HINDU SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

SONIPAT 131001
( AFFILIATED BY DEENBANDHU CHHOTU RAM UNIVERSITY
OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY )

DISSERTATION ON

BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE
AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

DECEMBER 2018

Guided by : Submitted by :
Ar. Kirti Arora Abhey verma
14025006002
Contents
o INTRODUCTION
o AIM
o OBJECTIVE
o SCOPE
o METHODOLOGY
o LIMITATION
o PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION
o PRINCIPLES OF BIOMIMICRY
o STEPS TO ADOPT BIOMIMICRY
o LEVELS OF BIOMIMICRY
o ANALYSIS
o LITRATURE STUDY
o CASE STUDY
o CONCLUSION
Introduction
o Biomimicry is the term used to describe the
substance, equipment's, mechanism and systems
by which humans imitate natural system and
design.
o Biomimicry originates from two Greek words
Bios = Life
Mimesis = imitates
o Biomimicry operates on the principle that in its
3.8 billion year history, nature has already
found solutions to many problems we are trying
to solve.
o Biomimicry is multi-disciplinary subject involving
wide diversity of other domains like
architecture, electronics, medicines, biology,
chemistry, mathematics etc.
AIM:
To understand the emerging trend of using
Biomimicry and study various works and theories
under tilts evolution as a response to a design
problem applying biological solutions in an
attempt to explore the potential of both
emerging sciences in developing a more practical
and regenerative architecture. And finally,
relating the applications of biomimicry to study
its scope in contemporary Indian architecture.

OBJECTIVE:
o To review bio-mimicry from historical perspective
to establish the first documented bio-mimetic
design.
o Explore the relevance of Biomimicry as nature
inspired innovation.
 o How can terms like green, sustainable and
energy consciousness be associated with bio-
mimetic design?
o Analyze and evaluate case studies
representing such a technology.
o A comparative study of the need of biomimetic
design, by establishing a theoretical and
methodological framework for case-studies.
SCOPE:
The scope of this research is the study and
analysis of bio mimicry as a significant tool
for sustainable architectural design and
construction, focusing on the possibility of
applying selected biomimetic principles for
future sustainable designs of buildings
solving purposes like
o Creating large span clear unobstructed
areas
o Proper lighting
o Ventilation and Acoustical treatment
o Energy efficiency
METHODOLOGY:
LIMITATION:
o The study is based on secondary sources.
Thus most of the examples discussed are
secondary sites, hence cannot be visited.
But the information given is sure to be
complete w.r.t the concerned topic and its
authenticity is assured The study is only
focused on understanding and relating the
premise of bio-mimetic architecture, which is
not a detailed one and focuses on only the
key biomimetic aspects of the building
CONCLUSION:
o To prove that the conscious emulation of
life's genius is a survival strategy for the
human race, a path to a sustainable future.
The more our world functions like the
natural world, the more likely we are to
endure on this home that is ours, but not
ours alone
Principles of biomimicry
BIOMIMICRY: INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE BY
JANINE BENYUS SETS OUT THAT THERE ARE NINE
BASIC LAWS UNDERPINNING THE CONCEPT OF
BIOMIMICRY. THE BIOMIMICRY PRINCIPLES FOCUS
EXCLUSIVELY ON NATURE'S ATTRIBUTES THEREBY
IMPLYING THAT HUMANS HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM
THE BILLIONS OF YEARS OF THE NATURAL WORLD'S
EVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCE. THEY ARE
o Nature runs on sunlight.
o Nature uses only the energy it needs.
o Nature fits form to function.
o Nature recycles everything.
o Nature rewards cooperation.
o Nature banks on diversity.
o Nature demands local expertise.
o Nature curbs excesses from within.
o Nature taps the power of limits
Steps to adopt biomimicry
Levels of biomimicry
o THREE LEVELS OF BIO MIMICRY
Bio mimicry can work on three levels:
the organism, its behaviors, and the ecosystem.
Buildings on the organism level mimic a specific
organism.
Working on this level without mimicking how the
organism participates in a larger context may
not be sufficient to produce a building that
integrates well with its environment On a
behavior level, buildings mimic how an organism
behaves or relates to its larger context.
On the level of the ecosystem, a building mimics
the natural process and cycle of the greater
environment.
Analysis

POPULARLY KNOWN
AS LOTUS TEMPLE
AND LOCATED IN
NEW DELHI,INDIA ,
THE TEMPLE IS A
PLACE OF WORSHIP
FOR BAHA’I FAITH .
Analysis

THE BURJ KHALIFA ,

KNOWN AS THE BURJ
DUBAI PRIOR TO ITS
INAUGURATION IN 2010, IS
A SKYSCRAPER IN DUBAI,
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.
IT IS INSPIRED FROM A
REGIONAL DESERT FLOWER
SHAPE (HYMENOCALLIS).
Analysis

BEIJING
NATIONAL
STADIUM IN
BEIJING ,CHINA
IS INSPIRED BY
A BIRD’S NEST .
Analysis

THE TWA
TERMINAL
NEWYORK ,
DESIGNED AND
INSPIRED BY
BIRD’S WINGS .
Location: New
York, New York
Analysis

THE PALM JUMEIRAH

ISLANDS ARE
ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS
BUILT ON A COAST OF
DUBAI . INSPIRED BY
PALM TREES , THE
ISLANDS ARE IN SHAPE
OF PALM TREES .
Analysis

FORMERLY KNOWN AS
TAIPEI WORLD FINANCIAL
CENTRE , THE TAIPEI 101
IN TAIPEI , TAIWAN IS THE
SECOND LARGEST SKY
SCARPPERIN THE WORLD .
DRWING INFORMATION
FROM BAMBOO TREE .
Analysis

POPULARLY KNOWN
AS EIFFLE TOWER , IT
IS INSPIRED FROM
BONE STRUCTURE .
Analysis

INSPIRED BY WATER
BUBBLES , THE
BEIJING NATIONAL
AQUATICS CENTRE IN
BEIJING , CHINA
,ALSO KNOWN AS
WATER CUBE WAS
BUILT FOR THE 2008
SUMMER OLYMICS .
Analysis

EVOLVER IS A
SCULPTURE
ERECTED TO VIEW
THE PANORMA
SURROUNDING
ZERMATT ,
SWITZERLAND .
IT IS INSPIRED BY
A SEA SHELL .
Litrature Study
EASTGATE CENTRE
o LEARNINGFROM TERMITES TO COOL AND
HEAT NATURALLY HARARE, ZIMBABWE
THE EASTGATE CENTRE IS A SHOPPING
CENTRE AND OFFICE BLOCK IN
DOWNTOWN HARARE THAT HAS BEEN
DESIGNED TO BE VENTILATED AND
COOLED ENTIRELY BY NATURAL MEANS.

o THE BUILDING STORES HEAT IN THE DAY

AND IN THE EVENING, THE WARM
INTERNAL AIR IS VENTED THROUGH
CHIMNEYS, ASSISTED BY FANS BUT ALSO
RISING NATURALLY BECAUSE IT IS LESS
DENSE AND DRAWING IN DENSER COOL
AIR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUILDING. AT
NIGHT, THE PROCESS CONTINUES, WITH
COLD AIR FLOWING THROUGH CAVITIES IN
THE FLOOR SLABS UNTIL THE BUILDING'S
FABRIC HAS REACHED THE IDEAL
TEMPERATURE TO START THE NEXT DAY.
o RELATED ORGANISM: TERMITE
 AN INSECT THAT BUILDS MOUNDS THAT
NOT ONLY REGULATE TEMPERATURE AND
HUMIDITY OF THE INTERNAL
ENVIRONMENT, BUT PROTECT THE
COLONY FROM FIRE.

o RELATED STRATEGIES:
 EVAPORATIVE COOLING
• MANY ANIMALS USE THE PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF WATER TO
THERMOREGULATE THROUGH
EVAPORATION.

 NATURAL VENTILATION
• NATURAL VENTILATION IN SOME
ANIMAL-BUILT STRUCTURES IS
ACHIEVED BY DESIGN.

 TRACHEAL COMPRESSION
• TRACHEAL COMPRESSION IS A
RESPIRATORY STRATEGY USED BY
BEETLES, CRICKETS, AND ANTS
ANALOGOUS TO THE INFLATION AND
DEFLATION OF VERTEBRATE LUNGS
Case Study
Lotus temple (bahai)

o THE TEMPLES OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR
ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOR, AND THE TEMPLE CONSTRUCTED IN
DELHI IS A CONTINUATION OF THIS RICH TRADITION. BEFORE
UNDERTAKING THE DESIGN OF THE TEMPLE, THE ARCHITECT, MR.
FARIBORZ SAHBA, HAD TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY IN INDIA TO STUDY
THE ARCHITECTURE OF THIS LAND AND WAS IMPRESSED BY THE
DESIGN OF THE BEAUTIFUL TEMPLES, AS WELL AS BY THE ART AND
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS WHEREIN THE LOTUS INVARIABLY PLAYED AN
IMPORTANT ROLE. HE WAS INFLUENCED BY THIS EXPERIENCE, AND
IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING OUT THE CONCEPT OF PURITY, SIMPLICITY
AND FRESHNESS OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH, HE CONCEIVED THE TEMPLE
IN DELHI IN THE FORM OF A LOTUS. THE TEMPLE GIVES THE
IMPRESSION OF A HALF-OPEN LOTUS FLOWER, AFLOAT,
SURROUNDED BY ITS LEAVES. EACH COMPONENT OF THE TEMPLE IS
REPEATED NINE TIMES.
THE TEMPLE COMPLEX, AS SEEN FROM THE
LAYOUT, CONSISTS OF THE MAIN HOUSE OF
WORSHIP; THE ANCILLARY BLOCK WHICH
HOUSES THE RECEPTION CENTRE, THE
LIBRARY AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING;
AND THE RESTROOMS BLOCK. THE TEMPLE
PROPER COMPRISES A BASEMENT TO
ACCOMMODATE THE ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING COMPONENTS, AND A
LOTUS-SHAPED SUPERSTRUCTURE TO HOUSE THE ASSEMBLY AREA.

ALL AROUND THE LOTUS ARE WALKWAYS WITH BEAUTIFUL CURVED

BALUSTRADES, BRIDGES AND STAIRS, WHICH SURROUND THE NINE
POOLS REPRESENTING THE FLOATING LEAVES OF THE LOTUS. APART
FROM SERVING AN OBVIOUS AESTHETIC FUNCTION, THE POOLS ALSO
HELP VENTILATE THE BUILDING.
Conclusion
o IN SUMMARIZING THE CONCEPTS OUTLINED IN THIS STUDY,
IT IS APPARENT THAT THERE ARE MANY PARALLELS TO BE
DRAWN BETWEEN NATURE AND ARCHITECTURE, SOME OF
WHICH HAVE BEEN STUDIED FOR CENTURIES AND OTHERS
WHICH ONLY NOW BECOMING RELEVANT AS WE SEEK TO
REMEDY THE STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILT
AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. WHILST CONVENTIONAL
APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS UPON REDUCING
ENERGY AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION BIOMIMICRY
PROVIDES A FORUM WHEREBY ENGAGEMENT WITH NATURAL
SYSTEMS HELPS PRODUCE A MORE POSITIVE AND
REGENERATIVE DESIGN

o BIOMIMICRY,RATHER THAN BEING EMPLOYED AS SCIENTIFIC

METHOD OF EMULATING NATURE IN A BUILT FORM HOWEVER
THIS TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE APPLIED IN A MORE HOLISTIC
SENSE WHERE DESIGNERS ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMPLEX
INTERACTIONS WHICH TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE NATURAL
WORLD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY UNDERSTAND OUR
POSITION WITHIN IT.
o NOT ONLY IS NATURE A READILY AVAILABLE SOURCE OF
INSPIRATION GIVEN THAT IT IS PRESENT IN EVERY
MOLECULE AROUND US, BUT NATURAL FORMS HAVE ALSO
EVOLVED WITHIN THE SAME CONFINES AS HUMANITY,
UTILIZING ONLY THE MATERIAL AND ENERGY RESOURCES
AVAILABLE ON PLANET EARTH AS THE HUMAN SPECIES
CONTINUES TO EVOLVE WE MUST EMBRACE OUR POTENTIAL
FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT BY WHILST ALSO RESPECTING
THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF OUR PREDECESSORS BY
DOING SO, THE PROSPECT OF GENERATING A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE FOR OUR SUCCESSORS WILL BECOME BOTH AN
ACHIEVABLE AND A REWARDING ASPIRATION

Benefits of biomimicry
o DEVELOP AN ARCHITECTURE THAT IS PRODUCED AS A
RESULT OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL,
MATERIALIZATION, AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS, AND
THEREFORE SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO ITS LOCATION AND
CONDITIONS

o PRODUCE A MORE ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE IN TERMS OF

SUSTAINABILITY
Benefits
o DESIGN BIOMIMETIC IS A BRIDGE THAT CAN CONNECT
ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN PROFESSIONS ON A ROUTE
TO LINKING DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN A
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION

o DESIGN BIOMIMETIC CAN EMPHASIZE WAYS OF THINKING

AND DESIGNING THAT BRING ARCHITECTURE AND
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INTO A PROCESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AND BIOLOGICAL FOCUS ON MORE RESPONSIVE, SAFER
BUILDINGS.

o BIOMIMETICTECHNOLOGY WOULD HELP US ALSO

OVERCOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, SUCH AS THE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT, GLOBAL WARMING, OR EVEN THE
OZONE HOLE BY REDUCING THE VAST AMOUNT OF CO2
EMISSIONS FROM THE BUILT MATERIAL AND PURIFYING THE
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENTS ONE HAS TO PREDICT THAT
THIS IMPRESSIVE NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL BE NECESSARY
TO USE IN THIS 21 CENTURY AND WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND IT WELL IN ORDER TO BE USED IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE HUMANITY
DEVELOPMENT