Ecosystem processes for biomimetic architectural and urban design

Abstract

This research investigates how ecosystems are able to be robust, resilient and capable of adapting to constant change, in order to devise strategies and techniques that could be transferable to an architectural or urban design context. This is to aid the creation, or evolution of urban-built environments that may be better able to integrate with and contribute to ecosystem health. Specifically, this paper examines the processes of ecosystems and presents an integrated set of principles that could form the theoretical underpinnings of a practical ecosystem biomimicry approach to sustainable architectural design. This is significant because although using an understanding of how ecosystems work has been proposed in some biomimicry and industrial ecology literature, as well as in related fields, ecosystem processes suitable for use in a design context have not been thoroughly defined, or mapped to express how these processes may be related to each other. The possibility that employing ecosystem processes in architectural or urban design could lead to built environments able to mitigate the causes of climate change and adapt to the impacts of it is examined. Benefits and disadvantages of such an approach are elaborated upon.