Nature’s imitation have different methods to design sustainable architecture. Would you identify these methods and the architect that follows each one.
By for example considering the (local) natural metabolism and cycles in the planning process and integrating architecture into them.
As nature doesn't produce any useless waste so shouldn't the built environment.
The principles of circular economy and cradle-to-cradle may be helpful to understand.
All living creatures have a certain performance within their context, so, besides imitating the forms and materials on nature, one must also imitate nature's performance / behavior under different circumstances.
Dear Omar,
I believe that there are certain methods to follow for such imitation. So what is that methods?
Dear Akram, architects can imitate nature through biomimicry, solving problems by emulating nature through observing and studying its workings. Some examples of biomimicry: bullet trains inspired by Kingfisher birds, helicopter design by the dragonfly and the humpback whales, Airbus design by the albatross. There is a study called Biomimicry and there is a Biomimicry Institute: https://biomimicry.org.
In general, architecture in relation to nature follows three approaches:
1- Formal approach: Usually, nature enters architecture symbolically and appears in the physical form of the project.
2- Structuralist approach: In this approach, natural objects are analyzed from a structural and static perspective.
3- Evolutionary approach: In this approach, patterns of growth of organisms or natural organs are used.
I think that inspiration from natural morphologies is the solutions that nature offers us in solving architectural problems and solving common problems between us and nature. For example, beehive morphology in space optimization (absence of unused empty space) or porosity in corals and volcanic rocks is a good example of material simplification, the structure and geometry of insect wings is an example of strengthening glass shells. There are many other examples. Like the lotus leaf inspiration that led to the creation of self-cleaning glasses, there are examples of nature's interaction in solving common problems between humans and nature, which can lead to finding patterns in solving common problems between humans and nature. Regardless of aesthetics, this is a practical method in progressive architecture.
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