The Eden Project, United Kingdom. Grimshaw Architects

Nature-inspired innovation, also known as biomimicry, biomimetics or biologically inspired design, is a rapidly growing field that looks to living systems for inspiration to solve human challenges. By studying how organisms and ecosystems have evolved to thrive in their environments, nature-inspired innovation aims to take inspiration from biological and ecological phenomena and reverse-engineer for human-made design.

The Nature-inspired Innovation Revolution

The idea of learning from nature has a long history in architecture, from the organic forms of Art Nouveau to the functional minimalism of modernism. However, nature-inspired innovation takes this concept further by not just imitating superficial appearances, but understanding the underlying principles that enable biological systems to function effectively with limited resources.

In recent decades, nature-inspired innovation has emerged as a formal design methodology through our greater understanding of the natural world and advances in technology for scientific understanding of evolutionary biology and ecology.

“Innovators look around for fresh ideas, with advances in technology we are able to understand the natural world like never before.”

— Rupert Soar

Nature-inspired architecture seeks to apply biological insights at multiple scales, from materials and structures to buildings and urban systems. High-profile examples include the Eden Project in the United Kingdom, which replicated structures in dragonfly wings alongside soap bubbles for the form, and the New Education and Innovation Centre Texoversum for the Textile Association Südwesttextil in Germany.

However, translating biological strategies into architectural solutions requires more than basic analogies or metaphors. It demands a rigorous scientific understanding of how living systems work - not as perfectly optimised machines but as the products of complex evolutionary processes shaped by environmental constraints and trade-offs.

Organisms and ecosystems have remarkable capacities for resource efficiency, multi-functionality, resilience and adaptation. But these characteristics emerge from the messy, iterative process of natural selection acting on heritable variation, not from intentional "design". Biological entities are responsive to their environments and able to self-organise, but they are not inherently "rational" or "purposeful".

To harness the real potential of nature-inspired innovation, architects and designers must engage deeply with the fundamentals of evolutionary biology and ecology. This requires close collaboration with biologists and an interdisciplinary approach that integrates knowledge across fields.

When grounded in scientific understanding, nature-inspired innovation offers a powerful framework for rethinking architecture's relationship with the natural world. In an era of accelerating climate change and environmental degradation, the imperative to learn from nature has never been greater.

By emulating life, not just its forms, nature-inspired architecture can help create buildings and cities that are more sustainable, resilient and regenerative. It can shift the paradigm from simply minimising damage to actively contributing to the health of ecosystems and communities.

Of course, realising this potential is no easy feat. It requires significant changes in how we research, teach, and practice architecture. It means grappling with the complexities of transferring knowledge across scales and domains. And it demands humility and respect for the limits of human design in the face of nature's dynamic complexity.

But the journey is essential if we hope to create a built environment that can thrive in the face of 21st century challenges. By learning from the living world around us, we may rediscover our own place within the web of life - not separate from nature, but as an integral part of its ever-unfolding processes.

The nature-inspired innovation revolution is about more than just innovation; it's about transformation. It invites us to see architecture not as a static product, but as a living system embedded within larger ecological and evolutionary contexts. And it challenges us to embrace the messy, iterative process of adaptation as we strive to create a more sustainable and resilient future.

Learning from Life

For billions of years, living organisms and ecosystems have been shaped by the relentless process of evolution through natural selection. The result is an astonishing diversity of biological entities that have found myriad ways to survive and thrive in Earth's varied environments.

By studying how life has adapted to solve challenges, we can gain valuable insights for human design and innovation. However, it's crucial to understand that biological "solutions" are not the product of intentional design or purposeful optimization, but rather the outcome of a complex interplay of variation, selection and trade-offs.

Evolutionary processes have led to some common characteristics across life, such as the ability to make effective use of available resources. Organisms and ecosystems are also often resilient to disturbances and able to adapt to changing conditions through a combination of individual plasticity and population-level selection.

Another hallmark of living systems is their capacity for self-organisation - the emergence of complex patterns and behaviours from relatively simple interactions among components. This can be seen in everything from the coordinated flocking of birds to the intricate structures of termite mounds.

When seeking inspiration from nature, it's important to consider different aspects of biology and ecology. Nature-inspired innovation is the study of biological & ecological forms, functions, processes, and interactions from the study of the smallest molecules through to populations and entire ecosystems.

However, in pursuing nature-inspired innovation, we must be careful not to oversimplify or idealise the living world. Evolution is not a perfect optimizer, but a tinkerer constrained by history and circumstance. Biological entities are full of messy compromises and inefficiencies that have been "good enough" to get by.

Furthermore, not all aspects of life are directly transferable to human contexts. We have different materials, technologies and priorities than the organisms we seek to emulate. The key is to extract underlying principles and strategies rather than attempting to copy nature literally.

By approaching nature-inspired innovation with a grounding in evolutionary theory and an appreciation for life's complexities, we can unlock a wealth of inspiration for innovative, responsible and sustainable design. But we must do so with scientific rigour, not romanticised notions of how nature works.

The living world is not a blueprint to be copied wholesale, but a rich source of ideas to be carefully translated and adapted. In studying life, we may gain not only practical insights into human challenges but also a deeper appreciation for the wondrous processes that have shaped our biosphere over the aeons. Therein lies the true potential of nature-inspired innovation - not just as a design tool, but as a way to reconnect with the web of life of which we are inextricably a part.

Towards a New Architectural Paradigm

In recent decades, there has been a growing recognition of the need to shift architectural design from an industrial to an ecological approach. This transition involves moving away from a narrow focus on form and function towards a more holistic understanding of buildings as interconnected systems embedded within wider environments.

Central to this new paradigm is the integration of biological and ecological principles into architectural practice through interdisciplinary collaboration between architects, engineers, and biologists. By studying how living organisms have evolved to thrive in diverse habitats, these teams aim to abstract underlying strategies that can inform the development of more sustainable and resilient built environments.

Pioneering examples of this new architectural paradigm can be found around the world, from the termite-inspired ventilation of Zimbabwe's Eastgate Centre* to the responsive, kinetic facades of the Al Bahr Towers in Abu Dhabi. These case studies demonstrate the potential for biomimetic design to create buildings that are not just functional and aesthetically striking, but also environmentally responsive and adaptable to change.

*It’s important to note that erroneous assumptions were made on termite mounds. There is no solid evidence that termites regulate the temperature of their nests. Read more here.

However, the widespread adoption of this ecological approach will require a significant shift in architectural education and practice. It demands a move away from reductionist, mechanistic thinking towards a systems-based perspective that embraces the inherent complexity and unpredictability of the living world. Only by recognizing the fundamental differences between biological and human design processes can we harness the true potential of nature-inspired innovation to create a more sustainable and resilient built environment for the future.

Building Like Nature Builds

Biomimetic materials and structures are a key area of research in nature-inspired architecture. By studying the complex hierarchical organisation and multifunctional properties of biological materials, scientists and engineers aim to develop synthetic counterparts with enhanced performance and sustainability.

For example, the tough, lightweight shells of molluscs like abalone have inspired the development of high-performance ceramics and composites. These materials mimic the layered microstructure of nacre (mother-of-pearl), which consists of alternating layers of hard mineral plates and soft organic polymers. This "brick-and-mortar" arrangement allows the material to absorb impacts and resist crack propagation, resulting in a strength and toughness far greater than its components.

Similarly, the intricate lattice-like internal structure of bird bones and plant stems has informed the design of lightweight, load-bearing architectural elements. These biological structures achieve high strength-to-weight ratios through the strategic distribution of material in response to mechanical stresses, a principle known as "form follows force".

In addition to biomimetic materials, nature-inspired construction methods are also being explored in architecture. For instance, 3D printing and robotic fabrication technologies are enabling the creation of complex, freeform structures that echo the organic geometries found in nature, such as the curved shells of sea creatures or the branching networks of corals and trees. The bioDigital Matter research group at Lund University explores this in more detail.

These additive manufacturing techniques allow for the precise deposition of material only where it is needed, mimicking the resource-efficient, waste-minimising processes of biological growth and self-assembly. They also enable the integration of multiple materials with varying properties into a single structure, similar to the graded, heterogeneous compositions of natural materials like bone and wood.

However, it's crucial to recognize that biological structures emerge through bottom-up, self-organised processes driven by the local interactions of cells and molecules, rather than top-down, centrally controlled fabrication. Replicating the adaptive, responsive behaviours of living systems in architecture will require not just advanced manufacturing technologies, but also the development of "smart" materials and control systems that can sense and respond to environmental stimuli.

Read more about what termites can teach architects here.

This leads to the concept of designing buildings as living systems that dynamically interact with their surroundings. By incorporating features like passive ventilation, thermal regulation, and water management inspired by the functional adaptations of plants and animals, architects aim to create buildings that are more energy-efficient, resilient, and attuned to their local ecosystems.

The BIQ House in Hamburg features a "bio-adaptive façade" with microalgae-filled panels that provide shading, insulation, and biomass production in response to changing sunlight and temperature conditions.

While these biomimetic designs showcase the potential for architecture to learn from and emulate living systems, it's important to approach such projects with a grounded understanding of the biological principles at play. Buildings are not truly "alive" in the same sense as organisms, and attempts to directly translate biological processes into architecture may oversimplify the complex, context-dependent nature of ecological interactions.

Instead, a more nuanced approach is needed that recognizes the fundamental differences between biological and human construction, while still drawing inspiration from the underlying principles that enable living systems to thrive in dynamic environments. By combining biomimetic materials, construction methods, and design strategies in a holistic, systems-based approach, architects can create buildings that are more harmoniously integrated with the natural world, supporting both human well-being and ecological resilience.

A Moment of Convergence: how nature innovates through agents, swarms and algorithms.

The Path Forward

Implementing nature-inspired innovation in architecture comes with its own set of challenges. While imitating natural forms and structures is a good starting point, architects must go beyond superficial biomimicry to create truly sustainable and resilient buildings.

A holistic approach is needed that considers the entire lifecycle of a structure - from the sourcing of materials to its eventual deconstruction or reintegration into the environment. Just as organisms are intimately connected to the ecosystems they inhabit, exchanging matter and energy, buildings too must be designed as living systems that dynamically interact with their surroundings.

This requires a fundamental shift in how we perceive the built environment. Rather than static, inert structures, buildings should be seen as part of the "metabolism" of cities, participating in circular flows of resources and adapting to changing conditions over time, much like the self-organisation and homeostasis exhibited by biological entities.

Nature-inspired innovation has the potential to be a catalyst for this cultural transformation, reconnecting architecture with the patterns and processes of the natural world. By studying how organisms have evolved to thrive in various climates and habitats, architects can develop localised, place-based solutions that are attuned to their specific environmental context.

In a world facing the dual crises of climate change and resource scarcity, this nature-inspired approach will be crucial. Buildings will need to be not just energy and materially efficient, but also resilient to disturbances like extreme weather events. Here too, strategies from biology, such as redundancy, decentralisation, and the ability to self-repair, can inform the design of architecture that can adapt and persist through unpredictable change.

Ultimately, the future of architecture lies in embracing nature-inspired innovation not as a stylistic trend, but as a fundamentally different way of building - one that recognises the inextricable link between the constructed and the living world. Only by designing in partnership with nature, rather than in opposition to it, can architecture rise to the profound challenges of the 21st century.

Hi, we're Biomimicry Innovation Lab. We partner with founders and leaders to transform ideas into reality, drawing inspiration from transformative solutions found in nature. We work with architects and builders to develop and understand the value of nature-inspired innovation in the building industry.

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