There are a number of ways buildings systems are analogous to biological ones, from structural systems mirroring skeletal/exoskeletal systems, HVAC/electrical/plumbing as veins and arteries, to building envelopes as membranes/skin/pores that not only contain the building but define its character. It is interesting to think of a building as a living, breathing being that not only houses and supports life, but as a fluid, flexible, and ever-changing structure. Buildings need repair and maintenance, can grow and expand, and change their function and purpose depending on the needs and desires of a community.
Some parallels I’ve been thinking about:
- Hermit Crabs / Shells : hermit crabs use found shells to protect and shelter themselves, similarly to how people find, build, and alter their shelters. It also makes me think of adaptive reuse, and how to repurpose things like shells or buildings that are no longer used for their original purpose, but find greater meaning and purpose in their refurbishment. The hermit crab shells, whether the hermit crabs are aware of it or not, function as aesthetic and decorative elements, they are adornment, accessory, but also in an extension of themselves, similar to how homes and spaces can be an extension of a person and identity.
- Biomimicry / termites / mounds / Eastgate Centre : this one example of biomimicry of termite mounds also shows an example of a building that can be seen as a living, breathing object. The Eastgate center is a commercial and office building that does not have cooling or heating systems but rather regulates its ventilation and thermal comfort for occupants through passive cooling and a facade that mimics a termite mound. Some termite species build mounds that ventilate and circulate air to maintain optimal conditions, potentially through principles like stack effect. Learning from other species can help optimize buildings for their environments, minimize reliance on mechanical heating/cooling/ventilation systems and lower operational carbon emissions.
- Fungi / Networks / Cities : A building rarely stands on its own and relies on connections to utilities and infrastructure such as roads, pipes, wires, and waterways to name a few. Fungi are known for their wide and far-reaching networks to communicate, transport nutrients, and more. It underscores the importance of “invisible” systems like these networks and infrastructure, symbiotic reliance of different organisms, and the power of systems in supporting growth and survival. Nothing exists in isolation, and good buildings engage with the environments they exist in.
