Using Biomimicry as an Educational Tool in Interior Architecture Design Studio

Nature has always been a source of inspiration for human beings to solve their life problems. Since a few decades ago, methods based on inspiration from nature have entered to the world of design with various names too. Most of these methods emphasize on sustainable character of natural solutions and use of them is inevitable in current situation that world is facing with caused by unconscious use of natural resources. Biomimicry is one of these methods, which aims to use strategies developed in nature to create sustainable designs. Emphasis on education by pioneer organizations working on this field has led to spreading biomimicry approach among the research centers, universities and institutes. The interior architecture as a new design discipline has gradually been influenced by the sustainability movement too. Nevertheless still not many examples of biomimicry in interior architecture can be found around the world. This study relied on implemented examples, and the growing interest in biomimicry in education, and investigated the possibility of using biomimicry in interior architecture education, especially in design studio. To achieve this, the views and attitudes of the interior architecture instructors in Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) who attend in studios about the topic are collected. In addition, to improve the study, about the possibility of collaboration with biologists in the design studios, the opinions of the instructors in the Department of Biological sciences in EMU were also collected. This survey showed that despite of the interest of the instructors in both of the departments, lack of educational systematic methods and interdisciplinary collaboration tradition are the barriers in using biomimicry as a sustainable problem solving method in the design studios. This research attempts to be a step toward closing this gap and a guide for instructors and researchers, who wish to use biomimicry in design education, particularly in interior architecture studio. Keywords: Biomimicry, interior architecture, design education, teaching in studio, educational method, interdisciplinary design education