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Le biomimétisme est une approche de design grandissante et perçue comme prometteuse en termes d’innovation et de résolution de problèmes. Elle est considérée comme une stratégie de développement possédant un vaste potentiel en respect des perspectives de durabilité. Des études récentes démontrent cependant une situation contradictoire. La pratique biomimétique est qualifiée comme technocentriste et bio-exclusive. Cette situation est symptomatique d’une discontinuité entre les programmes de la durabilité et de la biomimétique. Le déploiement de la typologie de Nigel Cross comme outil conceptuel permet d’analyser le contexte méthodologique du biomimétisme d’une manière révélatrice : l’étude biologique du design nécessite d’être formalisée sous la bannière du biomimétisme. Pour y parvenir, un examen de littérature sur l’application du cadre darwinien, génétique et des méthodes de classification sur la culture matérielle est réalisé. Cet examen méthodologique permet d’introduire les mécanismes d’évolution à la théorie du design comme les mécanismes de conception de l’objet de design, soit comme un modèle ontogénique cohérent et formalisé. L’examen procède aussi à l’analyse de l’usage des méthodes de classification du règne artificiel et permet de formuler un modèle ontologique des objets de design. Ensemble ces modèles ontogéniques et ontologiques constituent un modèle descriptif complémentaire de microévolution et de macroévolution. Finalement le besoin d’un modèle de durabilité est abordé. Basé sur les modèles descriptifs précédents, le principe biologique d’adaptation est proposé comme modèle de durabilité à caractère évolutionniste pour la pratique biomimétique. / Biomimicry is a growing design approach perceived as promising in terms of innovation and problem solving. It is considered a development strategy possessing a vast potential regarding durability prospects. Nevertheless, recent studies report a contradictory situation. Biomimicry is described as techno centrist and bio-exclusive. This situation is symptomatic of a discontinuity between the biomimicry and the durability programs. The implementation of Nigel Cross’s typology as a conceptual device enables us to analyze the methodological context of biomimicry in an insightful manner: the biological study of design remains to be formalized under the biomimicry umbrella. To achieve this, a literature review examining the application of the Darwinian and genetics framework, as well as the classification methods upon our material culture is carried out. This review allows us to introduce the known evolutionary mechanisms to design theory as the development mechanisms of the designed object. This constitutes a cohesive and formalized ontogeny model. The review proceeds to analyze the applications of classification methods on the artificial realm which allows to formulate an ontological model on the designed object. Together these models form a complementary descriptive model of micro and macroevolution. Finally, the need for a model of sustainability is addressed. Based upon the aforementioned descriptive models, the biological principle of adaptation is presented as an evolutionary model of sustainability for biomimetic design practice.

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Biological organisms, phenomena and strategies, herein referred to as biological systems, provide a rich set of analogies that can be used to inspire engineering innovation. Biologically-inspired, or biomimetic, designs are publicly viewed as creative and novel solutions to human problems. Moreover, some biomimetic designs have become so commonplace that it is hard to image life without them (e.g. velcro, airplanes). Although the biologically- inspired solutions are innovative and useful, the majority of inspiration taken from nature has happened by chance observation, dedicated study of a specific biological entity (e.g., gecko), or asking a biologist to explain the biology in simple terms. This reveals a fundamental problem of working across the engineering and biological domains. The effort and time required to become a competent engineering designer creates significant obstacles to becoming sufficiently knowledgeable about biological systems (the converse can also be said). This research aims to remove the element of chance, reduce the amount of time and effort required to developing biologically-inspired solutions, and bridge the seemingly immense disconnect between the engineering and biological domains. To facilitate systematic biologically-inspired design, a design methodology that relies on a framework of tools and techniques that bridge the two domains is established. The design tools and techniques that comprise the framework achieve: Identification of relevant biological solutions based on function; translation of identified biological systems of interest; functional representation of biological information such that it can be used for engineering design activities; and conceptualization of biomimetic engineering designs. Using functional representation and abstraction to describe biological systems presents the natural designs in an engineering context and allows designers to make connections between biological and engineered systems. Thus, the biological information is accessible to engineering designers with varying biological knowledge, but a common understanding of engineering design methodologies. This work has demonstrated the feasibility of using systematic design for the discovery of innovative engineering designs without requiring expert-level knowledge, but rather broad knowledge of many fields. / Graduation date: 2011

Depuis la dernière décennie, le biomimétisme est une discipline en plein essor dans le monde du design durable. De plus en plus, cette stratégie prend place dans plusieurs facettes du design, que ce soit dans le design industriel, dans l’architecture ou encore dans le design urbain. Le livre de Janine Benyus intitulé Biomimétisme: Quand la Nature Inspire des Innovations Durables (1997) est largement reconnu comme étant le catalyseur de la stratégie et comme l’indique le titre du livre, le biomimétisme est très souvent associé à l’innovation. Le but principal de cette recherche est de mieux comprendre le lien entre le biomimétisme et l’innovation. Cette recherche sur le biomimétisme comprend un objectif mineur et deux objectifs majeurs. Le premier objectif cherche à comprendre le véritable lien entre le biomimétisme et l’écodesign. Le second objectif vise non seulement à valider la théorie selon laquelle le biomimétisme est une stratégie menant à des solutions de design innovantes, mais également à établir quels types d’innovations ont été générés par cette stratégie. Finalement, le troisième objectif est d’identifier les aspects du biomimétisme qui mènent à des solutions de design innovantes. Pour accomplir ces objectifs, cette recherche utilisera une approche qualitative supportée par des études de cas et une revue de littérature. Afin de contextualiser les deux derniers objectifs, cette étude établit que le biomimétisme et l’écodesign sont des stratégies complémentaires plutôt qu’en compétition. Les conclusions de cette recherche démontrent que la théorie proposant que le biomimétisme soit une stratégie d’innovation est valide et que la discipline est surtout apte à générer l’innovation radicale. Finalement, la recherche indique que l’analogie de distance et la transdisciplinarité sont les deux aspects du biomimétisme aidant à produire des solutions de design innovantes. Le biomimétisme est mieux connu dans le contexte du design durable et cette recherche permet de mieux comprendre le biomimétisme dans le contexte de l’innovation. Considérant que le biomimétisme est une discipline qui suscite beaucoup d’intérêt des milieux académiques et privés, cette recherche participe à l’expansion de la connaissance sur le sujet et propose de nouvelles pistes de recherche sur le biomimétisme et l’innovation. / Biomimicry is a growing design discipline that has gained much recognition throughout the last decade in sustainable design. The bioinspired design approach is finding its way across design disciplines from product design to architecture and urban design. The book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, by Janine Benyus is credited to launch the design movement and as indicated in the title, biomimicry is often presented as a strategy for design innovation. The goal of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of biomimicry in the context of innovation. This study has two principal objectives and a minor objective. The first objective aims at understanding the correlation between biomimicry and ecodesign. The second objective is to validate the notion that biomimicry is a strategy supporting design innovation by establishing what kinds of innovation has been spawned by this approach. And finally the third objective is to identify the aspects of biomimicry that lead to innovative design solutions. To fulfill these objectives, this research will employ a qualitative approach and supported literature review and case studies. To contextualize the last two objectives, the study clarifies that the qualitative approach of biomimicry and the quantitative approach of ecodesign are actually complimentary and thus together form a more comprehensive approach to sustainable design. The findings of this study also validate that biomimicry supports innovation, specifically radical innovation. To finalize, the study demonstrates that the two aspects of biomimicry responsible for innovation are the use of distant analogy and transdisciplinarity. Biomimicry is typically observed in the context of sustainability and this thesis aims to observe and understand biomimicry in the context of innovation. Given the growing interest in biomimicry by academia and the private sector, this research also will propose new paths of research in biomimicry and innovation and thus hopefully provoke new insights on the subject.

Les polymersomes, obtenus par auto-assemblage en solution aqueuse de copolymères à blocs amphiphiles en structure vésiculaire, sont présentés comme d’excellent mimes synthétiques des virus, dont les propriétés membranaires – principalement élasticité, perméabilité, fonctionnalité- peuvent être très proches. Il y a ainsi un fort engouement quant à leur utilisation en biotechnologie et surtout en vectorisation d’actifs pharmaceutiques ou cosmétiques. Afin d’aller encore plus loin dans le biomimétisme ou la bio-inspiration, une étape devait être franchie : encapsuler ces polymersomes les uns dans les autres. Ce cloisonnement ou multi-compartimentalisation permet de mimer cette fois la structure d’une cellule dite eukaryote, elle-même constituée de compartiments internes (organelles) et d’un cytoplasme (lui conférant entre autres une certaine stabilité mécanique) contenues dans le compartiment externe représenté par la membrane cellulaire. Toutefois, l’obtention d’un simple mime structural d’une structure si complexe représente déjà un challenge en soi, nécessitant maîtrise de la physico-chimie des systèmes, de la stabilisation des interfaces et des outils de formulation. Une méthode d’émulsion-centrifugation a été développée et a permis d’obtenir de telles structures compartimentalisées (mimes d’organelles) à cavité gélifiée (mime de cytoplasme). Finalement, différentes voies d’exploitation de ces systèmes sont présentées, allant de l’encapsulation multiple, la libération contrôlée jusqu’au développement de réactions enzymatiques en cascade confinées, mimant ainsi le métabolisme cellulaire. / Amphiphilic block copolymers self-assemble in water into vesicles, coined “polymersomes”; these vesicles are described as excellent synthetic mimics of viral capsids due to the resemblance of their respective membrane properties (in terms of elasticity, permeability, and functionality). As a result, they were massively investigated over the last years regarding applications in biotechnology and more particularly for the targeted delivery of pharmaceutical or cosmetic actives.In order to go further towards bio-inspiration and cell biomimicry, the next step required the encapsulation of polymersomes in other polymersomes. This multicompartmentalization indeed enables to mimic the structure of an eukaryotic cell; an outer cellular membrane compartment encloses internal compartments (organelles) and a cytoplasm responsible amongst others for a certain mechanic stability. However, alone the controlled formation of a system mimicking such a complex structure represents a technological challenge in terms of control over the physical chemistry of these systems, the stabilization of their interfaces and their formulation. A formation method based upon an emulsion-centrifugation has been developed and enabled the formation of such multicompartmentalized structures (organelle mimics) with a gelified lumen (cytoplasm mimic). Finally, various potential applications of these systems are presented: from multiple encapsulation, controlled drug release, to the development of enzymatic and confined cascade reactions that mimick the cellular metabolism.

In recent decades, many multinational corporations have used nature inspired innovation (NII) strategies as a mechanism of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). In this context, these activities are typically initiated by sustainability or innovation managers who are seeking to utilise novel tools and approaches but generally do not have specific innovation goals. For some, NII is viewed as a new product development tool and for others, it is a broad perspective that defines a larger sustainability narrative for the organisation. This analysis of six cases describes the diversity of innovation types of NII in multinational corporations aiming to apply these models to sustainability-oriented innovation at multiple levels. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n=45) with NII team members from both inside and outside of the organisation. Additional data included internal project documents and web-based content associated with the NII projects. Cases were then compared and contrasted to identify patterns and anomalies of factors that influence the adoption of NII. While perceptions of NII were relatively consistent across cases, several factors were identified related to sustainability perspectives, the role of management, organisational structures, and innovation culture that influenced adoption. This thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge within the NII, sustainability-oriented innovation, and innovation adoption literatures by differentiating NII as an approach to SOI in MNCs, establishing an innovation typology in this context, and identifying three SOI narratives that influence the adoption of NII. Specific factors related to sustainability narratives, innovation culture and infrastructure, and management styles that support and inhibit SOI and NII in MNCs are used to distinguish three unique SOI narratives – Ambiguous, Accountable, and Aspirational. Conclusions suggest a NII readiness assessment may facilitate the adoption of NII by identifying the most effective approaches depending on the narrative of SOI within the company.

Mass production and assembly lines are yesterday’s manufacturing methods. They have exhausted Earth’s resources and limited the possibilities of design in terms of both form and material, prompting designers to search for new processes. A new generation of making includes biomimicry-inspired technologies such as 3D printing and parametric simulation, which have transformed the production paradigm. Utilizing nature as industry, this thesis explores the possibility of “growing” designed objects by employing nature’s own processes and resources. It integrates bio materials, generative design and additive manufacturing to produce objects for a post-industrial world. The project outcomes employ natural minerals, crystallization and 3D printing to develop new forms of making, proposing a new suite of tools for designers.

This thesis is based on two observations. First, that conventional buildings cause two major losses that involve non-human nature – the loss of native biodiversity and the loss of non-human nature experience for the buildings’ human inhabitants – and that these losses both contribute to a perceived separation between humans and the rest of nature. Second, that there appears to be a growing interest in connecting buildings with nature but there is little agreement on what it actually means to ‘design with nature’. As such, the purpose of this study is two-fold: (1) to describe the meaning of ‘designing with nature’ in current architectural practice and provide a working definition of nature-based design, and (2) to explore how this can be interpreted to encourage human connectedness with non-human nature, while addressing the two major losses mentioned above. It is thus an attempt to reframe the role of building as one that provides for all inhabitants of a site, both human and non. A framework was developed that captures and summarizes the dominant ways in which design draws on nature. The framework emphasizes the importance of using ecosystems not only as models, but foremost as context. The core concepts of the framework can thus be discussed from the perspective of buildings that act like an ecosystem and that interact with their ecosystem, and are described as: ecological sense of place, regenerative ability, ecosystem health, mutually beneficial relationships, context, appropriate management, functions, ecosystem principles, values, patterns, conditions, and adaptations. Although the concepts presented in the framework are themselves not new, the way in which they are organized does contribute a new perspective on the field of nature-based design. In addition to providing a graphic model that summarizes the essence of an evolving field, the research highlights the role of scale and place in linking building design, native biodiversity, nature experience and connectedness with nature. It thus acts as a backdrop on which to bring a discussion of ecological citizenship into the architectural dialogue.

Biomimicry is an applied science that derives inspiration for solutions to human problems through the study of natural designs, systems and processes. This thesis represents an investigation into biomimicry and includes the development of a design method based on biomimetic principles that is applied to the design of curved building surfaces whose derived integral structure lends itself to ease of manufacture and construction. <br /><br /> Three design concepts are produced that utilize a selection of natural principles of design outlined in the initial biomimetic investigation. The first design visualizes the human genome as a template on which the process of architectural design and construction can be paralleled. This approach utilizes an organizational structure for design instructions, the adherence to an economy of means, and a holistic linking of all aspects of a design characteristic of the genetic parallel. The advancement of the first design concept is illustrated through the use of a particular form of parametric design software known as GenerativeComponents. The second design concept applies the biomimetic design approach outlined in concept one to the development of ruled surfaces with an integral structure in the form of developable flat sheets. The final concept documents the creation of arbitrary curved surfaces consisting of an integral reinforcing structure in the form of folded sheet chevrons.