Best Design — Nature

Posted by Michael Paloian on 20 April 2010

 

 

The best example of this is nature itself.

Since the dawn of man, nature has provided the inspiration and plans for design. Natural selection by its very fundamentals is the arbiter of good design. Well designed species survive and the obsolete ones die out. Man learns from nature through observation and imitation. Let’s take a brief look at some examples:

 

Our first example is the nautilus. Upon our first observation our initial perception might be this is a shelled creature with some octopus like creature stuffed inside. It looks interesting and not much more is noticed.

 

However, if we section the shell and look within, we see a beautifully proportioned series of chambers which appear to follow a definite pattern. This pattern happens to be found throughout nature, it is described by a mathematical formula defined by its creator, Leonardo Fibonacci in 1202.

 

It is a deceptively simple formula based on a series numbers which are expanded by adding two numbers within the series to get the next and repeating sequence for every number which follows.

 

For example

2+4=6, 4+6=10, 6+10=16, 10+16=26 etc.

A mathematical series such as this establishes a rhythm, proportion and harmony which is inherent in human nature.

 

Beauty-Proportion, Form, Design

 

If the same shell is sliced again, it attains another level of beauty and elegance. The overall shape, proportions and design will rival any manmade object.

 

Contemporary Mosaic

 

When the proportion is applied to an object such as this tile mosaic, patterns emerge which are consistent with our senses of what is attractive. This pattern happens to express a dynamic flowing form intersected by a similar but complimentary angular form. The proportions of each follow the same rhythm defined by the Fibonacci series which was derived by observing nature.

 

Architecture

 

The influence of nature on design is not limited to simple 2 dimensional decorative designs, they it can also be applied to large scale complex 3 dimensional projects such as these architectural examples.

 

Close Observation, Sunflower

 

Another example of design in nature is the sunflower seed. Here again, we see an example of the patterns, rhythms and proportion found in nature which is imitated in design.

 

 

Artistic Patterns, Ancient Roman Tiles/Contemporary Art

 

The mosaic on the left was designed more than 2000 years ago and the one on the right is a recently generated computer graphic.

 

Analysis, Bone Structure

 

Bones are a great example of outstanding structural composite design. The high density solid hard outer shell is filled with an inner lower density core. The inner core is oriented to maximize strength in the areas of highest stress.

 

Giant Stadiums (Miller Park)

 

Similar concepts of maximizing strength and minimizing weight have been imitated by structural engineers in colossal architectural construction projects like this giant Miller Stadium dome. The arced free spanning roof was designed with minimum weight and maximum strength by hollowing beams with trusses.

 

Cross Section of Bone

 

Upon close examination of inner bone tissue, one might not be able to distinguish it from its synthetic imitator, structural foam. The principles and benefits of the structural foam engineering plastics are based on the same ones found in natural bone morphology.