About this Toolkit

Aims 

Launched in Singapore, and grounded in ASEAN, the toolkit will help you create a bedrock for biomimetic façade innovation and mainstream the adoption and implementation of biomimicry to solve the persistent challenge to thermal comfort in the built tropical environment. 

Audience 

This toolkit is aimed at architects, facade designers, consultants and professionals in the built environment industry, especially students in the industry and early career professionals. 

The Chapters 

Chapter 1 explains the “whys” that sets the backdrop for the toolkit. Why not consider biomimicry in built designs? Why not use it to drive innovative ideas? Why not combine established and biomimicry methods? 

Chapter 2 helps you jump start authentic and meaningful biomimetic designs, by introducing you to the principles in biomimicry and its six-steps design process, with questions experts will ask. It discusses scale of application, key points to note for each step, so you can avoid the pitfalls of designing, and become adept at integrating biomimicry into your usual design flow. Finally, biophilia, bio- morphism and bio-utilization is compared with biomimicry and case studies of integration are presented. 

Chapter 3 guides as you apply the six steps design process. The authors have applied the design processes on the three wall panel designs developed by bioSEA, to help you visualise what design plans could look like. These designs were inspired the elephant skin, termite mound and Namib desert beetle (also on the cover page). 

Chapter 4 is a treasure trove of resources to help you in your research for your biomimetic design. It comprises of selected case studies of significant façades from buildings from around the world which have been inspired by different species. The approach is designer centric and type of biomimicry they utilize (form, process or system). The chapter ends with a Materials Synopsis of relevant bio-inspired and biomimetic materials.

Chapter 5 paints our visions for biomimicry to be naturally and deeply integrated into mainstream design processes for the built environments. Dream with us as we showcase a melting pot ecosystem of biomimetic and non-biomimetic solutions.

Opening Remarks by Dr. Dayna Baumeister 

Executive Summary

Chapter 1 – The Why

• • Cooling the World is warming the Planet
  • Existing Solutions
  • Have you considered Biomimicry? 

Chapter 2 – Biomimicry Basics for the Designer 

• • Biomimicry Principles 
  • Using the Toolkit
  • How to approach Biomimicry? 
  • Scale of Application 
  • Integrating Biomimicry in Design Flow
  • Distinguishing the Bio’s 

Chapter 3 – Ready, Set, Design! 

• • Desirable Building Features
  • Building for the Tropics
  • Key Functions & Definitions
  • What Design Plans could Look like? 

Chapter 4 – Essential Resources

• • Horizon Scan
  • Case Study Scale, Taxonomy, Type
  • Novel Materials 
  • Useful Links

Chapter 5 – Moving Forward

• • Biomimetic Hybrid Façade
  • Ever Evolving Responsive Design
    

Appendix
Credits & References

Dr. Anuj Jain is an ecologist and a certified Biomimicry Professional. He works at the intersection of biomimicry, ecology and nature conservation. He is the Founding Director at bioSEA. 

 

Saloni Swaminathan has a background in Zoology and has a passion for biodiversity conservation and education. She is a design & research ecologist at bioSEA.

Atticus Cummings
Grace SY Lim
Ilina Shah
Leanne Haan
Lisa Teo
Maitreyee Fadnavis
Munshi Mukhtar Toh
Nathan Hays
Ruiee Dhuri

Bu Jing Yi, Celine Tan, Chee Yung Kuan, Christian Delacruz, Eric Hays, Eugene Soh, Hortense Le Ferrand, Janee Lim, Jodie Monteiro, Johannes Fuchs, Katharina Hecht, Kelly Siman, Kuo Wei Chiu, Lidia Badarnah, Madhvi Chulet, Nicholas Loh, Petra Gruber, Priyanka Sancheti, Rupert Soar, Ruiee Dhuri, Shayna Naik, Shruti Sunil, Shruti Pilare, Tan Alysa Marie, Teoh Jia Heng, Zheng Kai