The Exposé on the 'Bio'Masquerade of the Anthropogenic

The Exposé on the ‘Bio’ Masquerade of the Anthropogenic

On using nature to trick public perception

Written by Marco Flecha de Lima Cassone

The Exposé on the ‘Bio’ Masquerade of the Anthropogenic On using nature to trick human perception.

Written by Marco Flecha de Lima Cassone

ARC242 Instructors:

Professor Britt Eversole, M.A, M.Arch.

Professor Saba Salekfard, M.Arch.

Beatriz Cypriano, B.Arch.

Syracuse University School of Architecture

New York, USA

May 5th 2024

“Green issues have been used as a marketing tool. Sometimes these green issues are meaningless.”

- Frank Ghery

INTRODUCTION

Status is everything. The only matter in the mind of the collective of individuals in the sprawling conglomerates of cities that have been crawling throughout the entirety of the globe is how to showcase wealth and power. The insatiable search for wealth along with “the fervent quest for material well-being”1 have caused “the voracious accumulation of wealth”1 in the urban landscape, enabling the staggering possibility of a single person being within the grasp of the concept of a ‘trillionaire’ in the near future. Human greed is an unstoppable force driving the pace and development of societies1. As status and power are achieved, the more attention one gets and the bigger grows their ‘evil eye’. The inner hatred growing within a single species showcases how status has led to envy, and envy leads to the need to offset one’s greed with good actions that will accumulate a group of supporters of one’s unrealistic hierarchical growth within the economy.

The need to showcase goodness has led to what often is encountered in design as Greenwashing. Often, products of design are merely appealing to the naive mind of the public to acquire their approval by generating products that appear sustainable and ‘green’, furthering the capitalist strategy that will then incentivize the acquisition of these ‘green’ items. Green becomes merely a word to describe anything associated, tied, blended, conveyed, built by nature. It’s a term so broad that the line between sustainability and green has been blurred and the distinction between them requires true knowledge, which is the most important tool of capitalism for fooling the mind of the perceiver, that a creation is green. The persuasion of sustainability by vast accumulators of wealth “translates into a simple strategy: push liability down the hierarchy”7, offsetting the negatives of their extreme practices.

Given the opportunity to participate in the hoax of ‘green’, designers have often abandoned their duty to their designs as elements of the world, entities that receive sun and interact with time to develop a piece that will attend the social approval requirements, that will appeal to the simple mind of the viewer and trick a majority to believing that an item that looks green, is sustainable. The “man-nature divide”1 has caused for a struggle for the simple mind to identify true nature from nature-looking; hypercapitalism sits behind the general cause of greenwashing but also of the unrecognizability of true nature, as described by Mohamed El-Kamel:

“Throughout this process of wealth creation, nature, as an independent entity, has been largely excluded from this equation and has existed only as a source of raw materials or a recipient of industrial and chemical waste… consider the rise of modern capitalism as the main cause of human society’s alienation from nature.”1

In a dying environment that was not designed to sustain human greed, the need for differentiating sustainable from green becomes a tool needed by every human to understand how their time on earth is scarring and to offset the fact the “the general public still remains somewhat unmindful of the concept and unfamiliar with the term.”5 Architecture and its design entailings have been known for leaving a permanent mark on the surface of the earth and the appeal nature has had to humanity and an appearance of hope has created a term coined in the 1930s named Biomorphism by Geoggrey Grigson.

As the awareness of the need for sustainable structures rises and the search for structures that will last for extended periods of time without long lasting carbon footprint effects, the exploration of biomorphism and its perception must shift from a structure that imitates nature to a building brought along by nature, it’s understanding must adapt to distinguish “between form and formation.”9

UNDERSTANDINGS

Through the progression of ideas, it is essential to understand the terms in discussion. At first the two main terms of this exhibition are Biomorphism and Greenwashing, these come together to expose the ‘bio’masquerade developed by the anthropogenic (the natural impact of human existence), that meaning, the use of biomorphism as resembling the appearance of nature to distract and extrapolate the obscurity of individual status infamy and generate what can be understood as the positive perception of the public over the act of green-incorporation in product design (objects, structures, etc.).

Biomorphism is a design style that has been present in architecture since before Antoni Gaudi (1850s), it defines a structure that incorporates natural forms and shapes into architecture and design. It involves mimicking organic shapes (also found as the term biomimicking), patterns, and textures to create structures and objects that blend in with their surroundings. It’s a term modernly used to describe the appearance of nature in design even if it is only symbolically represented, but truly, it highlights a trend and style that characterizes the incorporation of greenwashing into design.

Greenwashing is the practice of making false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service. In other words, it’s hiding the true impact of a structure by making it look like it’s a natural element. Whoever designs, sponsors or is involved in the solidification of a biomorphic design is in fact attempting to offset the impact of human development, and their individual development is truly creating a barrier between human and natural existence.

It is important to clarify the contrast between the following three concepts: a product that looks green created by nature, a product that looks green but has no natural emergence, and products that do not appear sustainable but utilize sustainable materials. It is important to emphasize that the perception incorporated for this exhibit should be that of Biomorphism and its two pathways: naturally occurring and natural imitation. The choice of a sustainable product or materials as characterized by Wright extending biomorphism/mimicking “to include natural design processes… to include nature’s special use of materials”10 for the construction of the project does not favor the understanding of this topic as biomorphism and the reintegration of nature in design.

EVALUATIONS

The line between designing using nature and designing like nature has become increasingly blurred, generating a drawback on the advancement of natural design as it is replaced by natural mimicking. Biomorphism, the movement of imitating natural forms and processes, has become a popular approach in sustainable design. However, this trend raises important questions about the authenticity of sustainable design and the role of architecture in addressing environmental issues.

On one hand, biomorphism can be approached in a form that is subsequently a cause of greenwashing, prioritizing aesthetics over performance. By emulating natural forms, architects can create the illusion of harmony between human-made structures and nature, while in reality, the building’s design simply appeals to the targeted population being deceived by the attempt of hyper capitalistic greed to be associated with positive impact. This tactic can be used to alleviate the guilt associated with the true impact of human structures on the environment, perpetuating a false narrative of sustainability. Biomorphism can distract from the actual environmental consequences of a building’s construction and operation, such as energy consumption, resource depletion, and waste generation. Examples like Aguahoja by Neri Oxman exemplify this approach, where biomorphism is used to create visually striking structures that mimic natural forms but may not revolutionize the factual process of material creation as, in this case, the architect is still strongly attached the the concept of “parametricity”10 and the material is still fabricated through the exploration of forests to acquire “cellulose, chitin, and pectin―the very same materials found in trees, crustaceans and apple skins”9, showcasing the continued need for exploration of natural resources in order to produce the product instead of utilizing the natural growth and emergence of nature to solidify the infrastructure.

Another extrapolation of natural appearance masking structural reinforcement is the use of parametric design tools like Grasshopper. which can create complex, organic shapes that appear sustainable but lack actual natural involvement. For instance, Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Centre features flowing, curvilinear forms that evoke natural shapes, but require extensive reinforcement and materials usage, compromising the building’s opportunity to develop a structure factually organic and simply relating the design to an organic shape, Aizenberg described biomimetics as a tool “to mimic high- tech solutions that nature can give us… to create new materials and devices that outperform [what] we have today”3. Thus, the use of biomorphism in architecture can be perceived as deceiving greenwashing, creating a visual illusion of harmony with nature while potentially masking the building’s actual environmental impact, relating to the questioning of the authenticity of sustainable design within the biomorphism movement.

Biomorphism serves to hide human impact by disguising built environments as natural formations. For example, buildings with curved, leaf-like roofs or columns that resemble tree logs can blend into their surroundings, creating a conversation between human-made structures and nature, uniting both concepts as one. This approach can also be used to mask infrastructure, such as green roofs or living walls, that help mitigate the environmental impact of human activities but that subliminally are actually requiring more structural reinforcement to be created. By mimicking nature, biomorphism creates a visual illusion that conceals human impact, creating a more subtle and integrated relationship between built and natural environments..

Meanwhile, biomorphism can be an approach tool of innovative and sustainable design when treated as “a science of nature in which nature is treated as a source for… design that can be emulated”6, embracing self-organization and natural growth processes observed in the non-human occurrence of formation4. This perspective, demonstrated in projects like Catedrale Vegetale by Giuliano Mauri, blurs the boundaries between nature and architecture, allowing nature to become an active participant in the design process. By recognizing and collaborating with natural systems, architects can create regenerative and resilient structures that minimize their ecological footprint and establish architecture as not a separate entity from the natural world, but an extension of the Earth’s own geological processes and “as an inspiring source of knowledge”3. This approach goes beyond superficial biomorphism and engages with the Earth’s own self-organizing principles, unfolding in harmony with natural inherent organization and growth.

The driving force behind the superficial approach to biomorphism is hypercapitalism and greed. The insatiable search for wealth and power has led to a culture of status and competition, where showcasing wealth has been offset by sustainability, transforming natural design in a marketing tool. Greenwashing has become a common practice in design, where products and buildings are made to appear sustainable and ‘green’ to appeal to the public’s desire for environmental responsibility. However, this approach is often mere window dressing, lacking genuine commitment to sustainability. Greenwashing solely develops its own form of ‘green ornamentation’ caused by hypercapitalism and outputting superficial sustainability, rather than design in symbiosis with nature, where human creativity and natural systems collaborate to create new, hybrid ecosystems. Thus, “symbiosis increasingly” is allowed to “form the paradigm” of “design” in “many areas”2.Green has become a buzzword, used to describe anything associated with nature, without necessarily prioritizing the involvement of natural processes, the key to the development of self emerging natural designs, key concept to this exploration.

True biomorphic design in architecture requires a holistic approach that considers the building’s entire lifecycle, materials, and energy usage, rather than just adding aesthetic green features. By embracing self-organization and natural growth processes, architects can create regenerative and resilient structures that prioritize co-creation of human spaces along with the natural occurring structures, generating a built environment that acts as an extension of the

Earth’s crust and develop a symbiotic relationship between human-made landscapes and natural ones, developing a collaboration that forms a new hybrid form of space where architecture emerges from nature in the“organic marriage”10 described by Bruno Zevi. This approach requires a fundamental shift in our understanding of design and our role as participants of the natural world. It requires for the human agency in the design process of the civil space to be reevaluated, from a dominant, controlling force to a collaborative, co-creative partner with emerging structures, aligning our design processes with the already existing natural processes and patterns.

By reapproaching design as an emergent form instead of an assembled one, design can begin to be explored as a natural occurring process, expediting the opportunity for such form of Terra-Genesis, a term combining “terra” (earth) and “genesis” (creation), describing a design approach that accelerates and enhances the Earth’s own processes by constructing our environments using the natural sprawling that is already occurring in our surroundings, creating new, regenerative environments. This concept allows biomorphism to be embodied in the term Terraverde, which combines “terra” (earth) and “verde” (green) to describe a design approach that integrates human creations with the natural world, blurring the lines between built and natural environments. By embracing Terra-Genesis and Terraverde, architects can create buildings and cities that not only minimize their ecological footprint but also actively extend the natural world and its own process of spatial creation. By embracing biomorphism as a form of Terra-Genesis, we can create buildings and cities that not only coexist with nature but also enhance and regenerate the natural world. Not only would the design barrier that separates the human and natural world into different entities be unified through the preexisting systems but it would also serve as a bridge between nature and architecture, allowing us to reimagine the relationship of society with the environment.

The controversy surrounding biomorphism highlights the urgency of creation beyond superficial sustainability and embracing genuine environmental overlook. By recognizing the potential for biomorphism to become a form of Terra-Genesis, we can create buildings and cities that not only minimize their ecological footprint but also actively engage with the natural world . Our designs should be inspired by and aligned with the planet’s natural processes and patterns, rather than merely imitating them. By working as co-creators with nature, biomorphism can create a more harmonious and regenerative relationship between humanmade and natural landscapes that negates the use of ‘green’ as a simple methodology of ornamentation. It pushes design to not only use nature but design like nature.

RESOLUTIONS

In conclusion, the true essence of biomorphism lies not in superficial mimicry, but in embracing nature as an integral part of the design process. By recognizing that the act of designing and building is a natural process itself, akin to the growth and formation of natural systems, we can reevaluate our role as designers and creators. Rather than humans imposing their will on nature, the process of design can be done in harmony with the Earth’s own geological and biological processes to create structures and materials that resonate with the planet’s natural occurrences, such as Lazaris’ text on the spinning of spider silk8.

This nuanced understanding of biomorphism and organic design has significant implications for the current understanding of proper biomorphic design. By exploring new materials, technologies, and construction methods that mimic and enhance natural processes, we can create buildings, cities, and landscapes that not only coexist with the natural world but also utilize their pre-existing processes and self-organization methods to construct our spaces. The concept of Terraverde, which combines “terra” (earth) and “verde” (green) to describe a design approach that integrates human creations with the natural world, offers a compelling vision for a form of biomorphism where architecture and nature are indistinguishable.

As we move forward, it’s essential to avoid the illusion of “doing wrong for the right reasons” by merely imitating nature without truly understanding its underlying principles, that is, to use “biomimetic technologies that just pretend to mimic nature in order to safeguard the future of planet Earth”3, but once there is a thorough exploration of the presence of a structure and its relationship to nature, it unveils to “be characterized by the exploitation of nature”3.Instead, it becomes biomorphism’s underlying consistency to embrace natural geo-mimetic design (constructing through the emulation of natural geological processes), and other approaches that seek to learn from and enhance natural occurrences. By incorporating natural patterns and forms into our designs, biomorphism can create structures that reflect the planet’s functional intelligence and “promote harmony between human habitation and natural environment”10. And by exploring innovative materials and technologies, such as bioluminescent buildings or self-healing structures, design can push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Ultimately, biomorphic architecture depends on the designer’s ability to rethink the relationship between man-made and nature and recognize that we are not separate from the natural world, but an integral part of its evolution. By embracing this understanding and exploring new design paradigms that embrace the Earth’s own intelligence and self-organizing principles, biomorphism can create a built environment that not only coexists with nature but also celebrates and enhances its self-occuring intelligence. As Professor Nina Wilson’s research at Syracuse University on using fungus to grow bricks shows, the possibilities to grow structures similarly to nature is possible, incentivizing to work with nature, rather than against

it, that is, establishing the relationship with nature described by Tim Ingold of “organismin-its-environment”6 instead of a “self-contained individual”6 resisting the presence and intelligence of nature.

Ideally, the natural guidance by humans to form design would involve constructing a vessel for nature to then occupy and after its complete, the “mold” could be removed and nature would not only be the structure but also enclose the space. For instance, if fungus was directed to grow in a specific direction or if termites were guided as to where to construct their nests, the structures predating human knowledge could then become the new design intelligence of the spaces we occupy.

EXHIBITION COLLECTION INTRODUCTION

Exerio culparc hicabo. Ulluptas rent.

As we navigate the complex intersection of human design and the natural world, we are met with a profound realization: our creations have the power to both harm and heal the planet. This exhibition invites you to reflect on your perceptions of natural design biomorphic design thinking.

Through a curated selection of works and immersive experiences, we will delve into the dynamic relationship between humanity and the natural world. We will explore the ways in which our designs can not only coexist with, but also become natural with the use of the intelligence of the earth.

Observe the following collection and uncover the potential for a new wave of nature-integrated design, one that not only sustains, but regenerates and revitalizes its surrounding environments.

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

Designed By Antoni Gaudi

To introduce the exhibition, we can begin by taking a look at the design of La Sagrada Familia, one of the most famous architectural works in the world. The design of the structure follows an extraordinarily biomorphic concept. The design of the church is composed of major spires that resemble the appearance of corals and, once inside the structure, the columns that hold up the design mimic the branching of a tree, with a trunk touching at the ground and the branches reaching for the ceiling.

La Sagrada Família exemplifies biomorphism’s tension between natural inspiration and resource depletion. While the design is of complete resemblance to nature, the apparent design disguises the unsustainable consequences of the construction. Being made from Montjuic stone, only found in a very specific region of Barcelona, the construction and its long construction period led to the depletion of the quarries in which they are found, exposing the negative affliction of the structure that is otherwise obstructed by the natural appearance it possesses. In other words, the use of biomorphic design in this case tackles the previously debated topic about biomorphism’s relationship with environmental responsibility and the importance of considering the ecological footprint of design choices. Furthermore, the church as an institution which exists within capitalism and is known for great retention of political and economical power utilizes this form of greenwashing to illustrate a potential environmental connection and positive association between the institution, the religion and nature.

FIGURE 2 - La Sagrada Famiglia by Antoni Gaudi (Headout n.d.)

HEYDAR ALYEV CENTER

Designed By Zaha Hadid

The Heydar Aliyev Center is a cultural center in Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by Zaha Hadid. The architect, well known for parametric design and the futuristic styles of her designs, has constructed this structure evoking a sense of fluidity and dynamism, reminiscent of naturally occurring forms such as waves or sand dunes.

Yet, while the structure appears to happen organically, it does not come into being naturally. Zaha Hadid’s parametric design creates an organic, flowing form, but relies on human creation rather than natural processes. The use of advanced technology and strongly reinforced materials to support the variously angled elements of the design highlights the tension between natural inspiration and human application. This piece questions the role of technology in biomorphic design and separates the notion of biomorphism as a naturally occurring, self-organizing process. This way, the design utilizes a natural appearance inspired by the organically occurring events in order to steer away the view of the untrained mind of the public from the carbon footprint and the assembly requirements of the design. Thus, the biomorphic appearance masks a much deeper occurring event of material exploitation and unsustainable development, it alludes to a form that appears organic but is entirely human-made.

FIGURE 3 - Drawing of Heydar Aliyev Centre by Zaha Hadid (Zaha Hadid Architects 2012)

GARDENS BY THE BAY

Designed By WilkinsonEyre

When it comes to the construction of a park, the naturalistic intentions behind the design and assembly compile various positively associated, naturally occurring processes. Parks incorporate into the urban landscape the naturally occurring emergence. Gardens by the Bay is a park in Singapore featuring iconic structures called Supertrees, designed by WilkinsonEyre. These towering structures mimic the forms of trees, with a trunk, branches, and leaves, mimicking the natural growth of nature. Yet, the structure is constructed with the use of reinforced concrete in order to support the loads applied to it from its system-web of organisms that attach onto the facade.

The Supertrees are not only visually striking but also serve as functional elements, providing shade, collecting rainwater, and supporting a variety of plants and flowers. While the structure serves a strong sustainable function, the utilization of carbonheavy materials to assemble it brings into question the occurrence of naturally emerging biomorphic design. The utilization of plants and the biomimetic design masquerade the assembly process and the formation of the Supertrees and bring into the design a positive appeal to the natural inclusion and sustainable awareness of the design. Essentially, the stemming branches and layers of plants that cover the structures are precisely greenwashing the otherwise steel and concrete structure to which these are attached. Yet, the growth of vegetation over other naturally occurring nature is a commonly seen event in the natural environment, such as vines and orchids that crawl and attach onto tree trunks and cover the natural structure with more layers of organic material.

This way, it questions why one wouldn’t instead of creating a structure that resembles and acts as a natural element, implement a natural element that would serve as vessel to these organisms and are designed to support such loads, as it already occurs in various biomes.

FIGURE 4 - Gardens by the Bay by WilkinsonEyre (Marina Bay Sands 2023)

CORREDOR VERDE

Designed By Alexandra Aguiar

In an attempt to increase the vegetation of the more heavily urbanized urban passageways, the municipality of Sao Paulo proposed the construction of the Corredor Verde, a vertical garden in Sao Paulo, Brazil, designed by Alexandra Aguiar. This design integrates natural vegetation and human-made structures, creating a dialogue between nature and architecture. The vertical garden is composed of a series of planters and trellises that support a variety of plants and flowers, blurring the clashing between naturally occurring systems and human built environments.

Similarly to the supertrees in Gardens by the Bay, the design employs the utilization of heavy carbon-emitting materials (especially steel) in order to assemble the structure and integrate the natural landscape into the pre-existing infrastructure. In this scenario, we are able to observe a significantly more common scenario than the construction of massive installations to house plants: vertical gardens. This structure employs especially the tools of reformation, revisiting a previous structure in order to make it ‘green’. This object of the exhibition correlates to the discussion of ‘green ornament’ where the natural landscape is forcibly encapsulated into the structure without allowing for the natural processes of growth and emergence to take over the building.

The intrigue in this scenario is similar. Why not allow nature to grow within naturally formed walls (bamboo screen) instead of attaching nature to additional human construction parts (steel) to make a structure look green? The use of vines for instance would have allowed for the structure to be taken over by nature in an emergent and natural process.

FIGURE 5 - Corredor Verde by Alexandra Aguiar (Bernas 2018).

THE CAVE

Designed By Amy & Bryant Gingerich

The Cave is a design by Amy & Bryant Gingerich, a design studio known for their biomorphic and sustainable designs. The Cave is a structure that implements the natural forms of the cave surrounding it, with undulating walls and a curved ceiling. The design is intended to create a sense of natural wonder and connection to the earth.

The Cave’s design approaches biomorphism but is limited by human planning, straining away from natural emergence. The use of a naturally emerged envelope, created by geological process, shapes an infrastructure that creates a sense of natural wonder, but the rigid structure that composes the design of the actual building impede the natural occurring sheltering process by involving human intervention, corrupting the notion of biomorphism being a self-organizing and emerging form of design. For instance, the utilization of rapidly growing vegetation that could be later petrified, or perhaps a high-coverage natural element could have been solutions for the exposed facade of the structure that would’ve allowed a self-organizing enclosure system. This piece showcases the challenges of balancing human creativity with natural processes in biomorphic design. Yet, this design begins to tackle proper biomorphism in our exhibition, where the construction within a cave gives the structure a naturally occurring aspect , but due to the very humanly structured and planned design it strains away from the concept of biomorphic design and reinstates un-natural design.

FIGURE 6 - The Cave by Amy & Bryant Gingerich (Barrier 2022)

HALF TREE HOUSE

Designed By Jacobschang Architecture

Half Tree House is a design by Jacobschang Architecture and is a very small residential unit. This item is a perfect example of a smaller scale example of biomorphic assembly, which extends the conversation established by the vertical gardens of Sao Paulo and the envelope structure of The Cave. In this scenario, instead of a naturally emerging envelope, the structure is exploring the biomorphic opportunities of structural design. The design combines natural elements with sustainable materials, creating a unique dialogue between nature and architecture. The structure is composed of a main body designed using simple human-project architecture, but the structure is supported utilizing trees as their point of support,

The project begins to utilize nature that has emerged naturally as part of the structural element, true biomorphism which looks like nature and is nature. Counteractively, the rest of the structure is simply made of sustainable materials but doesn’t resemble natural elements as is the understanding of biomorphism. This structure builds upon the previously discussed concept of learning from nature’s intelligence and the geologically occurring formations that embrace structural development of natural spaces. This piece demonstrates the possibilities of integrating natural and humanmade elements in design and furthers the concept of developing a hybrid symbiotic relationship between human spaces and natural organization.

FIGURE 7 - Half Tree House by Jacobshang Architecture (Jacobschang Architecture 2016) - Focus on tree supported joint.

AQUAHOJA

Designed By Neri Oxman

This piece by Neri Oxman and her research team, introduces a new phase of this exhibition. The Oxman studio is a research based group that develops the study of bioarchitecture and the extents of materials science and development. The Aquahoja is an example of that exploration.

The material explored in this object is a biopolymer constructed from the recycling of molecular components, including cellulose, chitin, and pectin―the very same materials found in trees, crustaceans and apple skin. All the elements of this piece are naturally selforganizing, but in order for the natural processes to occur, human intervention was required in order to organize the development system of the component. Once the polymer is combined, the biocomponents of the molecules begin to self-assemble once in water, which is why the material is able to self-organize in a natural occurring way.

In contrast, while the product assembles itself once in contact with water, the process for the self-organization and emergence of the naturally organized system of molecules that result in the leaf and wing-like texture is only possible with human intervention. While sustainable and partially self-assembling, utilizing recycled materials, in order for the project to obtain it’s cocoon appearance, it is a formation of plates molded by design that were then put together by human hands so that it would appear like a naturally occurring structure, but the natural appearance was only achieved by human assembly, breaking away from the self-organizing and emergent concept of biomorphism for the structural assembly.

FIGURE 1 - Aquahoja by Neri Oxman (Weaver, Oxman and Sharma 2018)

TREE COLUMN

Designed By Blast Studio

Having gone through the previous objects, this is the closest sample to true biomorphism observed. Tree column is a fungus based structural column that retains the breathable aspect of fungi but requires human application in order to obtain its shape. The object at hand is a 3D Printer assembled block that is constructed by the application of various micro-spores and fungus to a paste while still alive and assembled in a very curvaceous shape that resembles that of the shape of a tree.

Alike the Aquahoja, this project only obtains a natural appearance due to the form it was assembled, but contrastingly, this object is actively participating in the flow of air, respiration and life in the structure it is a member of. The tree trunk shaped column is organized in that way so it is able to retain the humidity and shades required by fungus to continue alive and maintaining the building block alive and showcasing a unique example of a symbiotic relationship between the natural world and human assembly. It becomes a scenario of hybrid design by human and natural organization and structuring. While the pillar is not quite self organizing besides the organization of the fungus as life block, it is emergent nonetheless, composed of fungus that grow and form the structure, allowing for naturally occurring structural composition and active, a structure that is alive and interacting with the natural and human.

FIGURE 9 - Tree Column by Blast Studio (Hahn 2022)

LA CATTEDRALE VEGETALE

Designed By Giuliano Mauri

At last, the Cattedrale Vegetale in Bergamo, Italy is the first sample of true self-organizing, emerging, and human cocreated biomorphism. The structure is constructed through the coordination of trees that emerge naturally to form a structural element and a space-defining element, only influenced by human activity when it comes to the guiding of the natural growth into the desired organization of the structure. The natural elements are guided by human interference to make it create columns, tying back to the concept of humans acting as co-creators of space in harmony with naturally occurring processes and allowing biomorphic design to occur naturally.

The structure is composed of a series of arches and columns made of grown trees (still grounded to the floor), which support a roof and walls covered in the vegetation that cover the natural vegetation and create the envelope of the structure (formed by the foliage of the natural components themselves.La Cattedralle Vegetale combines human guidance and natural emergence, demonstrating biomorphism’s potential for co-creation. The integration of natural vegetation and human-guided structuring creates a unique dialogue between nature and architecture that encourages designers to embrace natural processes in their work and consider the possibilities of co-creation utilizing the naturally occurring support systems of self-organizing and emerging nature. This becomes a prime example of the concept developed by Terraverde, where nature is allowed to coexist and hybridize the space humans interact with.

FIGURE 8 - La Cattedralle Vegetale by Giuliano Mauri (“Cattedrale Vegetale”: A Cathedral in Italy Made of Living Trees 2023)

SILK PAVILLION

Designed By Neri Oxman

In contrast to the previous piece by Neri Oxman, this exploration of assembly in material science is a stepping stone for the formation of an envelope that is entirely self-organizing and emerging. While the other object presented by the office required human assembly in order to obtain its natural appearance, this object only is able to self-assemble as long as given a framework to define its space.

This object is yet another example of co-creation of form between human-guidance and natural emergence. By placing the silk worms onto the structure, they begin to assemble the envelope of the form naturally, as it is coded by their natural intelligence and self-organization instinct. This allows for the object to emerge into existence from a natural intelligence system that occurs from the biological programs of nature.

A discussion explored in the resolutions of this exhibition explored the concept of “organism-in-its-environment”6 engaged by Tim Ingold. This product highlights the opportunity of design to grow nature-like and embracing the naturally occurring envelope systems of previously existing organisms which allow for the augmentation of the processes of Terra-Genesis.

FIGURE 10 - Silk Pavillion by Neri Oxman (Esquel Group 2021)

BIOMIMETIC MOUND

Designed By Frontiers in Materials

The final object of this exhibition is a Biomimetic Mound building which is an idealized but not yet constructed structure guided by biomorphism. The concept was initially conceived by a group of English researchers and was later developed by the italian group Frontiers in Materials. The concept explores the organization of “egress complexes” , a name given to the formation created by termites during the process of construction of their nests.

The structure explores the concept of tunnels that seek for the fastest way of departure from a structure. This exploration is a prime example of the discussion of human utilization of the natural intelligence, where some developments that occur naturally build upon the discussion of natural technologies being even further ahead than human engineering. The same was observed during a study in Tokyo utilizing a slime mold and nutrient points where the fungus was able to establish the fastest points of connections for nutrient transfer between the different nutrient points and was then able to construct the fastest method of transportation between the points, which would then be reinterpreted as metro systems that would transfer not nutrient but instead, people.

To further the biomorphic occurrence of this object, the structure would explore the formation of termite mounds in Brazil and utilize the egress complex not only for ventilation but also utilize the construction methods of termites (naturally occurring) to cast a mold within which these insects would be able to construct their system of tunnels and along with it the envelope of the structure guided by the mold. Not only would the termine egress complex allow for the perfect ventilation characteristic to the formation of their nests to be in the building, but would also allow for the emergence of the human space to be naturally occurring and emergent from insect-based nest assemblies, furthered by the biomimetic exploration of the material organization of termite mounds.

FIGURE 11 - Biomimetic Mound by Frontiers in Materials (Biomimetic Architecture: Termite Mounds Enable Breathing Buildings n.d.)

TABLE OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1 - Weaver, James, Neri Oxman, and Sharma. 2018. Aquahoja. MIT Media Lab. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.behance.net/gallery/77900293/Aguahoja.

FIGURE 2 - Headout. n.d. Sagrada Familia Guided Tours | Explore the Rich History & Architecture of Gaudi’s Masterpiece. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://sagradafamilia.barcelona-tickets. com/guided-tours/.

FIGURE 3 - Zaha Hadid Architects. 2012. Heydar Aliyev Centre. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://archello. com/project/heydar-aliyev-center.

FIGURE 4 - Marina Bay Sands. 2023. Gardens By The Bay Singapore. August 10. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.marinabaysands.com/guides/around-mbs/gardens-by-the-bay.html.

FIGURE 5 - Bernas, Frederick. 2018. VIDEO. “Green Corridor” in Sao Paulo—a Gray City Going Green. May 23. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://emag.archiexpo.com/green-corridor-in-saopaulo-a-gray-city-going-green/.

FIGURE 6 - Barrier, Katherine. 2022. You Can Stay in a Cave House During Your Next Visit to Hocking Hills. December 5. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/ you-can-stay-in-a-cave-house-during-your-next-visit-to-hocking-hills/Slide show/14341015.

FIGURE 7 - Jacobschang architecture. 2016. Half-Tree House. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.archdai ly.com/883092/half-tree-house-jacobschang-architecture.

FIGURE 8 - “Cattedrale Vegetale”: A Cathedral in Italy Made of Living Trees. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://art-sheep.com/cattedrale-vegetale-a-cathedral-in-italy-made-of-living-trees/.

FIGURE 9 - Hahn, Jennifer. 2022. Blast Studio 3D prints column from mycelium to make “architecture that could feed people”. January 18. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.dezeen. com/2022/01/18/blast-studio-tree-column-mycelium-design/.

FIGURE 10 - Esquel Group. 2021. Oxman’s Silk Pavilion II arrives at Integral. January 6. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.esquel.com/news/oxman%E2%80%99s-silk-pavilion-ii-ar rives-integral.

FIGURE 11 - Biomimetic Architecture: Termite Mounds Enable Breathing Buildings. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.imnovation-hub.com/construction/biomimetic-architec ture-termites/?_adin=02021864894.

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