Coffey Architects always looks ahead to see how our field is changing. This helps us to adapt and expand our design skills. One area that is moving on at a rapid pace is combining architecture and biology. It is not a new idea but has a lot of potential at the moment. As one of the architects London clients come to for innovative ideas, we would like to look closer at this.
Past projects
People have celebrated biology in building designs for many years. Ancient civilisations such as the Romans and Greeks had images of leafs and flowers on their buildings. There are still many beautiful friezes to celebrate this.
The Art Nouveau style in the late 19th and early 20th centuries took this one step further. The designs took influences from natural forms, including flowers, plants and trees. The style spread all over the world in building designs, furniture, jewellery, and even textiles and wallpaper.
The future
Many people are looking at more ways to combine architecture and biology. A big focus is looking at how processes, including growth and reacting to light, can impact design and function.
There are a number of different cutting edge ideas in this area. Living Light in Seoul, South Korea is very interesting. The interactive pavilion reacts to the air quality, informing people of the conditions. This is very important because it can improve their health.
A really interesting biological process is how trees “talk” with a fungal network. With it they can inform each other about things like lack of water or disease. Cities could use a similar idea to interact with each other, especially if they have modern sensors. This could help to reduce energy consumption.
Composting is a very green process that can offer a number of benefits. When green and food waste breaks down, it can provide nutrients for new growth. People are considering this same kind of process with building materials. Biodegradable bricks are in development and have already been used to create temporary structures.
In nature many things grow in patterns to ensure strength as well as stability. Imagine using this kind of pattern with 3D printing to produce different products. It could lead to an even wider array of potential options for buildings.
At Coffey Architects we understand how much potential there is in this area. If you are thinking of a project that takes inspiration from biology we would be happy to help. We are architects London clients always love working with so consult with us today. We will do our utmost to create a design you love.