Inspired by nature

Every time an architecture, a system, or even everyday objects are created thanks to the observation of nature, we talk about bio-inspired design.

A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the realization of an activity or process, or the result of such a plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb to design expresses the process of developing a project. Design, in its various forms, can be widely applied, as a discipline, to various fields such as art, engineering, and production processes. 
 

The principles around which it is articulated vary depending on the field of application. For example, in graphic design there are rules that a designer must follow to create an effective and attractive composition. Emphasis, balance and alignment, contrast, repetition, proportion, movement, and white space are some of the parameters to consider and balance when creating a graphic. In product design, the cornerstones of the process start from the use, and not just the aesthetic enjoyment, of the final product. Therefore, the process proceeds with the user experience in mind, its functionality and effectiveness, and the easy integration into existing actions and ecosystems. In process design, starting from the objectives of a process, performances and workflow are designed and implemented using the most suitable technological solutions and data sources, establishing control systems and smooth integration with pre-existing processes. 
 

If we want to find a common and transversal assumption to these guiding principles, we observe that, sometimes with different purposes, design revolves around the relationship between form and function. In previous articles, it was explored how even living systems can be considered with respect to the existing relationship between their structural and functional aspects. Furthermore, it was mentioned how evolutionary processes result in the generation of forms and functions that are then selected and, so to speak, refined, resulting in the optimization of certain functionalities, and in the generation of complex structural and functional patterns. 
 

From here arises the analogy between evolutionary processes and design processes: both seek forms and functions in relation to each other to achieve an optimal result. Unlike evolutionary processes, which are emergent, that is, they result from the complex interaction of numerous subprocesses and are not guided from above, design processes are determined by the will and means of the designer himself. Evolutionary processes suggest a model through many implementation attempts; design processes focus on creating a model, and then implement it directly, organizing the subparts from above. The two processes meet at the moment of model creation, even if they arrive there from two somehow specular paths. In particular, design has much to learn from biological processes, because these have been refined by millennia of evolution. And this is the premise of biology-inspired design. 
 

Bio-inspired design considers the possibility of learning from natural systems as a strategy for innovation. In particular, it aims to transfer functional, performance, and aesthetic principles from biology to human technology. Guided by an interdisciplinary exchange between engineering, biology, medicine, art, architecture, and business, biomimetic design concerns numerous sectors of design and technology. 
 

Here are some examples:

The aerodynamics of the famous Japanese Bullet Train was inspired by the shape of a bird's beak.

High-speed passenger trains in Japan were once a real headache, because the way they were designed caused very loud booms when, passing through tunnels, a train pushed air out. But the chief engineer of the West Japan Railway Company was a birdwatcher, and he had observed how a local bird species dived into water creating barely a splash. Starting from this observation, using a biomimetic approach, together with his team he created a shape similar to the beak of a kingfisher to mount on the front of the train, so that as it passes it separates the air rather than compressing it, thus solving the problem of the boom. 
 

The Eastgate Centre, largely made of concrete, has a ventilation system designed by imitating this intricate and efficient thermoregulation system.

Termite mounds serve as nests for their inhabitants, who would otherwise suffer from environmental fluctuations. The architecture of the mounds of different species is an adaptation to local environmental conditions, with the common goal of maintaining optimal conditions inside. Termites in Zimbabwe build gigantic mounds inside which they cultivate a fungus that is their main food source. The fungus must be kept at an exact and constant temperature, while external temperatures undergo huge variations between day and night. The termites manage to keep the temperature constant by constantly opening and closing a series of heating and cooling vents throughout the day. With a carefully regulated system of convective currents, air is drawn in at the base of the mound, through networks with muddy walls, and rises through a channel to the top of the mound. The termites laboriously dig new vents and plug old ones to regulate the temperature. The outside air that is drawn in is heated or cooled by the building depending on which of the two is warmer. It is then ventilated into the floors of the building and offices before exiting through the chimneys at the top. Velcro is one of the most useful materials for making two surfaces stick together. The idea of velcro was born through a biomimetic process.

Some plants have structures capable of anchoring themselves to animal fur and fabrics.

George de Mestral, observing them, noticed how the adhesive properties of the plant derive from a huge number of tiny hooks. Velcro, which imitates this microstructure, is now one of the most widely used materials for sticking two surfaces together.

These are just a few of the many examples of the application of biomimetics, or bio-inspired design, to design and technological processes. To access a vast source of examples of this kind, I invite you to visit the website ​https://toolbox.biomimicry.org/​ , which collects and organizes them to facilitate biomimetic design processes. 
 

There is yet another way in which natural systems can contribute to design processes, and the next article will address this aspect. 

Roberta Bardini is a researcher in the field of computational biology and systems. She currently works at the Sysbio Group, Politecnico di Torino, where she obtained her PhD. She works on the development of multicellular organisms, and their valorization in the entrepreneurial field