LEARNING FROM NATURE: 2012

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Biomimicry Taxonomy

Hey guys,

Have you all been to the "Biomimicry Taxonomy" Page?

Monday, 14 May 2012

Diagrams

Here are some diagrams from last year students. You don't need to make all your diagrams like these. But just to let you see what can be done.

Some ref and links for everyone

Brilliant Cement Making Technology Mimics Coral While Removing CO2 From the Atmosphere

The HEX Curtain by Rael San Fratello Makes a Kinetic Light Show Out of Your Window

Amazing Bionic Research Pavilion Explores the Sand Dollar’s Skeleton Morphology

FLOW Harnesses Tidal Waves to Create Energy and Music

Soma Architecture’s Solar-Powered One Ocean Pavilion in South Korea Opens Tomorrow

Fluid: Amphibious Pavilion For 2012 World Expo That Can Sail Away

Futuristic Oceanic Pavilion Unveiled for 2012 Yeosu Expo

Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Hi guys,

GREAT job, everyone!!!

I am really happy with the outcome of today's presentation.

BTW, check out this blog:

http://www.cityofsound.com/blog/2008/01/faades-expressi.html

Have a good sleep tonight, and I will give you detailed feedback next week.

Thursday, 26 April 2012

Land from building examples for Erin

Dalki Youth Centre, South Korea by Mass Studies

Some diagram examples for everyone

Some reference for Lauren - Calming spaces

St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo by Kenzo Tange , 1964

The MoCA in Naji, Japan, by Arata Isozaki

Some designs by another Japanese architect Kengo Kuma

This is by my heros Herzog & De Meuron:

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Extra tutorial - Group 10

Group 10 extra tutorial

Date: 26/04/2012
Time: 11am-1am
Meeting venue: D block foyer

Light weight deployable structure

Here I found some interesting examples on light weight deployable structure which I thought might be useful for who are interested in interactive building skin and structure.

Please refer to the links for more details.

http://www.evolo.us/architecture/rolling-bridge-thomas-heatherwick/

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/cool-deployable-structure-in-wood-a.html

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/04/radically-folding-deployable-table.html

http://www.evolo.us/competition/rain-collector-skyscraper/

http://www.evolo.us/competition/eco-skin-for-the-70s-skyscrapers/

http://vimeo.com/2840704

http://www.tsg.ne.jp/TT/cg/index.html#BDFFPQ

Breathable building skin

Just an example I really like with interactive building skin:

The Arab World Institute (Cultural / Museum) by Jean Nouvel (1987 - Paris, France)

Structure that generates colours

Just some ideas on "Structure that generates colours":

When we investigate into nature’s design process, it is not hard to realise that the formation of every single physical being has a reason, and the physical expression of which is very efficient and sustainable. Unlike our industrial production, nature does not have to use high temperature or high pressure to make something. There is no pollution being part of the consequence of the production. One of an interesting example is generating colours by its structure.

The iridescent colours and beautiful patterns in a male peacock’s plumage are primarily to attract attention for mating purposes. But how could these colours not fade? In fact, researchers found that the feathers' bright colours are produced not by pigments, but rather by tiny, intricate two-dimensional crystal-like structures. Slight alterations in the spacing of these microscopic structures cause different wavelengths of light to be filtered and reflected, creating the feathers' many different iridescent hues.

According to National Geographic, Most of the colour we see in nature is due to pigmentation, substances that selectively absorb light at some wavelengths and reflect it in others. Plant chlorophyll, for example, absorbs and reflects all wavelengths of light except green. Other examples include pigments that produce the colour in human hair and skin. But some animals have hit on a completely different evolutionary strategy, using microscopic, translucent structures to selectively filter and reflect light. Examples of such structure-generated colours can be seen in shimmering metallic butterfly and moth scales, beetle wing cases, and the feathers of hummingbirds, peacocks and birds of paradise.

Similar reflective structures made from silica are also responsible for the shimmering colour found in opals. (National Geographic News, 1996)

Some links for more details:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/peacock.html

http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/15C.html

LEARNING FROM NATURE

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