Biodesign

Bio-design is often a term more commonly associated to the field of medicine, and involves the implementation of inventions and interventions using biomedical technologies, sometimes referred to as biotechnologies. There are however also wider uses and applications of the term (at times interchangeable with biomimicry) in the field of construction products, textiles, bio-plastics and so forth. Biodesign, might be considered as differing from biomimicry in that it seeks not only derive inspiration from and emulate natures products, but also looks to incorporate living (or perhaps organic) materials into the design of products.

In the book and exhibition on the subject; BIODESIGN: Nature + Science + Creativity by William Myers, the contributing Paola Antonelli, Barbara Eldredge, Andrew Gardner, and Tony Cho describe Biodesign as the next step beyond biology-inspired approaches to design and fabrication. '...the incorporation of living organisms as essential components in design, enhancing the function of the finished work. Biodesign leaps ahead of imitation and mimicry to integration and use, dissolving boundaries and synthesising new hybrid objects and architecture... experiments replacing industrial or mechanical systems with a biological process, an approach becoming more important under the pressure of the climate crisis.'

To some extent, some of the earliest traditional products might be be considered as biodesign in that they primarily consisted of natural or organic based materials, for example the production of lime from the burning of seashells or the manufacture of traditional paints using natural ingredients. However today biodesign extends beyond the remit of natural materials to the manipulation of organic materials at the biological level, to create innovative new and often lower impact products (sometime referred to as or in relation to biomimicry). Below are some recent examples that might be considered as belonging to the field of biodesign:

• The use of mycelium (mushroom fungus) to create insulation products, leather and textiles: https://www.mykor.co.uk/mykofoam
• Biodesigned lime; bioactive-carbonating limewash, bio-enhanced self-repair render by microbe cementitious carbonation : https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2022.766652/full
• Bio-plastics or Bioplastic base materials from starch, cellulose, protein or aliphatic polyesters, polyethylenes and others. see article Bio-plastics
• Bio-bricks and bio-cement grown in laboratories inspired by marine ecosystems: https://biomason.com/technology
• Engineered yeast cells, shells from seafood waste and coffee grounds transformed into Textiles: https://www.tomtex.co/
• Formadahyde free non-toxic natural glues inspired by Mussels: https://www.musselpolymers.com/
• Threads made from algae and kelp: https://www.keellabs.com/

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Architectonics.
• Architectural styles.
• Bedzed.
• Biodiversity in the urban environment.
• Biogenic carbon.
• Biologic carbon sequestration.
• Biomass.
• Biophilic design research.
• Biophilic design and sustainability.
• Biophilic design - health and wellbeing in buildings.
• Biophilic gym.
• Biophilic urbanism.
• Biotechnology.
• Carbon cycle.
• Green roof.
• Green space.
• Green walls.
• Landscape urbanism.
• Nature and buildings.
• Natural materials.
• The biophilic office.
• The sustainability of construction works.
• Traditional building.
• Types of rapidly renewable content
• Urban design.
• What is design?