BIOMIMICRY IN ARCHITECTURE

15ARC7.8
LESSON PLAN

Lesson plan prepared by Ar. Vasudha Vasudev

©BGS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

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 BGS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
BGS INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL CAMPUS,
NITYANANDA NAGAR, K.GOLLAHALLI POST, BANGALORE – 560074

VTU – 2018 SCHEME 7TH SEMESTER – 12 WEEKS

SUBJECT CODE : 15 ARC 7.8 CREDITS : 2
SUBJECT TITLE : ELECTIVE -V ( BIOMIMICRY)
PROGRESSIVE MARK 50
NAME OF FACULTIES: Ar. Vasudha Vasudev Semester 7

AIM:This course enables the students to understand the biomimcary within the given frame of work. It looks at the
application of natures solutions, design and ideiologies and working on individual design programme.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Humans are clever, but without intending to, we have created massive sustainability
problems for future generations. Fortunately, solutions to these global challenges are all around us. Biomimicry is an
approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested
patterns and strategies. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies—new ways of living—that are well-
adapted to life on earth over the long haul. The core idea is that nature has already solved many of the problems we
are grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the consummate engineers. After billions of years of research
and development, failures are fossils, and what surrounds us is the secret to survival.

OBJECTIVE: This course aims to introduce the students to the discipline of biomimicry in architecture and design and
to develop skills required for handling meta architecture and functional architecture projects. The course shall equip
the students with theoretical knowledge, and help devising conceptual thoughts, which can be converted into
reality.

METHODOLOGY:
 To understand ‘Boimimicry’ and ‘Biophilia’ and break down the biological forms to understand
metamorphosisms.
 Reconnect with nature: learning to observe nature by function. Understand cities as a living entity, and
how to design for it.
 To understand and explore how biology can be integrated with design, rather than just being a mere
copy of the shapes.
 Application of green architecture to understand sustainability.
 To examine how the ‘biomimicry approach’ can influence sustainable designs and innovations

DESIGN PROJECTS:
The project will delve into two design projects (minor and major) through function.

Project 1:
picking a small site near the college(vrishwabarti river/ drain), and prepare which is eco-sensitive, it needs to be a
site for mixed use activities. The forms developed has to be from nature.

Project 2:
Major design project of the semester will be analysed under the lens of biomimicry and concept and forms for the
same shall be developed.

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DETAILED LECTURE PLAN:

WEEK /
MONTH S.NO CHAPTERS OUTCOME
DATE
INTRODUCTION:
01st WEEK Understanding the
1. Ice breaker session and introduction
1 7th Aug 2018 basics of the
to the course.
subject.
2. Movie by micheal pawlyn, ted talk.
1. PRESENTATION : presentation of
famous buildings using biomimicry
2. STUDENTS RESEARCH : taking up Nature as a tool to
02nd WEEK
2 contemporary biomimicry buildings develop livable
14th Aug 2018
and break down the concept and cities.
August

discovering how biomimicry was

incorporated.

03rd WEEK Introducing Project 1:

3 Concept Sheet
21st Aug 2018 1. Developing the concepts for AD studio

Presentation: Introduction To Ecosensitive

Architecture/Green Architecture.
04th WEEK
4 Students Research: Figure Out Ecosensitive
28th Aug 2018
Measures To Be implemented To Their AD
Project.
Presentation: Introduction to bio memtics
5 05th WEEK
Students Research: Figure Out bio-mimetics To
4th Sep 2018
Be implemented To Their AD Project.
06thWEEK Presentation: Introduction to biokinetic
September

6
11th Sep 2018 architecture
Presentation: Introduction to biofacades
07th WEEK
7 Students Research: Figure Out bio-fcades To
18th Sep 2018
Be implemented To Their AD Project.
08th WEEK
8 Work on the final submission
25th Sep 2018
02nd Oct
9 Holiday – Gandhi Jayanti
2018
th
09 WEEK
10 09th Oct 2018 Final submissions
October

11 16th Oct 2018 Holiday – Dussehra/Dasara week

10th WEEK
12 23th Oct 2018

11th WEEK
13 30th Oct
November

Final submissions
2018
14 6th Nov 2018 Holiday
12thWEEK
15
13th Nov 2018

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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Attendance discipline:
It is expected that every student will be in class on time for lectures and also participate in all classexercises.
Attendance records will be kept and used to determine each person’s eligibility as per BGSSAP/VTU norms to sit for
the final examination.
As per VTU regulation specifies that students must attend eighty five percent of total class hours or they willbe in
violation of the attendance strategy.

REFERENCES TEXT BOOKS:

1. Michael Pawlyn, "Biomimicry in Architecture", 2011, RIBA Publishing, London.

2. Dora Lee, "Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature", 2011, Kids Can Press, Toronta, Canada.
3. Stephen R. Kellert, "Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to
Life, 2011, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.
4. Stephen R. Kellert, "Nature by Design: The Practice of Biophilic Design", 2018, Yale Univ.Press.
5. Benjamin R. Krueger, "Biomimicry: Nature as Designer", 2016, CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform
Available in the BGSSAP library

DELIVERABLES:
 A3 sheet size poster for assignment.
 A1 sheet size 2-4 sheets for project 1
 A1 size sheet for project 2.

Ar. Vasudha Vasudev APPROVED BYDEAN BGSSAP

Assistant Professor, BGSSAP

©BGS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

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