Biomimicy: The Design of Life Essay

Biomimicry is the imitation of nature and things in nature to develop new ways of living, to help us become better adapted to the world around us. 10,000 years ago, during the neolithic revolution, humans began to rely upon agriculture and began to understand what nature could do for us. Years later, during the industrial revolution, which was a time during the 19th century when their was a widespread knowledge of fossil fuels, humans have been competing with nature. We have been competing with nature for who has the better claim on the land, because for millions of years, we were at the mercy of nature. With that being said, humans, having realized that we have many problems, then realized that we must work together with nature and exist on this planet as one. Now, instead of us fighting with nature, we look to nature to help answer our problems through the process of biomimicry.

This manifesto proposes an approach to sustainable design that I am interested in exploring during my time studying architecture. The idea of sustainability is a complex one, not without apparent contradictions. This makes it difficult to define in a wholly satisfactory manner. For the purposes of this manifesto I will advert to the definition proposed by Jason McLennan who asserts that sustainable design: “seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment.” I find this definition particularly useful in the emphasis which it places on quality. By quality, in this

Being environmentally friendly isn’t merely a trend. After thousands of years of using the earth’s resources, we have finally come to realize that we are destroying this beautiful gift we were honored with. Architects play an influential role in trying to preserve this gift by encouraging a multitude of strategies that can be more cost efficient in the long run, be more comfortable for its users, and most importantly, have a lower carbon footprint. Strategies can include drastic changes to heat and air systems, construction material selections, or even specific design details to the architecture of a building that would reduce the amount of energy it consumes.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better” (Albert Einstein Quotes). The diversity of life on this earth influences us in profound ways. The power of nature is really strong. It changes, infusing all of our senses and becomes obvious through these rich and enduring connections. Nature has many roles that it plays in our lives. It influences and inspires us to accomplish, and explore the world, create beautiful artwork, movies, natural medicine, and it impacts our wellbeing.

In Cradle to Cradle: Remaking The Way We Make Things written by Michael Braungart and William McDonough try to recreate a new way to design and manufacture things by rethinking the basic parameters in order to establish a new, better system of manufacturing, one that will ultimately replenish and restore the earth, instead of destroying it like the one that is being used now(1). The authors state that we, as humans, should approach the concept of design and manufacture in a new way that will make the whole process of manufacture, consumption, and waste a process of that works in sync with both humans and nature, rather than damaging the nature. The authors start of by criticizing the current industrial framework as fairly primitive. It is formed over one main

A life for a life. Embryonic stem cells have become a popular alternative for scientists to use during research. Scientists boast about the unlimited possibilities of embryonic stem cells in medical studies, but research has yet to establish any progress. Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells have already established several cures and have made a significant contribution to medical research. Adult stem cells provide a superior method of regenerative therapies, reparative medicine, and bioengineered organs; however, despite common belief adult stem cells do not harm the life of a fetus, and have made more progress in curing several diseases such as acute myelogenous leukemia.

Jane Benyus’s talk surprised me very much because it incorporates several examples of human technologies that were invented through inspiration from nature. Sharklet’s products are notable examples because their products allow bacteria free surfaces in hospitals. Sharklet’s inventors created such a product through the studying of Galapagos sharks that have no bacteria on themselves because they have special denticles on their skin which prevent bacteria from landing on their body. I believe that drawing inspiration from nature means to observe and research natural organisms so we can find ways to improve human life and cope with our greatest problems. Moreover, I see many connections between the Romantics and Benyus because both believe that

According to the Biomimicry Institute,”[Biomimicry] seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature 's time-tested patterns and strategies. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies—new ways of living—that are well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul.” To achieve this goal, industry and science have to come together to decreases toxins, decrease net greenhouse gas emissions, provide multi-use structure, find sustainable sourcing, and use returning logistics to monitor their work all while decreasing overall cost. Unfortunately this is a task even more complicated than it sounds, but with the help of The Biomimicry Institute as well as the majority of other Biomimicry organizations founded by Janine Benyus, Biomimicry is making its presence known more and more in our world today. Going beyond being the founder of multiple organizations, Janine Benyus is also an American natural sciences writer, innovation consultant, and author that recognized the forgotten genius in the natural world. To help others see what she saw, she took the concept of biomimicry and turned it into three key elements: Ethos, Reconnection, and Emulation. She then applied it to everything she could until it grew into the popular movement it is today.

Nature as w e know it means different things to different people. To an economist, natural is often seen as a resource to be transformed and put in readiness for human use. An alternative view is that humans are stewards who should care for natural things as well as making use of nature’s bounty. Another view is that nature of animism, which sees nature as a living thing, something to be respected and not controlled. Some native American’s view the earth as a sacred place could be called animist. Another alternative view is that the entire planet earth is a self correcting system based on a symbiotic relationship between the earth and the living beings(Peacock,

Earthship design is a movement initiated by Michael Reynolds. Earthship Biotecture is a method of architecture and design that incorporates recycled materials, earthen materials, and renewable energy sources into a sustainable and self-sufficient home. The purpose of this according to Michael Reynolds it to achieve energy independence, sustainable housing, and relieve the burdens of stress on the environment from conventional building methods while keeping cost minimal. Utilizing waste and earthen materials, Michael was able to construct comfortable living, beautiful architectural design, and self-sufficiency

“Biophilic design offers a positive vision of how we can achieve lives of meaning and satisfaction through our experience of the natural world.” Biophilia addresses the human need for nature, many findings are in line with green design and sustainability. It is the study of a ‘humans inherent tendency to affiliate with the natural environment.’

The Origin of Life When considering the many theories involving “How life began” You must not consider a few main theories but a few main theory groups. Because there are literally hundreds of theories on this subject which can be grouped in to three main categories and then in to various sub categories. 1) Creation science This consists of about twelve theories that are based on the book Genesis all slightly varying in their interpretation. These can be split into two main groups, New and Old earth creationists.

“Design is for living”. The adage fashioned a widespread shift in design during the 1940s and 1950s. It revolutionized the form by creating an electrifying visual language that signaled a new age and a fresh start- two of the powerhouses were Charles and Ray Eames. The Eameses were a husband and wife team whose unique synergy led to a whole new expression in furniture and architecture. The couple advocated the principles of Modernism through the adaptation of innova¬tion from wartime technology .Their design style can be branded as “California Modernism,” a term that is often used interchangeably with “Mid-Century Modernism.” This distinct style embodied an approach to design that opposed the “social conscience” of the Bauhaus in order to embrace looser, warmer design which was both more expressive of local character and in touch with the realities of commerce and salesmanship. With the west-coast coming-of-age, economy shift from making goods to producing information and the global expansion of American culture; their lives and work embodied some of America’s defining movements. They contributed to architecture, film, industrial and graphic design. They were known as pioneers of affordable mass production and residential constructions. The evolution from furniture designers to cultural ambassadors validated their bents and overlaps with country’s interest and projected how design can enhance the lives and practical needs of ordinary people and not just the elite.

In a society based only on materialistic possessions, sometimes we overlook even the simplest of things, and the most valuable to our survival as a human race and as a planet. Everywhere around us people envy great architects and artists because of their remarkable creations. Though, we, as a human race disregard the importance of less tangible commodities, developed by the greatest artist ever, Mother Nature. She has given us the most magnificent and staggering artwork imaginable, our environment. But only through the most convoluted processes have these masterpieces been created. From humans to flowers and everything in between, a thorough process is behind everything. Before birth, for example, human must grow and develop through their

As the world demands new measures for our needs, the way that these are found has changed. The term "Biomimicry" has become more familiar in the sector of science and innovation during the last few years, referring to the discipline of looking at nature as an inspirational source to emulate its mechanisms, functions or processes in order to solve human problems. The idea of this approach is to use nature as a mentor, because it has 3.8 Billion years of experience learning and solving problems to live in harmony (Benyus Janine 1998). In this way, Biomimicry can play an important role as a tool for innovation in the search for solutions in nowadays issues such as Energy sources. It is one of the biggest concerns all over the world for the