ESTABLISHING HOW BIOMIMICRY FITS INTO DESIGN
How does nature deal with problems?
The application of biomimicry could come from two possible viewpoints:
1. Design looking to biology
2. Biology influencing design
The most important aspect of applying biomimicry in the built environment is to EMULATE RATHER THAN IMITATE.
How does biomimicry fit into the bigger picture?
In the process of researching biomimicry exemplars direct from nature or from built forms it will become important for this assignment to change and interpret information to fit the established programme and concept of the proposed building.
ESTABLISHING THE BUILDING PROGRAMME:
1. What is needed at the site?
2. What can be improved?
3. What can be enhanced?
Cross programming and flexible design
Providing justification of the building programme
Commercial, community, recreational, residential or landscape?
ESTABLISHING THE DESIGN CONCEPT
This will come from the evolution of the initial folie design
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYour reflection upon your folie design:
"... creating a space that dealt with the transitions and relationships between the built and natural forms of the Howard Smith Wharves. The folie structure acted as a physical connection between the two elements. This rhythm between the natural and built forms can be seen on a macro level...", as well as "the balance between masculine and feminine and the weaving of natural elements through built forms"
I am really glad that you have accurately extracted the key elements from your concept and started to take them to a more philosophical level. Please keep reminding yourself of this philosophical content of your concept while developing the design. It will be the spirit of your design, the connotation that going to be expressed through the built form.
Since the connection is one of the key ideas, I guess you could look to nature and seek for metaphors which might have addressed “the transition and relationship between built and nature form”, or, if a “built form” is less often to be found in nature, then, it could be an “established micro ecosystem” or “living environment”. Apart from creating a “physical connection”, what other forms of connection could be examined? Visual? Psychological? Notional ?
Another very interesting element in your design, from my observation, is your exploration on tectonics. Let me use this analogy first: When we talk about the programs in a computer, we call them the “software”; on the other hand, the physical components of a computer are called the “hardware”. Here in your design, the “software” would be the concept, and the “hardware” would be the built form.
A tectonic expression requires an extensive understanding of material qualities. It also requires innovative and poetic manifestation of these qualities. This process itself is an interesting exploration of the interrelationship between the “software” – the connotation, and the “hardware”- the denotation.
But at this stage, I would focus of the “software” first. For example:
What is the current role of the site?
What other roles might the immediate environment require your site to take?
Can your site connect the surrounding suburbs with certain programs?
Can your site connect the current natural environment and built environment by softening the edges and merging them into each other? Or should the edges be kept and be more acknowledged by its context? Or, should the edges conditions be amplified?
Is the connection going to be some sort of “experience of a journey”? So by moving through it, occupants may realise that the intention of this built form is to announce a transcending moment.
Or, is the connection to bring the natural environment, built environment and the social environment closer? If so, how would you communication these 3 world? What kind of language would you use to make the communication successful?
Is the connection linear? Planar? 3D? Or involving both time and space and becoming 4D?
...
I hope I am not confusing you even more. I am looking forward to hearing some thoughts from you.
Good luck!
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYour reflection upon your folie design:
"... creating a space that dealt with the transitions and relationships between the built and natural forms of the Howard Smith Wharves. The folie structure acted as a physical connection between the two elements. This rhythm between the natural and built forms can be seen on a macro level...", as well as "the balance between masculine and feminine and the weaving of natural elements through built forms"
I am really glad that you have accurately extracted the key elements from your concept and started to take them to a more philosophical level. Please keep reminding yourself of this philosophical content of your concept while developing the design. It will be the spirit of your design, the connotation that going to be expressed through the built form.
Since the connection is one of the key ideas, I guess you could look to nature and seek for metaphors which might have addressed “the transition and relationship between built and nature form”, or, if a “built form” is less often to be found in nature, then, it could be an “established micro ecosystem” or “living environment”. Apart from creating a “physical connection”, what other forms of connection could be examined? Visual? Psychological? Notional ?
Another very interesting element in your design, from my observation, is your exploration on tectonics. Let me use this analogy first: When we talk about the programs in a computer, we call them the “software”; on the other hand, the physical components of a computer are called the “hardware”. Here in your design, the “software” would be the concept, and the “hardware” would be the built form.
A tectonic expression requires an extensive understanding of material qualities. It also requires innovative and poetic manifestation of these qualities. This process itself is an interesting exploration of the interrelationship between the “software” – the connotation, and the “hardware”- the denotation.
But at this stage, I would focus of the “software” first. For example:
What is the current role of the site?
What other roles might the immediate environment require your site to take?
Can your site connect the surrounding suburbs with certain programs?
Can your site connect the current natural environment and built environment by softening the edges and merging them into each other? Or should the edges be kept and be more acknowledged by its context? Or, should the edges conditions be amplified?
Is the connection going to be some sort of “experience of a journey”? So by moving through it, occupants may realise that the intention of this built form is to announce a transcending moment.
Or, is the connection to bring the natural environment, built environment and the social environment closer? If so, how would you communication these 3 world? What kind of language would you use to make the communication successful?
Is the connection linear? Planar? 3D? Or involving both time and space and becoming 4D?
...
I hope I am not confusing you even more. I am looking forward to hearing some thoughts from you.
Good luck!
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYour reflection upon your folie design:
"... creating a space that dealt with the transitions and relationships between the built and natural forms of the Howard Smith Wharves. The folie structure acted as a physical connection between the two elements. This rhythm between the natural and built forms can be seen on a macro level...", as well as "the balance between masculine and feminine and the weaving of natural elements through built forms"
I am really glad that you have accurately extracted the key elements from your concept and started to take them to a more philosophical level. Please keep reminding yourself of this philosophical content of your concept while developing the design. It will be the spirit of your design, the connotation that going to be expressed through the built form.
Since the connection is one of the key ideas, I guess you could look to nature and seek for metaphors which might have addressed “the transition and relationship between built and nature form”, or, if a “built form” is less often to be found in nature, then, it could be an “established micro ecosystem” or “living environment”. Apart from creating a “physical connection”, what other forms of connection could be examined? Visual? Psychological? Notional ?
Another very interesting element in your design, from my observation, is your exploration on tectonics. Let me use this analogy first: When we talk about the programs in a computer, we call them the “software”; on the other hand, the physical components of a computer are called the “hardware”. Here in your design, the “software” would be the concept, and the “hardware” would be the built form.
A tectonic expression requires an extensive understanding of material qualities. It also requires innovative and poetic manifestation of these qualities. This process itself is an interesting exploration of the interrelationship between the “software” – the connotation, and the “hardware”- the denotation.
But at this stage, I would focus of the “software” first. For example:
What is the current role of the site?
What other roles might the immediate environment require your site to take?
Can your site connect the surrounding suburbs with certain programs?
Can your site connect the current natural environment and built environment by softening the edges and merging them into each other? Or should the edges be kept and be more acknowledged by its context? Or, should the edges conditions be amplified?
Is the connection going to be some sort of “experience of a journey”? So by moving through it, occupants may realise that the intention of this built form is to announce a transcending moment.
Or, is the connection to bring the natural environment, built environment and the social environment closer? If so, how would you communication these 3 world? What kind of language would you use to make the communication successful?
Is the connection linear? Planar? 3D? Or involving both time and space and becoming 4D?
...
I hope I am not confusing you even more. I am looking forward to hearing some thoughts from you.
Good luck!