Benha University

Shoubra Faculty of Engineering

Architecture Department

Course: Architecture for the future

Lecture 02
By
Dr. Wael Salah
Biomimicry Levels

Biomimicry has three levels which

may be used in solving design
problems within the two approaches
of biomimicry discussed before.

The three levels of biomimicry are

1- organic level
2- behavior level
3- ecosystem level
Biomimicry Levels
(1) (2) (3)
Organism Behavior Ecosystem
level level level
 (1)
Organism
level
(Nature as Model)

This level of biomimicry indicates to

the organism itself as biomimicry Nature is
the inspiration for the formation
could be inspired by mimicking a part
of the organism or the whole
organism
 (1)
Organism
level
(Nature as Model)

Organism level criteria

 Example

(1)
Organism
level
(Nature as Model)

Nature is
the inspiration for the
The design of terminal form faces the problem of how it could respond
formation the changes in air pressure as trains enter and depart the terminal. This
flexibility of structure is found in the surface of Pangolin. The structure of
the terminal is inspired from the shape of Pangolin body as it constructed
from glass panels fixings that make up the structure mimic the flexible
arrangement of the Pangolin so they are able to move in response to the
imposed air pressure forces
 Example

(1) The stadium took this name

Organism
because the iron bars are like
a bird's nest. It was designed
level by simulating birds' shelters
which consist of organic
(Nature as Model) material such as branches
and grass. The structure of
the Bird's Nest is innovated
on the grounds of structural
systems and the way of how
Nature is to distribute loads. Designers
the inspiration for the of the Bird's Nest used the
simulation technique (CFD)
formation so as to simulate
temperatures, wind power,
and humidity inside the
structure of birds' nests, and
to give the audience the
opportunity to enjoy light
 Example

(1) The Success of Design in

Organism
Achieving Sustainability :

level 1. Unique architectural

formation which achieved
(Nature as Model) aesthetic values Moreover,
not to ignore simulating
natural ventilation and
lighting systems helped to
rationalization of energy ,
Nature is This in turn helped in
the inspiration for the reducing operating costs.
2. Reducing pollution emitted
formation from the building as a
result of the rationalization
of energy consumption.
 Example

(1)
Organism
level It is called also water cube
(Nature as Model) because of the inspiration of
water in its foam state. As
the building is all about
water, designers inspired its
structure from the foamy
Nature is state of water as it was
the inspiration for the magnified into the structure
of the building in the form of
formation a voronoi diagram.
 Example

(1) The Success of Design in

Achieving Sustainability :
Organism 1. The up-to-date technology
and computer technology
level which was used in
manufacturing and cutting
(Nature as Model) ETFE didn't waste time,
manufacture costs, or
materials. They could cut
3500 pads to fit their place
well, and they had to make
Nature is just one pad.
the inspiration for the 2. Simulation bubbles
formation transparent appearance
with the use of the
transparent ETFE with its
advantages saved the costs
of lightening, and helped
with the rationalization of
energy.
 (2)
Behavior
level
(Nature as Measure)

it is not the organism itself that is

mimicked, but its behavior. It may be Mimicry
of how an organism behaves
possible to mimic the relationships
between organisms or species in a
similar way.
 (2)
Behavior
level
Behavior level criteria (Nature as Measure)
 Example

Hydrological Center Project

(2)
Behavior
level The project is inspired by the
(Nature as Measure) Namibian beetle's ability to
capture fog to quench its
thirst. The beetle's behavior
has been developed in
designing the project , was
Mimicry designed to pick water from
of how an organism fog over the building roof to
provide all the building
behaves needs of water.
 Example

Hydrological Center Project

(2)
Behavior
level The Success of Design in
(Nature as Measure) Achieving Sustainability :

1. The project succeeded

through simulating the
beetle's behavior toward
Mimicry compatibility with the
of how an organism surrounding environment
where fog was heavy.
behaves
2. Reducing operating costs
by provide all the building
needs of water.
 Example

East Gate in Harare, Zimbabwe

(2)
Behavior East Gate designed by the

level
architectural Mick Pace, simulation
of termites mounds by using the
negative Ventilation technology and
(Nature as Measure) control the temperature and create
thermal stable environment.

Termites in Zimbabwe build

mounds that must be kept at exactly
Mimicry 87°F, while the temperatures
outside range from 35°F at night to
of how an organism 104 °F during the day. The termites
behaves achieve this remarkable feat by
constantly opening and closing a
series of heating and cooling vents
throughout the mound over the
course of the day.
 Example

East Gate in Harare, Zimbabwe

(2)
The Success of Design in
Achieving Sustainability :

Behavior 1. East Gate building consumes

level
energy less than 10% than
traditional building

(Nature as Measure) 2. make the rent reduce by 20%

than around building

Mimicry
of how an organism
behaves
 Example

The CH2 Building in Melbourne, Australia

(2)
Behavior
level
(Nature as Measure)

Mimicry
of how an organism
behaves
based in part on passive ventilation techniques and temperature regulation
observed in termite mounds, in order to create a thermally stable interior
environment.
 Example

The CH2 Building in Melbourne, Australia

(2)
Behavior
level
(Nature as Measure)

Mimicry
of how an organism
behaves
The Success of Design in Achieving Sustainability :

1. Water which is mined (and cleaned) from the sewers beneath the CH2 Building is used in a
similar manner to how certain termite species will use the proximity of aquifer water as an
evaporative cooling mechanism

(Nature as Mentor)
The mimicking of ecosystems is an
integral part of bio-mimicry, the term
eco-mimicry has also been used to
describe the mimicking of ecosystems
in design also uses the term to mean a
sustainable
(3)
Ecosystem
level
the advantage of designing at this
level of bio-mimicry is that it can
be used in conjunction with other
levels of bio-mimicry (organism
and behavior). beside the
principles of sustainable .
 (3)
Ecosystem
level
Ecosystem level criteria (Nature as Mentor)
 (3)
Ecosystem
level
(Nature as Mentor)

Ecosystem principles can be defined as follows

▪ Ecosystems are dependent on contemporary sunlight.
▪ Ecosystems optimize the system rather than its components.
▪ Ecosystems are attuned to and dependent on local conditions.
▪ Ecosystems are diverse in components, relationships and information.
▪ Ecosystems create conditions favorable to sustained life.
▪ Ecosystems adapt and evolve at different levels and at different rates.
 Example

(3) The building received a

platinum rating scale “LEED”.
Ecosystem One of the key features of the
museum will be an undulating
level green roof that will mimic the
sloping lines of the
(Nature as Mentor) surrounding landscape. Part of
the roof will be accessible to
visitors. The new Academy
building will house an
aquarium, planetarium, and
exhibition spaces, and is set to
open in 2008. Aside from its
green roof, the building is a
feat of institutional green
building, using some of the
most cutting-edge energy
efficiency strategies, day
lighting, possible biofuels, and
water reclamation.
 Example

(3) The Success of Design in

Achieving Sustainability :
Ecosystem 1. The roof itself is estimated to
level prevent approximately two
million gallons of rainwater
(Nature as Mentor) 2. Plants convert carbon dioxide
into oxygen.

3. On the roof, stations to monitor

the changes of air temperature,
wind, rain and inform the
negative automated system to
ventilation.
 Example

(3) The German Parliament

building connects between
Ecosystem originality and modernity. The
old building was designed in
level 1894. A worldwide competition
was held by the architect
(Nature as Mentor) Norman Foster with the
purpose of designing an
unprecedented dome .giant
transparent dome with slopes
for getting audience's sights
,inverted glass cone reflecting
Lighting from sky to the hall
 Example

The Success of Design in

(3) Achieving Sustainability :

Ecosystem 1. Aquifer layer: to store

coolness for use in Summer.
level
2. lake 300 meters underground :
(Nature as Mentor) to store heat for use in Winter.
This reduced the consumption
of non-renewable energy.

3. The use of solar cells and

vegetable oil in fueling power
generators, reduced C02
emission.

4. All these processing led to

reducing the quantity of
emission of C02 from 7,000
tons in 1960 to 440 tons
currently.
Biomimicry
Levels
Criteria