriers to the practice of ecologically sustainable design. The empirical contribution of the study was a recommendation for a Biomimicry Approach, which proposed simultaneous use of indirectly mimicking and directly mimicking for architectural eco design projects. Multivariate statistical analysis recognised ‘biomimicry principles’, ‘design propositions’ and ‘physical attributes’ as the most significant predictors that can enhance ecological sustainability in architecture. While the empirical findings reconfirmed the theoretical development, overall, the study’s outcomes in relation to biomimicry, advanced understanding of ways to reduce waste by efficient spatial design, particularly in encouraging architectural input to the concept of a ‘reduction scenario’ for the future ‘ecological age’. This thesis adds important knowledge to underpin future research and recommends biomimicry design indicators, design matrix and possibilities for the use of vernacular architectural strategies for the development of future eco design practice.

Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2018

The systems, processes, and organisms optimized for the evolution of nature over several hundred million years have helped designers and architects seeking improved and innovative solutions. Inspired by the shape and function of nature, some architects have created great architectures by finding and applying new design sources from nature's elements. The beautiful and mysterious nature landscape surrounding us not only gives us a new appearance for the four seasons, but also provides the source of new ideas for human. When looking at nature elements such as trees, flowers, animals, and ocean organisms, architects can find unusual perspectives, visually interesting ideas, special structures, creative details and innovative mechanisms. Most modern cities are full of buildings like the shape of supermarkets and boxes, if possible, architects should try to satisfy human emotions with beautiful scenery and natural closeness through environmental architecture. When planning for future cities and constructing new buildings, how to satisfy our yearning for a harmonious interaction with nature, and how the historic characteristics of buildings are shown to be presence. All of these are related to our fundamental human feelings and emotions, can improve holistic interrelationships between buildings and nature for human life. Nature-inspired biomimicry is a way of observing the natural world to find design solutions that may enable us to create the concepts of new building design with sustainable and healthy. This study is to analyze what are nature inspirations for the visual and conception building designs and what are the characteristic of innovative designs and technologies inspired by nature.

European Journal of Medicine and Natural Sciences

The sociological, psychological and physiological problems experienced by humanity, which have been exposed to dark offices, high flats and city life far from nature, have been strikingly exposed with researches. In addition, the nature-based design approaches that emerged due to the need to meet the need of humanity for nature and the desire to return to nature have taken their place among the design parameters of the new age in architecture However, concepts where biology and design come together have emerged. Biomimicry is a discipline that explores the best ideas for design processes by imitating nature. It takes all the ecological needs that users expect from architecture directly from the nature. It provides an integration model with the nature that people yearn for, and also creates a model that takes the solutions created by nature in architectural designs as an example. In this period of architectural design turning to nature, biomimicry has the feature of being a pioneer o...