Precis (as of 11/17/2011)

The main focus for my thesis is to define how human ingenuity can flourish in sustainable design. Through the implementation of an organic apparatus, contemporary science can produce sustainable architecture without degrading from habitual lifestyles. Nature serves as the main area of precedent research by providing evolutionary adaptive solutions that are defined by the reclamation of matter, biological forms and functions, and utilizations of energies. The intent of analyzing this subject is to compliment human ingenuity by revolutionizing design, building, and construction methods in order to have a benign or positive impact on the natural world through an apparatus of architectural expressions. We can dramatically benefit the natural environment, as well as ourselves, by learning how to produce organic designs that will support the environment that supports us. 

Nature's Architecture

Abstract Précis:

                  The main focus for my thesis is a deeper look into the true meaning and implications of sustainability. Thinking about this notion has lead investigations to the question of How can biomimicry form new design logistics for sustainable methodologies? The main idea is to investigate a new method of developing a building that integrates biomimicry as the main design concept for sustainable solutions. The theme of this new designing method will develop new building typologies that will fuse with the supporting concepts that define biomimicry. Using investigations of “cradle-to-cradle” design, building form, and passive design utilization, more direct explorations of biomimicry into the built environment will prove to be a beneficial design method for supporting the environment that supports us.

The importance of rethinking and hypothesizing alternatives to sustainability is important to the future of building “less bad”. The idea behind “biomimic” design is to embark on creating a completely efficient building seeing that sustainability has not yet been achieved one hundred percent completeness, but has only embodied a great improvement to the invasive modern lifestyle. Sustainable buildings have been designed to be “less bad” but still do not classify a building to be “beneficial” to the world we live in. The intent of analyzing this subject is to revolutionize buildings and construction to have a positive impact on nature and to build for our future using nature as the main precedence research.

The process for investigating this topic will be to understand through various types of research the importance and effectiveness of infusing a “cradle-to-cradle” design with natural forms and utilization of passive energies. This investigation needs to be the basis for a new methodology of designing solely on the ideas of biomimicry, which can reveal the key components to the most sustainable precedent we know: Mother Nature. The goal is to integrate these ideas into architecture to achieve total sustainability through the creation of these new design typologies. These typologies will present a new method and approach to design that can dramatically benefit the natural environment by learning how to build and become a part of nature.

MindMap on Biomimicry

Biomimicry in Architecture

Free light - Zero Electricity

How do fireflies light up?

Insect Image Gallery

Firefly (Photinus pyralis) on soy bean plant, close-up See more insect pictures.

Gail Shumway/Getty Images

Fireflies or lightning bugs make light within their bodies. This process is calledbioluminescence and is shared by many other organisms, mostly sea-living or marine organisms. Fireflies light up to attract a mate. To do this, the fireflies contain specialized cells in their abdomen that make light.

The cells contain a chemical called luciferin and make anenzyme called luciferase. To make light, the luciferin combines with oxygen to forman inactive molecule calledoxyluciferin. The luciferase speeds up the reaction, which occurs in two steps:

1. The luciferin combines with adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is found in all cells, to form luciferyl adenylate and pyrophosphate (PP_i) on the surface of the luciferase enzyme. The luciferyl adenylate remains bound to the enzyme: luciferin + ATP -------------> luciferyl adenylate + PP_i
2. The luciferyl adenylate combines with oxygen to form oxyluciferin and adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Light is given off and the oxyluciferin and AMP are released from the enzyme's surface:luciferyl adenylate + O₂ -------------> oxyluciferin +AMP + light

The wavelength of light given off is between 510 and 670 nanometers (pale yellow to reddish green color). The cells that make the light also have uric acid crystals in them that help to reflect the light away from the abdomen. Finally, the oxygen is supplied to the cells through a tube in the abdomen called the abdominal trachea. It is not known whether the on-off switching of the light is controlled by nerve cells or the oxygen supply.

The luciferin-luciferase chemical reaction has been used for years to measure the amount of ATP produced in cells and by various chemical reactions. Recently, the gene (section of DNA coding for the protein) for the luciferase enzyme has been isolated, placed in the genes of other organisms, and used to follow the synthesis and/or expression of other genes (i.e. used as a reporter gene).

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/insects-arachnids/question554.htm

Structuring Thesis

The main idea circulating around the idea of sustainability is the fact that it is not 100% efficient. It is a very important notion to incorporate within design, however I feel this research on the investigations hidden behind biomimicry can reveal designing solutions to many problems we have that limit our successes of sustainability. This research will define specific typologies that will be used within a design process to accomplish the ultimate goal of a building becoming an asset to exist in our environment. Building and understanding these guidelines derived from biomimicry can define a methodology of design for a completely sustainable role in the environment; become a part of nature.

“Imagine this design assignment: Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen distills water, accuse solar energy as fuel, makes complex sugars as food, creates microclimates, changes colors with the seasons, and self replicates… why don’t we knock that down and write on it!”

-William McDonough