Biomimicry as a sustainable solution in Architecture: Analytical study

Architectural Engineering department, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq

^* Corresponding author: ae.21.17@grad.uotechnology.edu.iq

Abstract

Nature has been the primary inspiration for architecture since its very beginnings, and there are many facets and levels of this inspiration in architecture, starting from the stage of direct imitation of the formal aspects and proportions, passing through the aspects of masses and construction, all the way to the deep levels and principles upon which nature is based and achieving its sustainability. Therefore, the architecture, in the current time and for future times, is directed towards simulating the deep aspects of biological systems and taking advantage of their features, such as self-organization, adaptation, flexibility, and efficiency, in a way that achieves the desired goal of architecture, which is its sustainability. This is also through the emergence of the term (biomimetic), which the research focuses on for its ability to combine biology and architecture. From a review of the literature that dealt with this term, the research problem emerged as “the lack of clarity about biomimicry as a strategy aims at achieving aspects of sustainability.” Hence, the research objective was defined by determining the possibility of benefiting from the trend of biomimicry as a tool and strategy for achieving sustainability while studying its applications in design and architecture. To achieve the research objective, a descriptive and analytical approach was adopted, in addition to several procedural steps, the first related to the theoretical aspects of the topic and building a theoretical framework for it. The second step was the practical study by analyzing a few approved projects. The last (third) procedural step was to draw results and conclusions. The research reached several conclusions that reflect the role of adopting the biomimetic approach in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of architecture and its sustainability and emphasizing the achievement of architecture responsive to environmental conditions by enhancing its natural systems to increase their efficiency and suitability to the requirements of development. The research also concluded that this approach will determine the path of contemporary and future architecture by approaching biological principles with architectural principles.