welcome to

DESIGN TEAM
Nicholas Baker
Industrial Design

Maggie Gregory
Industrial Design

Katy Kennedy
Interior Design

Nathan Beck
Service Design

Mark Hemphill
Industrial Design

Josh Lofgreen
Industrial Design

Jorie Ballun
Design for Sustainability

Grant Flinn
Industrial Design

Samantha Bennett
Industrial Design

enjoy your ride

definition &
aspects of
TRANSDISCIPLINARY
APPROACH

examples of nature-inspired designs

FORMS

PROCESSES

SYSTEMS

The Shinkansen Bullet Train has a streamlined

forefront and structure, adapted from the
kingfishers beak.

The process used by Calera in the production

of cement is inspired by the way corals
create their skeletons from CO2 dissolved in
sea water.

Eco-Machine wastewater treatment systems

are built upon the principle of estuaries and
the fact that plants and other organisms
have the capacity to clean water.

THREE ASPECTS

ETHOS

(RE)CONNECT

EMULATE

The practice of the Biomimicry Framework embodies

three unique, yet interconnected, ingredients: ethos,
(re)connect, and emulate. The combination of these
essential elements is the characteristic feature of
Biomimicry that separates the practice from other
bio-inspired design processes.

The ethos element forms the essence of our

ethics, our intentions, and our underlying
philosophy for why we practice Biomimicry.
Ethos represents our respect for, responsibility
to, and gratitude for our fellow species and
our home, and includes the Biomimicry Life
Principles (a set of twenty six criteria for
creating conditions that are conducive to life).

The (re)connect element reinforces the

understanding that while seemingly
separate, people and nature are actually
deeply intertwined. (Re)connecting is a
practice and mindset that explores and
deepens this relationship between humans
and the whole. We are nature.

The emulate element brings forth the

principles, patterns, strategies, and functions
found in nature to inform design. Emulation
is about being proactive in achieving the
vision of humans fitting in sustainably on
earth, a practice outlined by the Biomimicry
Thinking design process.

Biomimicry is a transdisciplinary approach that brings

together nature and technology, biology and innovation,
life and design. It is a framework and a practice whereby
we look to nature as a model, mentor, and measure. By
this we mean that we are inspired by natures forms,
processes, and systems; we aspire to learn from natures
genius the many strategies that organisms (including
plants, animals, and humans) use to survive and thrive
on this planet.

SCAD | SCHOOL OF DESIGN | Collaborative Experiences

Adapted from the Biomimicry Handbook (Baumeister, 2013)

Biomimicry

FOUR PHASES

SCOPING

DISCOVERING

CREATING

EVALUATING

Emulation is the most tangible of the three

aspects of Biomimicry, whereby everyone is
invited to participate as a designer, regardless
of their discipline(s). In the Biomimicry
Thinking design process, we strive to learn
from nature and apply its strategies towards
innovation. Within this process, there are
four iterative phases: scoping, discovering,
creating, and evaluating.
While the four phases define how to
progress through the design process, they
are not limited in their order and allow for
the design team to move between them in
multiple ways. We worked through them in
the set direction, but we also revisited phases
in order to elaborate upon our previous
work, remind us of key ideas we wanted to
further develop, and check our progress
with what we originally planned. The ability
to move both rigidly and fluidly in the
process gave us the necessary structure and
flexibility to reach our design goals.

SCAD | SCHOOL OF DESIGN | Collaborative Experiences

Our design is to
transport people
vertically in an
efficient way.

SCAD | SCHOOL OF DESIGN | Collaborative Experiences

THE CHALLENGE

DESIGN STATEMENT

The scoping phase refers to the behind-the-scenes preparation or leg

work. The purpose of the scoping phase is to identify the design
challenge to be addressed together with its context, criteria, and
constraints. Even without Biomimicry, this stage often includes steps
such as identifying the real challenge, defining the operating parameters,
and creating a design brief or project program.

Our design statement was identified as transporting people vertically in an

efficient way. The context of our design statement can be summarized as
the design of a new vertical transportation system in a commercial building
that facilitates cooperative relationships amongst diverse stakeholders.

DISCOVERING
NATURAL MODELS

Cercopoidea

Function: To protect and cushion

Strategy: The bubbles produced by spittlebugs allow the bug to
protect and cushion itself.
Mechanism: Spittlebugs produce a white bubble substance
on plants. The spittlebug creates this foam-like substance to
protect itself from other insects and to cushion itself. When
spittlebugs feed, they puncture the plants stem, eating the sap.
The sap is then pumped through the body and expelled through
WKHDQXV7KHVHFUHWHGXLGFRPELQHVZLWKDLUDQGSURGXFHVWKH
protective bubbles.
Design Principle: 2XUGHVLJQLVWRFUHDWHDH[LEOHEXEEOHOLNH
structure, so that it provides protection and cushioning.

How does
nature
transport
organisms
vertically?

Gregory, Margaret. (2014). [Illustration]

Citation:
Kulzer, L. (1996, June 1). Spittlebugs. Crawford.net. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://crawford.tardigrade.net/
bugs/BugofMonth21.html

0DUVPDQ,6SLWWOH%XJ1\PSKRQ&ORYHU>3KRWRJUDSK@5HWULHYHG$SULOIURPKWWSVZZZLFNUFRPSKRWRVLPDUVPDQ

Buss, E., & Williams, L. (n.d.). Twolined Spittlebugs in Turfgrass. EDIS New Publications RSS. Retrieved April 17,
IURPKWWSHGLVLIDVXHGXOK

39

Optimally Packing Spheres: Spittle Bug. (n.d.). AskNature. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://www.asknature.org/
strategy/2f2d48c172f0a1f408854d8aab2edb02#.U2frMxBD6Dc

g la ss spong e
Euplectella aspergillum

Function: Provide a solid yet lightweight structure

Strategy: Develop crisscrossed patterns in varying sizes and
angles along and perpendicular to the plane of growth.
Mechanism: The glass sponge uses long spicules of silica to
build a robust skeleton, taking advantage of the stabilizing efIHFWRI FULVVFURVVHGVWLII EHUV7KHVHEHUVDOORZWKHVSRQJHWR
reduce the weight of its skeleton by avoiding solid surfaces.
Design Principle: Our design is to use crisscrossed, lightZHLJKWEHUVWRFRQVWUXFWDUREXVWVWUXFWXUH.

Gregory, Margaret. (2014). [Illustration]

Citation
Hexactinellid. (n.d.). . Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2F+H[DFWLQHOOLG HL =NOU8Q](.2,$:WR*$%$ XVJ $)4M&1*=E&5'*1)-:%62WJ2T-Z VLJ 03Je00ckMzKzIu-d0vtw&bvm=bv.66330100,d.d2k

>3KRWRJUDSKRI *ODVV6SRQJH@5HWULHYHG0D\IURPKWWSWHUUDSLQWDOHVOHVZRUGSUHVVFRPVLGHVKRWMSJ

Glass Sponges. (2013, February 13). . Retrieved May 8, 2014, from http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDcQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Foceanexplorer.noaa.gov%2Ffacts%2Fglass-sponges.html&ei=ZklrU8nzEKOI0AW7toGABA&usg=AFQjCNFbvq-AyKg5j5ejk3lM0xtTupbSYA&sig2=XyjhdK58KZEkgAKnCvyD8A&bvm=bv.66330100,d.d2k

g i r a ffe

Giraffa camelopardalis
Function: To pump blood long distances
Strategy: The elastic blood vessels have valves to facilitate
return of blood from the legs to the heart. The valves in the
QHFNLPSHGHWKHEDFNRZRI EORRGWRWKHKHDGZKHQDJLUDIIH
lowers its head to drink.
Mechanism: Giraffes have twice the amount of blood pressure
than other mammals. To help deal with high blood pressure
they have a complex pressure regulation system (Mikalowsky,
2012). Blood pressure depends on the strength of the cardioYDVFXODUV\VWHPDVZHOODVWKHHIFLHQF\RI WKHSXPS*LUDIIHV
adjust the muscles of the cardiovascular system to enable
shrinking and expanding of the blood vessels so that blood may
reach far distances from the heart. In the neck are elastic blood
vessels that open and close. These are used to prevent too much
blood from going to the head.
Design Principle: Our design is to use contracting tube strucWXUHVDQGYDOYHVWRFRQWURORZ

Kennedy, Katy. (2014). [Illustration]

Citation
Circulatory System. (n.d.). Circulatory System. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://wiki.hicksvilleschools.org/
groups/hsbiology/wiki/c3974/Circulatory_System.html
Giraffe. (n.d.). : Circulatory System. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://paigemikalowskygiraffe.blogspot.
fr/2012/04/circulatory-system.html

40

We researched and discovered natural models

through a variety of design lenses, such as the
ecological and biological lenses (literature review
and/or interviewing experts), the naturalist lens
(exploring natures patterns directly), and the
functional lens. The functional lens was especially
instructive in that it led us from organisms
functions to the strategies they employ, to the
mechanisms by which they execute those
strategies, and finally to an abstracted design
principle. The end result of this functional lens
was a collection of function cards that could be
directly applied in the creating phase. In addition,
the local lens, in particular, mesmerized us in that
we directly learned from our immediate, natural
environment, benefiting from the help of a
scientist at the design table.

spi ttlebug

47

The discovering phase usually occurs after a

sense of the design challenge and/or opportunity
for design has been developed. In this phase, we
seek inspiration and ideas from nature. We began
this process by biologizing our design challenge
research question, using the framing How does
nature transport organisms vertically?

FUNCTION
CARDS

Pressure Assists Blood Circulation: Giraffe. (n.d.). - AskNature. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://www.asknature.
org/strategy/9493524a64cb0a4b3f19b31d9e63bb9c#.U2fsJhBD6Dc

Beck, Nathan (2012) Giraffe [Photograph]

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IDEATION
Creating is the high-profile aspect of designing,
resulting in a new human-designed product,
process, or system. The ideation phase of
creating is the most exciting part of design
and traditionally involves a combination of
exploring many potential solutions through
brainstorming, eventually leading to prototyping.
We used the information gained from our
discovering phase to inform our brainstorming
and design sessions, and we invited other
disciplines to our design table for a fruitful
exchange of ideas.
During the creating phase, Biomimicry life
principles and design principles, abstracted
from biological strategies, underpin the
design process.

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glass sponge
building structure

FINAL PROTOTYPE
Through a democratic selection process, we
decided to develop Pulse. Pulse is a radically new
type of elevator that vertically moves people in
capsules in a dynamic system of electronically
controlled fabric. This fabric membrane
sandwiches the pods to a structural tower. The
membrane contracts and squeezes each pod to an
independent destination.
Our sketches and final prototypes illustrate the
emulation of a giraffes circulatory system, a glass
sponges skeleton, and the navigational tactics of
army ants. While certainly innovative and partially
sustainable, we remain invested in addressing
unanswered technical and philosophical questions.

army ants
navigation
giraffe veins
pumping mechanism

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REFLECTING
Evaluating generally occurs once a specific product,
process, solution, or opportunity is identified. It is
used to assess the designs appropriateness and
viability over the long-term and across a specific
context. It is the opportunity to look for missed limits
and boundaries, to reflect upon original intentions and
goals, and to ensure (at a minimum) that baseline
quality and safety standards are addressed. This effort
usually results in a revisiting of other phases to
address gaps or inadequacies in the solution or
opportunity. Evaluating occurs throughout the creating
phase, but carries special importance once a viable
prototype has emerged.
During the evaluating phase, we looped back to the
scoping phase to double-check to what extent we
addressed our design challenge and/or offered a
sustainable design solution. We examined our
prototype for flaws, noted missed opportunities, and
measured it against the twenty-six life principles. We
asked again what nature would do here, what it would
not do there, and how our design creates conditions
conducive to life.
Pondering these questions led us to recognize the need
for further development with the help of other
experts, such as mechanical and electrical engineers,
materials scientists, etc.

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LIFE PRINCIPLES
incorporated in our design
potential to be met in our design
is not addressed in our design