Essay

Learning from Nature Anew

Different architects use nature within their designs in different ways. While some gain inspiration from nature to influence a built form, others use nature to fuel the mechanisms within their design solution. Yet still, nature can be used to inform a design in real-time — as architecture gains greater fluidity through interactivity.

Whatever the case, nature is integrated into architectural design in a variety of ways. For instance, I invite you to take a close look at the “Seed Cathedral” designed by Thomas Heatherwick. By preserving seeds and showcasing them in a unique way, where they appear to grow to comprise the building “skin” — an entirely new experience of nature is created where visitors can experience seeds like they have never experienced them before. (I invite you to look up the Seed Cathedral so you can see for yourself.) In this case, the architect used nature as both inspiration and tool by which to see a unique architectural expression realized.

Another way to use nature within architecture involves learning from how its mechanisms work. Innovations today pull from the genius of nature to inform how designs should be constructed. For example, there is a new rooftop coating that actually intends to make buildings “sweat” to help lower cooling costs. (1) Similar to how the body deals with cooling through sweat, these rooftops aim to do the same for buildings.

Integrating Nature to Help Architecture Evolve

So, as you design, think about how you can use nature to help your designs evolve. Perhaps there is an aspect of nature that you would like to present anew to your building occupants — to let them experience nature in a way they have never experienced it before. Also, you could take a cue from biomimcry — and begin a study of nature to pull from its genius to inform the mechanisms that make up your design.

Additionally, you can look to nature as an ecosystem, that informs the systems which make up your architectural solution. Think about how your architecture can be self-sustaining, just as nature can be. You may want to learn from the way natural systems work with each other to inform the way your architectural systems can do the same.

If your designs happen to be more fluid (more interactive), perhaps you can use nature to inform their interactions. By designing an architecture that responds to nature’s changes, greater function and aesthetics may be possible.

You may use nature to strengthen your designs. It can be used in various ways — from experiential design to biomimicry, from interactivity to self-sustaining ecosystems — nature can contribute greatly toward the design and evolution of architecture.

Reference:

(1) Dillow, Clay. A New Rooftop Coating Makes Buildings Sweat to Cut Cooling Costs. Popular Science.

‍Image Credit: © okalinichenko | Fotolia