Architectural Biomimetics

Nature has been an inspiration for architects and engineers for a long time, even before terms like bionics or biomimetics were formally introduced. Looking at how nature works provides a fascinating pool of information to draw from in an architectural context. Not ruled by constraints immanent to the building industry, natural structures are multi-layered, highly differ-entiated systems, finely tuned and assembled from basic components with manifold interrelated functions of nearly infinitely diverse articulation.
Those formally rich articulations often stem from the quest for material effi-ciency - in nature material is expensive but diversely articulated shapes, ca-tering to specific functional demands prevail, whereas in architecture and construction mostly the inverse is true.
While there have been a considerable number of attempts to transfer ideas derived from nature to architectural systems in the twentieth century, they were profoundly limited by structural calculability and the dominant con-straints of serial production.
With the recent advances in design computation, structural simulation and robotic fabrication, the boundary between the underlying logics of ‘natural’ and ‘man-made’ structures can be re-explored and redefined.
Particularly the notion of re-configurability, adaptability and reuse - being key mechanisms of natural organisms to cope with manifold changing con-ditions and challenges - call to be investigated from within the realm of ar-chitecture.

The seminar will be structured in the following phases:
A1: Introduction lectures
A2: Initial screenings and role model selection
A3: Identification and abstraction of functional principles
B: Transfer and technical development

Phase A2, A3 and B will be in smaller groups of 3-4 Students, in collaboration with biology students from the University of Freiburg. Meetings with these smaller groups will be held partly on Webex.

Selection process:
Please send a letter of interest of why you want to participate the seminar to:
a.koerner@itke.uni-stuttgart.de