Looking up into the Atrium of the Fulton Center New York Architects have created buildings that use a similar method of bringing daylight into darkness The Fulton Center is an underground subway station and shopping center Its designers created a skylight surrounded by a net of stainless steel cables and aluminum panels The unique arrangement of the panels works to distribute beams of light throughout the day to the ground below The Fulton Center is an example of biomimicry in building 6
Biomimicry also called biomimetics involves the study of how functions are delivered in biology then translating those functions into designs that suit human needs Architects scientists and engineers involved in biomimicry have recognized that nature is the world’s largest science and engineering lab The designers deliberately mimicked the structure of a bird’s nest for the Beijing National Stadium They felt that a nest would embrace and nurture the people inside 7
Nature has 3 8 billion years of experience Using nature as an inspiration and guide biomimics research experiment with and create innovative designs that help solve human problems Nature-inspired Nature-inspired building designs materials and systems can provide better ways for people to thrive in their environments The Harpa concert hall in Iceland was inspired by the island country’s basalt rock formations Inside the concert halls mimic other natural elements found in Iceland 9
