Biomimicry: Nature's design process versus the designer's process

Abstract

This research recognizes that today the design industry is on the ground floor of a paradigm shift ushered in by the demand for sustainable, renewable green products, technologies and industry standards similar to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and The Living Building Challenge. This shift needs to include biomimicry as a best practice for earth stewardship with the goal of improving the overall health and well being of the end-user and his environment. This research paper will compare The Design Process that nature uses to that which interior designers use to solve problems. In order to guide the designer through the nature's design process, Carl Hastrich designed a new method for the Biomimicry Institute, Challenge to Biology Design Spiral. However, the industry at large has not recognized the science of biomimicry or employed Hastrich's Design Spiral in its problem-solving process. This paper argues that, although designers utilize time-tested tools and methodologies i.e. programming, schematic and design development, they now should include a biomimetic approach to explore nature's database for sustainable solutions and innovations. According to this study, as we shall see, the one thing nature does differently from designers to solve a problem is to "biologize" the question by asking, "What do you want your design to do?" unlike designers who ask, "What do you want to design?" This paper will review key points, case studies of applications of biomimicry in product design and manufacturing and an architectural project that lay the foundation of this important movement. © 2010 WIT Press.