Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Mar 7;8(1):107.
doi: 10.3390/biomimetics8010107.

Biomimicry in Architecture: A Review of Definitions, Case Studies, and Design Methods

Nathalie Verbrugghe  1 , Eleonora Rubinacci  1 , Ahmed Z Khan  1
Affiliations
Review

Biomimicry in Architecture: A Review of Definitions, Case Studies, and Design Methods

Nathalie Verbrugghe et al. Biomimetics (Basel). .

Abstract

Biomimicry, as a field of science, is mainly defined as a solution for design problems inspired by natural models, systems, and elements. For the built environment, using nature as a guide can enhance sustainability or even go beyond that and generate a regenerative approach. This is important in the building sector to evolve towards a sustainable and circular economy and reduce CO2 emissions in terms of energy-use. While several biomimicry-related keywords exist, scholars and practitioners in architecture have given varying interpretations to the term biomimicry depending on the use and goal. There has been increasing interest in biomimicry in architecture (BIA), yet the field has become more fragmented. This study aims to highlight differences and similarities through an extended literature survey and analysis that explores case studies, classification systems, and methodological frameworks related to biomimicry in architecture as a way to contribute to reduce the fragmentation in the field. To provide the necessary context and avoid confusion regarding the many concepts and terms that refer to nature-based design, biomimicry-related keywords and interpretations of the word biomimicry are first clarified. Ultimately, the discussion is an integrative effort at defining the field, and highlights the significance and impact of employing BIA in terms of sustainability and usability, as well as showcasing the opportunities for further research.

Keywords: BIA; biomimicry; biomimicry classifications; biomimicry design approaches; biomimicry design methods; biomimicry in architecture; sustainable design.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 2
Figure 2
Simplified stages of biomimetic approaches described in Section 4.2. From top towards bottom [adapted from]: Bottom Up [3], Top Down [3], Design Spiral [19], BioGen [102], Push-Pull [103], Plant to Architecture [104], Multi-Biomechanism [105], and ThBA [106].
Figure 1
Figure 1
Publications (Scopus) on the topic of biomimicry using the keywords ‘biomimicry in architecture’ (black) and ‘biomimicry’ (grey), from 1997 to 2022.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pawlyn M. Biomimicry in Architecture. Riba Publishing; London, UK: 2011.
    1. Benyus J.M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Morrow; New York, NY, USA: 1997.
    1. Speck T., Speck O. Process sequences in biomimetic research. In: Brebbia C.A., editor. Design & Nature IV. WIT Press; Boston, MA, USA: 2008. pp. 3–11.
    1. Gruber P. Biomimetics in Architecture: Architecture of Life and Buildings. Springer; Vienna, Austria: 2011.
    1. Knippers J., Speck T., Nickel K.G. Biomimetic Research: A Dialogue Between the Disciplines. In: Knippers J., Nickel K.G., Speck T., editors. Biomimetic Research for Architecture and Building Construction: Biological Design and Integrative Structures. Springer; Cham, Switzerland: 2016. pp. 1–5. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources