CCT434Week04


 * CCT434 Lesson 4 In Class Assignment: 29/09/11 **


 * Professor Littlejohn **


 * Name Kelly Kornet **

Janine Benyus' TED Talk 12 Sustainable Design Ideas from Nature []
 * Review the video of the Principles of Biomimicry: **

[]
 * and case studies at **


 * Lesson 4 In Class Assignment 1: 45 minutes **


 * Answer the following questions: **


 * 1. Look over examples of Janine Benyus’ biomimetic principles applied to products in the slideshow located at [] **
 *  and write a short, one paragraph synopsis for each of your three favourite product designs. **


 * Design #1 **


 * Toxin-Free glue designed by Columbia Forest Products in Portland Oregon. The product mimics the adhesives mussels secrete in order to cling to surfaces underwater. The material is “ultrastrong” for use in wood products yet contains zero toxins. **


 * Design #2 **

The Ultracane, developed by Sound Foresight of Barnsley, England utilizes “sonar-like” technology adapted from the navigation techniques of bats. The cane allows visually impaired users to avoid collisions with the harnessing of sound waves – much like echolocation. The signals of near objects are then translated into a warning that is received by the cane’s handle.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Design #3 **

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">By mimicking the structure of lotus leaves, German company Sto has created a line of self-cleaning paints that repel water and in return, remove and wash away dirt without the use of toxic detergents. This is quite ingenious as it ensures a more suitable lifetime of the product and reduces the release of toxins in the atmosphere.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">2. Read the article 'Using Nature as a Design Guide' at [] about Janine Benyus, creator of the burgeoning "biomimicry" movement. ****<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Write two paragraphs about what interests you most about biomimicry as a business model. **

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Biomimicry is a very interesting approach because of its ability to draw off and alter the “common sense” idea of nature’s 3.8 million year old solutions into fine engineering and incorporation to human design. As a business model, the research and development exists externally as physical creations; which goes far beyond the surface. With the assistance of a solid background in biology and natural science, one could hypothetically stumble upon solutions without having to fabricate an entire resolution from the imagination. The application of natural science to human designs requires a great amount of engineering as well.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">I am particularly interested in the Biomimicry Guild’s commitment to giving back to the natural form which inspires each design or product. As if the organization was granting compensation for a patent, the environments are directly benefiting from the income derived by the design they inspire and the sustainable measures taken in order to mimic the natural processes.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">4. Define the word ‘champions’ according to biomimicry and Janine Benyus. **

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Champions in biomimicry are the application of nature’s successful creations to solve design problems. As Benyus says, nature spent 3.8 billion years of research and development to allow natural life forms to continuously exist. By harnessing this information, designers are learning //from// as opposed to //about// nature with sustainability at the core of the movement.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">5. Write a one paragraph definition of ‘permaculture’. **

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Permaculture is a design concept and lifestyle guideline rooted in ethics that reflect natural systems to promote a “sustainable future” by looking at the interdependencies and relationships among ecosystems. Like many of the design movements we have learned, permaculture reinforces the triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) and focuses on the use of energy and resources to do so. Permaculture suggests the adjustment of our behaviour to reflect the permanence of a natural ecosystem in all aspects of human life. <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">Permaculture was co-orginated by David Holmgren and the concepts have been adapted from his work “//Permaculture Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability.”//