Natural Shapes - A Source of Inspiration For Eco-Design: Technical University of Moldova, Republic of Moldova
Natural Shapes - A Source of Inspiration For Eco-Design: Technical University of Moldova, Republic of Moldova
Natural Shapes - A Source of Inspiration For Eco-Design: Technical University of Moldova, Republic of Moldova
Abstract:
The study of nature forms, of cycles of existence of natural products as a source of inspiration and the familiarization for specialists, designers, constructors, technicians in the designing of a new generation of industrial products is outlined. In nature one can find even more constructive structures as a source of permanent creative inspiration in conceiving shapes and material products. By using the laws of nature evolution and harmonizing the function with the shape, modern design approaches suggest that humanity will succeed to conduct the ecological production of material goods. design, ecology, bionics, nature, construction, production.
Key words:
1.
INTRODUCTION
For centuries the nature has worked out and updated itself, creating forms and mechanisms of surviving, the analogies of which we may find within todays technical means: logo, planes, optical equipment, radiolocation equipment and navigation tools. The material world surrounding us is made up of objects that have shapes and aesthetic peculiarities. This is due to the fact that any form is the result of one of the processes as described below: a) Uncontrolled processes, in which the shape depends only on the conditions of the environment (e.g.: formation of mountains, rocks, river gravel), b) Processes that depend on the laws of physics and chemistry of nature and of their formation environment (e.g.: ice crystals),
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c) Processes guided genetically and by the conditions of the environment (e.g.: living organisms), d) Processes guided by human demands, insects, and animals and by the conditions of the environment (e.g.: the shape of the industrial products, beaver dams, bird nests, Figure 1).
Looking carefully, one can notice that all processes that contribute to the formation of the shapes of objects surrounding us are connected to a general factor the environment where they take place. So what is the connection between the shapes of nature and the shapes of human created products? where does the border between nature environment and environment created for satisfying human demands by engineer, designers and architects lie? Economic problems, the tendency towards the utmost utility of products with minimal material losses, the necessity of organizing and harmonizing the material and vital environment with the biosphere, the development of advanced technologies and of technical potential have made us to pay close attention to the processes and phenomena that happen in nature (Figure 2).
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Nature has been, is and will be an endless source of creative inspiration for humanity. By studying and analyzing natures formal and constructive processes, humanity has always solved and continues to solve many of its vital problems. Between the years 50s 60s, a new science emerged, the basis of which was the research for modeling of different viable systems. The emergence of this science that has been called bionics (from a Greek word meaning element of life) is the result of the active development of biophysics, biochemistry, cybernetics and cosmic biology.
2.
DEFINITIONS IN BIONICS
Bionics is the science of studying the basic principles of nature and the application of these principles and processes for finding solutions for the problems that humanity encounters [1]. Major Jack Steele, of the US Air force, used the term Bionics in 1960 to describe what was then an emerging research into interface between natural and synthetic systems. He defined bionics as the analysis of the ways in which living systems actually work and having discovered nature's tricks, embodying them in hardware [5]. The Concise Columbia encyclopedias define bionics as follows: Bionics study of living systems with the intention of applying their principles to the design of engineering systems.
Figure 3. Design for engineering and architectural structure alike to natural forms
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Bionics can be classified in five main categories as follows: Total mimicry - an object material chemical structure that is indistinguishable from the natural product e.g. early attempts to construct flying machines. Partial mimicry - a modified version of the natural product, e.g. artificial wood. Non-biological analogy functional mimicry, e.g. modern planes and use of airfoils. Abstraction the use of an isolated mechanism, e.g. fiber reinforcement of composites. Inspiration trigger for creativity, e.g. design for architectural and engineering constructions alike to plants, animals and insects (Figure 3). Bio-design is probably the oldest methodology of designing with real examples from all over the history of humanity. Probably the greatest beneficiary of this design methodology is the area of transportation and architectural design. Democritus (460 370 BC) wrote: The spider taught us to weave, the swallow to build houses.
3.
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The second stage lies between the first intentions of humanity to conceive esthetically the shapes of nature for material goods and the middle of the 19th century. Though this is a long period of time and comprises a variety of stages and styles, it is still based on one principle - the principle of nature mimicry. Decorative shapes of nature have been actively used for embellishing buildings, tools, arms, all along this period. Nevertheless, when studying this period one can notice the interpretation of some constructive and tectonic principles of nature. For example, the tectonics of columns mimed the tectonics of tree trunks, the constructive logics of styles of Greek temples actually repeats the stems of plants or the backbone of animals, and the decorative and constructive ribs from gothic architecture the ribs of a green leaf. The intentions of applying the constructive methods of nature in the tectonics of material goods have been ineffective because of the insufficiency of technical possibilities. It was easier to imitate the shapes of nature in rock and clay with artistic purpose than to create a constructive system similar to the natural one (Figure 5).
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The third stage (the end of the 19th century the beginning of the 20th century) evolved under the auspices of the style Modern, in which the natural principles have more or less appeared in the constructive functionalstructural decorative concepts as a complex of solutions of the products shapes. Natural constructive principles of biology have influenced industry in construction (e.g. the invention of ferro-concrete, the intensive use of metal constructions and ceramics). The spatially developed buildings characteristic for the style Modern look very similar to certain structures of the nature. The traditional decorative elements of nature were present not only in the shapes of products, but also served the constructive functional structures for it. Teams of specialists of different professions (biologists, engineers, architects, designers, IT-specialists) are always in search of methods of harmonization between the shape and the function of industrial products that are natural in the shapes and structures of nature.
4.
It is well known that there is no shape without function in nature, as well as function without shape. Harmony between function and shape in the material world is one of the most important tasks of the todays designers. The shape of the product requires tectonization, i.e. matching the constructive functional structure and the used materials. The advanced technologies and the revolution that takes place in the study of materials
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allow us to create such shapes of industrial products that are in harmony with the environment where they are used or placed. It is in the nature where we find a large range of constructive tectonic systems. We shall outline just some of them, the ones that are connected to the shape of the products.
5. 5.1
A strong wind just bends the feeble stem of cereals, whereas a tree is withdrawn together with its roots or broken. On the basis of studying these principles sky-scrapers are being built (Figure 8).
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5.2
A unique construction, ideal from the point of view of durability, is the egg shell. The peculiarity of this structure consists not only of its geometrical shape. Even if the thickness of the egg shell is of only 0.3 mm, it has 7 layers, each of them having its own function, and the elastic coat that covers the egg on the inside transforms this shell in a construction with preventive tension. This type of structures is perhaps one of the most wide-spread one in building huge spaces, with great distances between the main stays, (e.g.: exhibition pavilions, cinema theatres, sport grounds) and requires little
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building materials, they are light, the depth of walls being of just several millimeters (Figure 9).
5.3
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Figure 11. Students projects of Industrial Design Department from Technical University of Moldova
The combination of these types of constructive-functional structures in the design and creation of product shapes may provide huge savings in material resources. In nature one could find even more constructive structures that supply us a source of permanent creative inspiration in conceiving shapes of material products. By using the laws of nature evolution, of harmonizing the function with the shape, humanity will succeed to conduct the ecological production of material goods. Not only designing the product itself is necessary, but also the designing of its cycle of existence from its production to its disposal. Nature offers us such great lessons and we must brilliantly assimilate them design for the environment.
REFERENCES
1. V. PAPANEK, Design for real world, Design pentru lumea real (Edit. Tehnic Bucureti 1997). 2. J. S. LEBEDEW, Arhitectur und Bionic (Moscow, Berlin 1983). 3. LE CORBUSIER, Sur les quatres, routes (Paris, 1965). 4. J. S. LEBEDEW, Arhitectural bionics (Moscow 1990). 5. F. LODATO, Bionics: Nature as a tool for product development (Cambridge USA 2001). 6. E. TJALVE, A short Course in Industrial Design (London-Boston Moscow 1984). 7. V. PODBORSCHI, The bionic design for eco-design (Scientific Conference Modern technologies. Quality. Reconstruction T.C.M.R. 2002, 23 rd 25th May 2002, Iasi, Romania).
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8. I. VOLKOTRUB, The bases of artistic design (Kiev, 1982). 9. ***, Students projects of Industrial Design Department from Technical University of Moldova