Functional analysis - Nature and Technology

A crucial aspect to making the design unique is the idea of a synergy between nature and technology.

We see symbiosis in nature, where different species exchange resources to create a mutually beneficial relationship. This was a vision we dreamt of during the formulation of part of the functional analysis. Most technology not only fails to achieve this but also harms the environment around it. Hence we looked to nature itself to provide solutions to most of our problems. The result of this approach was a building which could integrate itself with the ecosystem around it, therefore using nature to provide for its needs without causing damage to the surrounding ecosystem. A few biomimetic approaches we implemented were:

- SLIPS to reduce energy used in liquid transport
- Lotus Effect to create self cleaning structures
- Termite hill design to regulate heating/cooling and ventilation
- Honeycomb structure to maximize space and minimize resource utilization
- Smart insulation using pinecones
- Gecko feet and mussels inspired glue for replaceable objects
- Cave effect inspired protection from cold
- Bromelia and Spider web inspired water collection

James Shirley