Biomimetic Design as a Tool for Sustainable Architecture; A Theoretical Approach

From 1970s energy crisis, population growth and climate change, topic of sustainability is one of the trends both in research and practice. Within this time many passive and active alternatives been proposed to be integrated to architectural design. One of the promising proposed approaches is biomimetic design. Natural world, with survival of decades through many changes, is the best source of inspiration for architecture. Biomimetic by understanding this facts, tries to learn from natural solutions imitate them and address human-caused problems. Although, there is a considerable researches on this topic, but this thesis tries to review this terminology in literature with main aim of categorizing and presenting the biomimetic criteria which can be helpful for further researches and even practice of architecture. Accordingly, author tries to present an in-depth literature review with content analysis method. For this purpose, the research of main scholars of the field gathered and studied and based on generated codes the biomimetic design criteria categories within four main groups. Beside the main criteria, the lessons from nature which criteria developed from and later the synthesis for architectural design been presented as well. After presenting the main outcome of the review, successful examples of biomimetic design studies and analysed based on biomimetic principles, biomimetic design criteria and the architectural synthesis from natural lessons in each case discussed as well. In the end, this qualitative study with content analysis method, highlights the successful link between biomimetic design and sustainability, while, presenting the design criteria important to be considered for future designs. Lastly, the study argues that there is lack of development of biomimetic design in all criteria except the building physics since the majority of sample studies developed biomimetic on the envelope design or material design. Thus, in order to achieve the ultimate sustainability other biomimetic criteria should be more considered in design approach.