Biomimetic Design: Final BCI Observing Nature in a New Light

Date: 5/5/23

Location: Red Hill Hiking Trail, Carbondale, Colorado.

Conditions: Beautiful, blue skies, sunny, mid 50’s. A perfect spring day.

Intent of Session: How has my idea of Biomimetic Design changed throughout this semester?

Result of Session: Throughout all of these BCI’s, I have mostly been limited to my own “backyard” (the Colorado Rocky Mountains), and so therefore, the available flora and fauna to observe are only a blip of what is available across the planet to observe for inspiration. Therefore, I find for myself, simply going outside has not been all that helpful in my own biomimetic design process. I find that the local observation is actually quite limiting to the vast capabilities of nature. So I guess my initial thoughts on Biomimetic Design would be that I could simply walk outside in nature, then, “BAM” I would be hit with some inspiration for design. Rather, studying the steps and process of Biology to Design or Challenge to Biology, has ingrained a type of thinking in me. Now I can research or simply read about a certain organism, and the gears start turning in the methodology pathway. Now going through the spiral steps for instance has become more natural and just a way of thinking about design, rather than needing to actually go step by step. Biomimetic Design has given me a new tool in the toolkit of overall design creation.