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RESEARCH GUIDE:
NATURE IN DESIGN
In the Library
Animal Architecture
by Juhani Pallasmaa
Photographs and drawings of the nests, dams and other shelters built by insects, birds and other animals
Art + Science Now
by Stephen Wilson
Explore the zone where contemporary art and cutting-edge science and technology overlap
Art Forms in Nature : The Prints of Ernst Haeckel
by Ernst Haeckel
Exquisite illustrations of living organisms, with a special focus on their symmetry, that inspired Art Nouveau and Jugendstil styles
Bio-Architecture
by Javier Senosiain
Examines the principles of human and natural construction and the ways in which biological forms and techniques inform design solutions
Biomimicry : Innovation Inspired by Nature
by Janine M. Benyus
Explores the concept of biomimicry in depth and provides examples of its use in agriculture, energy storage, health and medicine, and many other fields
Biophilic Design : The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life
edited by Stephen R. Kellert, Judith H. Heerwagen, Martin L. Mador
Examines many facets of the connections between natural and built environments, including biomimicry, sustainable design and construction, urban green spaces, and much more
Bulletproof Feathers : How Science Uses Nature’s Secrets to Design Cutting-Edge Technology
edited by Robert Allen
Highlights innovations based in biomimicry in textiles, building systems, robotics, medical devices, and more
By Nature’s Design
by William Neill and Pat Murphy
Photographs of patterns in nature, from soap bubbles to rivers
Divine Proportion : Phi in Art, Nature, and Science
by Priya Hemenway
Explore the divine proportion, also known as the golden section or golden ratio, as it appears in art and nature
Evolutionary Architecture : Nature as a Basis for Design
by Eugene Tsui
Explores how the forms, materials and structures of nature have informed Tsui’s architectural solutions
Fairie-ality Style : A Sourcebook of Inspirations from Nature
by David Ellwand
Interior design for fairies, made, of course, from all-natural materials
The Gecko’s Foot : Bio-Inspiration : Engineering New Materials from Nature
by Peter Forbes
Delves into the biomimicry stories behind technological innovations from Velcro to solar panels
Industry of Nature : Another Approach to Ecology
by Elodie Ternaux
Describes nature’s solutions to challenges including protection, temperature regulation, self-cleaning, and many more
Inspired by Nature : Plants : The Building/Botany Connection
by Alejandro Bahamón
Features commercial, residential and institutional buildings, both vernacular and designed by architects, modeled after botanical structures
Nature and Architecture
by Paolo Portoghesi
Considers the natural origin of basic architectural elements, such as the column and the wall, as well as connections between culture and architecture
New Organic Architecture : The Breaking Wave
by David Pearson
Describes the concept of organic architecture and the work of architects including Sim Van der Ryn, Tadao Ando, Drew and James Hubbell, Renzo Piano, Eugene Tsui, and Javier Senosiain
Zoomorphic : New Animal Architecture
by Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Presents a selection of buildings that look like animals, whether by design or accident
Online
AskNature.org
Provides thousands of biomimicry strategies, organized by function. Ask a question (how do you stay cool?) and get answers from nature!
Biomimicry | ArchDaily
Highlights new and innovative projects from around the world that take nature as their inspiration, with photographs, floor plans, sections, and site plans
Biomimicry | Biomimicry 3.8
Offers an introduction to biomimicry, with examples of practical applications
Biomimicry | DISD Library on Pinterest
Brings together examples of and information about biomimicry from some of the best online sources
Biomimicry: Designing to Model Nature | Whole Building Design Guide
Provides an overview of biomimicry, with examples of practical applications in architecture, design and construction
The Biomimicry Institute
Explores ideas, designs and strategies from nature and how they can be applied to human design
Biomimicry in Action by Janine Benyus | TED Talk | TED.com
Watch a 17-minute TED talk by Benyus, who literally wrote the book on biomimicry (see above)
DISD Presentation Board Requirements
The front of each board must be labeled with the name of the student(s) and with the year and semester completed
Each board should measure 16 x 20 inches, 20 x 30 inches, or 24 x 36 inches
Interior Design Visual Presentation : A Guide to Graphics, Models, and Presentation Techniques
by Maureen Mitton
Provides quick guidance on preparing sketches, renderings, plans, models, presentation boards, materials boards, and slideshows for design presentations
When your instructor doesn’t care how you cite as long as you do cite, make sure to include the information someone would need to find your source on their own. A citation for the TED Talk above might look like this:
“Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in Action.” TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action.
Cite It Where You Use It
Every time you use a quotation, a piece of information, or an image from another source, cite the source right where you use it, whether it’s on your project board or in your paper, job book or presentation.
Include enough information to allow your audience to figure out which source (from your complete list at the end) you’re citing. For example, if you use the TED Talk in the example above, the citation on your board or presentation slide might be “Janine Benyus TED Talk”.
Check out this tutorial on Citing Sources Informally for more guidelines and examples to informally cite every source you use - whether it’s a book, magazine, website, blog or video - and avoid plagiarism.
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