As the relation between biomimicry, nanotechnology and new computing software evolves, a key design strategy surfaces — and a key aspect to that design strategy is BioDigital Architecture. In this branch of study and research, designers use different computer processes (algorithmic, for example) to grow architectural living systems. And these “living systems” are derived from, what Dennis Dollens describes as, metaphors of nature.

Designers can learn to...

Sustainable Systems Working Together as a Whole

Light, water, temperature, air quality and renewable resources typically come to mind when talking about sustainable design, and to see these innovative green building issues tackled in one building project is wonderful.

In this article I am calling particular attention to the LEED Platinum rated Genzyme Center located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Within this building project designed by Behnisch, Behnisch &...

Unleashing Necessity and Your Ingenuity

The need to build green skins that are able to harness energy gives architects incentive to find new ways to use and guide emerging technologies. Essentially, it is necessity coupled with ingenuity that can often spark the best design innovation.

As an architect, it will help you to think about building skin and all of its possibilities in totally new and fresh ways. Instead of using building skin to “shield” or...

Richard Whitehall is an industrial designer and partner at Smart Design where he works to design what he calls “responsible behavior”. I found this great article, here, where you can see exactly what goes on daily at this industrial designer’s desk.

I like this article because within it are some gems that might help you design places for better occupant interactions. Here are some of his ideas that I think make his designs successful — really promoting green...

This solar and wind project is unique because it takes technology beyond just being “tacked on” to a building. These micro solar panels mimic nature’s ivy, really bringing life to the otherwise redundant ways we typically see energy being stored.

Your building façade will be able to do even more…

The Grow project (still in the prototyping stage) is a solar and wind energy storage system used as cladding for exterior walls. Inspired by nature in...

BREAKING THE BOUNDARY

Usually, nature is thought of as something “outside”. But what happens when the line between “inside” and “outside” blur? How can we bring nature into architecture?

In his book Natural Architecture, Alessandro Rocca writes about the notion of architecture as “sheltering” us from nature. (1) In fact, his book Natural Architecture explains how nature can be “exposed” through design — to...

NATURE AS INSPIRATION

By taking a look around, designers can find inspiration everywhere – particularly in nature. Nature provides us with an amazing array of solutions for many complex problems that we face today – the quest to learn from nature in this way is “biomimicry”, and architecture can benefit from this kind of approach.

At times what may seem as “simple” in nature can translate to better design solutions that are more...

THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF NATURE

Healing environments often integrate nature to help de-stress patients. Nature can be a beautiful distraction or have physiological benefits. Either way, nature is important because it has been proven to reduce pain and subsequent stress. In the book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, patients with views of trees heal more quickly and with less pain than those with views of blank walls. So, how can architecture best incorporate nature to reap all of its...

Architecture is perceived as its occupants travel through its spaces physically, and the experience of doing so can mean traveling within rather static or fixed architectural features and elements. However, there is a more dynamic opportunity for architecture to be more personalized for occupant need — and that means the merger of augmented reality with architecture.

The Harvard Graduate School of Design student, Greg Tran, has recently created a thesis project video presentation which...

Technological convergence has led us to the proliferation of the mobile device — and with that will come some big changes for the way architecture get perceived. You see, with mobile devices you will be able to perceive of buildings through more informational dimensions. In fact, by simply looking at a museum (when approaching it from the exterior), you may be able to use such a mobile device to see what exhibits are inside, or even to see what objects are inside. And this is all thanks...