Theme Group 10: Learning from nature

This week we started our theme groups. Theme Group 10 focus’ on looking into nature for metaphors to achieve a better sustainable outcome in architectural design. In this group we will be turning our initial Folie designs into a learning center for the natural environment.

We are told to analyze our sites complications and restrictions and to proactively turn to nature to seek the solutions, asking:

“how would nature do it?”

Examples:

Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds

Biomimicry’s Cool Alternative: Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe The Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, typifies the best of green architecture and ecologically sensitive adaptation. The country’s largest office and shopping complex is an architectural marvel in its use of biomimicry principles The mid-rise building, designed by architect Mick Pearse in conjunction with engineers at Arup Associates has no conventional air-conditioning or heating, yet stays regulated year round with dramatically less energy consumption using design methods inspired by indigenous Zimbabwean masonry and the self-cooling mounds of African termites!

Byssus threads of the blue mussel attach to a wet, solid surface due to catechols on adhesive proteins that overcome the surface’s affinity for water molecules.

 "Pounding waves are no match for the mighty mussel, that produces strong, flexible threads that cling to rocks…mussels secrete a unique amino acid called dihydroxyphenylalanine…Researchers have developed a new group of adhesives for wood products inspired by the ability of mussels to cling to rocks using thread-like tentacles. These threads are proteins that retain powerful adhesive properties even in water.” (ScienceDaily 2005)

 Application Ideas: Adhesive that works underwater or on wet surfaces and is not water soluble. Adhesive that works without formaldehyde, reducing exposure of workers, the public, and the environment to a recognized human carcinogen.

Water-Repelling Metals

New metals will keep engines and turbines dry and ice-free.

 Staying dry: A chemically treated plastic surface is rough on the Nano scale, forcing water droplets to form beads that can roll off. GE researchers have now done the same with metal.

The advance builds on previous work that came out of GE's Global Research Center, in Niskayuna, NY. Two years ago, researchers showed that they could make Lexan--a widely employed plastic that's used to create CDs, iPods, aircraft windscreens, and car headlamps--water-repellant. They did this by chemically treating the surface to make it rough. The researchers have now demonstrated the same effect on metal surfaces. Many other super hydrophobic materials have been demonstrated, but most have used some kind of plastic. Superhydrophobic metals open up many new applications, says Jefrey Youngblood, a professor of materials engineering at Purdue University. "Metallic structures are more robust and can survive in harsher environments, allowing for their use in applications where plastic is infeasible, [such as in] planes, trains, automobiles, heavy machinery, and engines," Youngblood says.