Ideas from Nature
In the endeavor of my Biomimicry Design class, we have the assignment to find solutions inspired by Nature to solve design problems. The design challenges I chose were regulating temperature in buildings, sustainable bouldering holds, and improving solar panel efficiency.
I spent time thinking and exploring organisms that have the ability to climb and self regulate their temperature. I also considered organisms that had efficient form that could support temperature regulation, climbing abilities, and strong protection. I tried to be creative in how these considerations could be applied to rock climbing, HVAC systems, and solar panel design.
As an artist, I like to draw as I learn - it provides a more intimate experience with the subject I’m learning from and better understand the knowledge Nature has to offer. It’s also a personal joy to create something beautiful. Here are some of the organisms I explored:
Based on climbing ability:
Snakes have scales enable limbless forward motion through directional friction
Monsterra plants shoot roots in all different directions to support their upward growth from the bottom of the forest floor
Beetles have tascal structure that adhere to plant surfaces by secreting lipids
Vines use either twining stems, tendrils, aerial roots or adhesive disks to hold objects
Bighorn sheep have the ability yo climb steep mountain sides
Australian green frog stick to surfaces and stay clean due to mucus secreted between their foot pads
Spiders utilize their hairy legs to climb
Lizards ability to seemingly stick and climb to surfaces because of tiny hairs on their foot pads and use of physics
The pauan weevil have a screw-and-nut leg joint that allows rotational movement with single axis translation
Based on material efficiency for a strong/flexible form:
Sea urchin prevents breaking via interlocking of plates in their shell and taking an oblate form
Cellulose fibers in plants increase toughness by their winding direction
Bristlecone pines are are able to withstand various climate change and can live up to 5,000 years
Baobab trees have large and thick outer bark that allows them to grow tall while resisting buckling
Black coral have biopolymer composites that is strong and hard due to weakly bonded chritin strands with strongly crossed-linked proteins
Sea urchins grow spines by creating strong bridges through calcite precipitation
Turtles have a soft skin that prevents penetration by dispersing forces
Venus’s flower basket has a glass skeleton that is tough but flexible due to it’s lattice structure
Based on temperature regulation and fan design:
Dessert snails have shells that help them survive extreme heat by utilizing light reflectance and insulating layers of air in their shell
Bull Kelp balance drag reduction and sunlight exposure in different flow environments by the changes of width and flatness
Australian fan palm gathers light, stays cool, and avoids wind damage by subdivision of tilted segments
Camel fur and sweat glands create a temperature management system
Mound building termites create their mounds to efficiently regulate the internal temperature
Sycamore seedpods take shape that has mass distribution that ensures self-orientation and auto-rotation
Based on solar energy:
Oriental hornets have pigments in their cuticle that absorbs solar energy that is turned into electrical energy
Leaf shape and color differentiate ability to absorb solar energy and cooling abilities
Monsterra plants create holes in their leaves to catch intermittent light