Biomimicry

Humans have been viewd by some as the enemy of nature. Well what if their was a way to mimic nature and produce the same results as nature. Well biomimetics is not a new idea. Humans have been looking at nature for answers to both complex and simple problems since our existence. Nature has solved many of today's engineering problems such as hydrophobicity, wind resistance, self-assembly, and harnessing solar energy through the evolutionary mechanics of selective advantages. Take a building for example, what if their was a way to mimic a tree, a living habitat for organisms.

 The result is a structure that is not just kind to nature; it actually imitates nature by making oxygen, distilling water and producing energy. In  effect, a building that is like a tree, standing in a city that is like a forest. From solar panels that produce power to tree-filled terraces that recycle water, the building will work, quite literally, from the inside out. The structure, envelope, and mechanical systems of the building merge into super-thin, smart skins that automatically adjust to the sun and wind like a living, breathing organism. This tower shows the way urban centers can get closer to nature—and in the process keep neighborhoods and cities vibrant and  healthy.

The house uses sunlight to generate energy, cleans water, sequesters carbon, provides natural habitats, and produces oxygen and food. In order to accomplish this, several nanotechnologies are incorporated into the design. While these technologies are conceptual, some are already in early development today. As with a tree, the house accrues positive environmental benefits over time. When the useful life of the house is over, its materials are designed to be easily disassembled to return as safe nutrients for human industry or the biosphere in Cradle to Cradle cycles.