How to Apply Biomimicry in Architecture

Biomimicry in architecture is the practice of drawing inspiration from nature’s forms, processes, and systems to design buildings that are efficient, sustainable, and well-adapted to their environments. It offers creative, low-impact solutions to pressing environmental challenges including energy use, water management, and climate resilience. 

Explore an architecture project by our Biomimicry Practitioner, Joana Rivera. Read: Biomimicry in Systems Change; Restoring Public Parks

In this article, we explore how architects are applying biomimicry in real-world projects, explore key benefits and examples, and learn practical ways to integrate nature-inspired design into your own architectural practice.

As climate challenges grow, architects incorporating biomimicry can embrace this approach to design energy-efficient, resilient buildings. By mimicking natural systems and forms, biomimicry helps create harmony between the built environment and ecosystems—essential for a regenerative future in architecture and urban planning. 

Many architects world wide are already applying biomimicry (watch this video on Jenny Sabin: Nature Is an Incredible Teacher). And other built environment professionals are coming to the party too (read more about biomimicry in engineering and architecture here). But we need more buy in, more commitment, and more action.

Why is Sustainable Architecture Important?

This White Paper, From Sustainability to Regeneration by Jacobs & Biomimicry 3.8, makes it clear that the built environment can have a detrimental impact on natural environments: "The transition from natural, green spaces to urban environments has resulted in the loss of ecosystem functions, services and species.

Today, much of the land in and around cities is degraded; threatening native habitats, the genetic and functional diversity of flora  and fauna, local climate regulation, and the quality of air and waterways... Nature and biodiversity loss is putting 44% of global GDP ($31 trillion) in cities at risk of disruption and climate change could wipe out up to 18% of the total economic value of the global economy by 2050."

When the built environment is not designed sustainably, it significantly contributes to climate change through several key environmental impacts:

• High Carbon Emissions: Buildings account for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions, primarily from energy used for heating, cooling, lighting, and construction (especially from materials like concrete and steel).
• Resource Depletion: Unsustainable construction consumes vast amounts of raw materials, such as sand, timber, and water, straining natural ecosystems.
• Energy Inefficiency: Poorly designed buildings often require excessive energy to maintain comfort, leading to greater fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Waste Generation: Construction and demolition generate massive amounts of waste—often sent to landfills—contributing to pollution and methane release.
• Loss of Biodiversity: Urban sprawl and poorly planned developments can destroy habitats, fragment ecosystems, and reduce biodiversity.
• Urban Heat Island Effect: Materials like asphalt and concrete absorb and re-emit heat, raising urban temperatures and increasing energy demand for cooling.

Clearly, things have to change to create a life-friendly future. So, let's dive into how architects can apply biomimicry. As when building anything, it helps to have a solid foundation. Here are the three levels of biomimicry in architecture.

The Three Levels of Biomimicry in Architecture

Credit: Learn Biomimicry

Expert biomimic and thought leader Janine Benyus has identified three levels of biomimicry: Form, process and ecosystem. Here is how they might apply to architecture:

1. Form 

Form-based biomimicry is emulating the shapes, patterns, and physical forms found in nature to inspire more efficient designs. Strong by Form is a great example. This organisation manufactures building materials that mimic trees, and how trees grow strategically to optimise maximum strength with minimal material. 

2. Process 

Process-based biomimicry is emulating nature's processes, and the cycles or steps followed in nature to manufacture or reach a goal (for example, how a animals build their nests). Another good example is Blue Planet Cement, which mimics how a coral uses carbon as a building block.

3. System 

Systems-based biomimicry is about learning the deeper principles of nature to learn how to fit and contribute to our ecosystems (for example, buildings that contribute to the local ecology). A good example is Interface, an organisation that reimagines manufacturing facilities to function like natural ecosystems, aiming to provide environmental benefits akin to those of a forest.

Principles to Guide Nature-Inspired Design

Biomimicry Life’s Principles are key ways to evaluate whether a project is truly meeting the criteria for biomimicry.

Some of these principles that are useful to guide architectural thinking include the following:

Adapt to Changing Conditions

Design buildings that respond to environmental changes—like temperature, sunlight, or wind—through passive cooling/heating, modular spaces that evolve with user need, etc. 

Use Life-Friendly Chemistry

Choose non-toxic, biodegradable materials to safeguard human and ecological health. Think cradle-to-cradle certified materials or plant-based alternatives.

Be Resource Efficient (Material & Energy)

Prioritise efficient use of materials and energy through strategies like passive solar design, daylighting, thermal mass, and recycled or locally sourced materials. Minimize construction waste and design for disassembly or reuse at end-of-life. 

Integrate Development with Growth
Design buildings and communities that grow and evolve in harmony with their users and surroundings. This will be dependent on each environment, and might include phased development, infrastructure that scales with population etc. 

Evolve to Survive
Incorporate feedback loops, post-occupancy evaluations, and performance monitoring to learn from the building’s actual use and improve future designs. Design with durability and resilience in mind—using materials and strategies that can withstand environmental stresses like flooding, heatwaves, or earthquakes through mimicking how nature achieves this. 

You can read more in this article: Biomimicry Life's Principles Explained

Top 5 life-friendly materials to kickstart your architecture project

The future of materials is here. tocco.earth is a world-leading database of more than 5,000 life-friendly materials, and a great place to start. Here are our top five materials for the built environment. 

1. Low-carbon cement alternative - Finland-based company Betolar has developed precast concrete products made from industrial by-products, and contain no harmful chemicals. 

2. Recycled polymers - Arqlite recycles materials to create polymers for injection moulding and extrusion, for applications such as drainage, road construction and hydroponics in construction.

3. Bio-base paint -  These bio-based and nature-based paints and surface coatings from AkzoNobel are chemical-free, and are also used in the automotive industry.

4. Passive temperature regulation - albotherm manufactures glass coatings that reversibly transition from transparent to white for passive temperature regulation. 

5. Natural fibre composites - Derived from agricultural waste, Agrona develops natural fibre composites made from agricultural waste for interior use. 

You can explore more materials on tocco.earth here.

Top Biomimicry Examples in the Built Environment

 Here are some of the top examples of biomimicry in architecture. 

1. HOK’s Safe Harbor Orphanage, Tahiti

Image: HOK 

This orphanage, constructed in response to a devastating earthquake, was inspired by the Caribbean kapok tree. The building's balconies feature a support system that mimics the branching pattern of the tree, and an exterior boundary layer functions like the kapok tree's bark, shielding the building from direct sunlight while allowing for natural ventilation and daylighting. 

You can read more about the project here.

2.  Esplanade Theatre, Singapore

Image: Visit Singapore

Inspired by the durian fruit, its facade is responsive to the environment that adjusts with the sun. These aluminium sunshades reduce reliance on artificial cooling and lighting, enhancing the building's energy efficiency.

You can read more about the project here.

3. The Hive house, India

Credit: Fabien Charuau via StirWorld

This family home takes its inspiration from various natural models, like the exterior facade inspired by honeycomb, which is also sensor-based to follow the sun, as certain plants do. The walkable green roof also acts as thermal insulation. 

You can read more about the project here.

4. Shanghai Natural History Museum, China

Credit: Perkins&Will 

Inspired by the nautilus shell, this structure's proportions follow the "Golden Ratio". It's outer surface is also inspired by the cellular structure of plants and animals, maximizing daylight and allowing sunlight into the building. 

You can read more about the project here.

5. New Lowell Living Village, Canada

Credit: B+H Architects

This village is inspired by the environment's natural hydrological cycle and built around the existing transitional areas between water and land. It also mimics the pattern of a leaf to maintain water’s pathways for pedestrians.

You can read more about the project here. 

You can also see 10 more examples of biomimicry in architecture here.

Tools and Resources to Get Started

If you're planning to learn more about applying biomimicry to your next architecture project, here are some helpful tools, resources and next steps to get started. 

• AskNature.org is a great resource to find biological strategies, inspiration and existing innovations.  
  
  
• This free eBook: Biomimicry Frameworks dives into the two design methodologies in biomimicry
  
  
• This blog article: 6 Things to Ask Before Starting Your Biomimicry Project is a helpful guide to defining your challenge statement. 
  
  
• Michael Pawlyn's book: Biomimicry in Architecture explores how to apply biomimicry's principles practically in architecture. You can read a summary and insights on the book here. 
   
• Arup's Report: Regenerative Design explores how to apply three guiding principles to build a regenerative future.
   
• The Learn Biomimicry Practitioner Programme is a 6-month mentored programme, where expert mentors will guide you in bringing your own chosen project to life. 
   
• Explore architecture projects from our own Biomimicry Practitioner learners here (plus, get a free Biomimicry Project Playbook worth $27)

Closing Thoughts

Applying biomimicry in architecture is one way of creating a more life-friendly planet, and more sustainable architecture solutions. If you're an architect or other built environment professional with a passion for nature-inspired design, you might be interested in taking the next steps to practically apply biomimicry. 

So, what's next? 

The Biomimicry Practitioner Programme is a 6-month, mentored programme where you can bring your vision, next building, urban project or dream structure to life.