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| Will the buildings of the future be grown underwater? | Will the buildings of the future be grown underwater? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A spiny pencil urchin hangs in a | A spiny pencil urchin hangs in a |
| perspex case next to the lacy sheath of a glass sponge. Nearby lie | perspex case next to the lacy sheath of a glass sponge. Nearby lie |
| the cracked-open skulls of crows and robins, a collection of knobbly | the cracked-open skulls of crows and robins, a collection of knobbly |
| seed pods and a globular lump of brain coral. Eerily lit from below | seed pods and a globular lump of brain coral. Eerily lit from below |
| by glowing tables, which themselves seem to grow from the floor like | by glowing tables, which themselves seem to grow from the floor like |
| mutant water lilies, it looks like the set of a space-age Natural | mutant water lilies, it looks like the set of a space-age Natural |
| History Museum. In fact, this curious collection of bones and | History Museum. In fact, this curious collection of bones and |
| barnacles is the future of architecture – according to Michael | barnacles is the future of architecture – according to Michael |
| Pawlyn. | Pawlyn. |
| “Nature | “Nature |
| is a largely untapped sourcebook for architects,” he says, standing | is a largely untapped sourcebook for architects,” he says, standing |
| in the Architecture Foundation’s south London gallery, surrounded by | in the Architecture Foundation’s south London gallery, surrounded by |
| a wunderkammer of odds and ends from the natural world that he has | a wunderkammer of odds and ends from the natural world that he has |
| assembled for his first solo exhibition, Designing with Nature. “In | assembled for his first solo exhibition, Designing with Nature. “In |
| the past, designers have tended to focus on just a few examples, like | the past, designers have tended to focus on just a few examples, like |
| termite mounds or shell structures, but I really think nature holds | termite mounds or shell structures, but I really think nature holds |
| the answers to making buildings that are fit for the next billion | the answers to making buildings that are fit for the next billion |
| years.” | years.” |
| Through | Through |
| his practice, Exploration Architecture, | his practice, Exploration Architecture, |
| Pawlyn has been investigating the biomimicry’s design | Pawlyn has been investigating the biomimicry’s design |
| potential for the past seven years, exploring what everything from lichen to | potential for the past seven years, exploring what everything from lichen to |
| lizards have to offer the design of our built environment. Trained as | lizards have to offer the design of our built environment. Trained as |
| an architect, he worked for Nicholas Grimshaw | an architect, he worked for Nicholas Grimshaw |
| for 10 years and was central to the team that conceived the Eden | for 10 years and was central to the team that conceived the Eden |
| Project, leading the | Project, leading the |
| design of the temperate and humid biomes, which erupt from the former | design of the temperate and humid biomes, which erupt from the former |
| clay pit in Cornwall like a sci-fi fungus. | clay pit in Cornwall like a sci-fi fungus. |
| “All | “All |
| my work is driven by a frustration with the word ‘sustainable’,” he | my work is driven by a frustration with the word ‘sustainable’,” he |
| says. “It suggests something that is just about good enough, but we | says. “It suggests something that is just about good enough, but we |
| need to be looking at truly restorative solutions. We’ve gone from | need to be looking at truly restorative solutions. We’ve gone from |
| dominating nature to learning from bits of it, but now we should be | dominating nature to learning from bits of it, but now we should be |
| looking at total reconciliation with the natural world.” | looking at total reconciliation with the natural world.” |
| And Pawlyn thinks the best solutions are already out there, | And Pawlyn thinks the best solutions are already out there, |
| lurking in a rich seam of natural evolution waiting to be mined. | lurking in a rich seam of natural evolution waiting to be mined. |
| “Take | “Take |
| the spookfish,” he says. “It lives 1,000m below the surface | the spookfish,” he says. “It lives 1,000m below the surface |
| of the sea, so it has developed two sets of eyes that use mirrors to | of the sea, so it has developed two sets of eyes that use mirrors to |
| focus the faintest glimmers of light on to its retina.” These | focus the faintest glimmers of light on to its retina.” These |
| “diverticular” eyes can detect bioluminescent light from | “diverticular” eyes can detect bioluminescent light from |
| other creatures many metres away – both above and below – | other creatures many metres away – both above and below – |
| allowing the fish to keep track of predators and prey in the murky | allowing the fish to keep track of predators and prey in the murky |
| gloom. | gloom. |
| Buildings | Buildings |
| might not need to keep a lookout for predators by night, | might not need to keep a lookout for predators by night, |
| but they do need to maximise the amount of natural light they | but they do need to maximise the amount of natural light they |
| receive, particularly in deep-plan office blocks that all too often | receive, particularly in deep-plan office blocks that all too often |
| have artificial lights on throughout the day. So, learning from the | have artificial lights on throughout the day. So, learning from the |
| spookfish, Pawlyn and his team have developed an office building with a kind of fish-eye mirror lens in its atrium, designed to reflect | spookfish, Pawlyn and his team have developed an office building with a kind of fish-eye mirror lens in its atrium, designed to reflect |
| light deep into the office floors. | light deep into the office floors. |
| The | The |
| building also steals tips from some other friends from the deep, | building also steals tips from some other friends from the deep, |
| namely the brittle sea star and the living stone plant. Scientists | namely the brittle sea star and the living stone plant. Scientists |
| recently discovered that the sea star, which is otherwise blind, has | recently discovered that the sea star, which is otherwise blind, has |
| a unique exoskeleton covered with crystalline lenses, | a unique exoskeleton covered with crystalline lenses, |
| forming an all-seeing eye across its skin. Stone plants, meanwhile, | forming an all-seeing eye across its skin. Stone plants, meanwhile, |
| grow underground and have developed translucent pockets in their | grow underground and have developed translucent pockets in their |
| leaves | leaves |
| to allow light to reach photosynthetic tissues deep within the | to allow light to reach photosynthetic tissues deep within the |
| subterranean foliage. Both of these natural structures have informed | subterranean foliage. Both of these natural structures have informed |
| the design of the office block’s facade and roof, which incorporate | the design of the office block’s facade and roof, which incorporate |
| daylight tubes and fibre optics to channel light down to the floors | daylight tubes and fibre optics to channel light down to the floors |
| below. Pawlyn says the resulting building would use 50% less | below. Pawlyn says the resulting building would use 50% less |
| glass than an equivalent office block of the same floor area, while | glass than an equivalent office block of the same floor area, while |
| the abundance of natural light would result in a 10% increase | the abundance of natural light would result in a 10% increase |
| in employee productivity. There is sadly no way of testing these bold | in employee productivity. There is sadly no way of testing these bold |
| claims, as the project – like most of the designs in the exhibition | claims, as the project – like most of the designs in the exhibition |
| – is a self-initiated speculation and remains unbuilt. | – is a self-initiated speculation and remains unbuilt. |
| But one | But one |
| experiment that has already yielded impressive real-world results can | experiment that has already yielded impressive real-world results can |
| be found on what was formerly a hectare of dusty sand in Qatar, where | be found on what was formerly a hectare of dusty sand in Qatar, where |
| a pilot project aimed at “greening the desert” is underway. | a pilot project aimed at “greening the desert” is underway. |
| Taking inspiration, as ever, from a curiously named creature, the | Taking inspiration, as ever, from a curiously named creature, the |
| Sahara Forest Project | Sahara Forest Project |
| draws key lessons from the Namibian fog-basking beetle, | draws key lessons from the Namibian fog-basking beetle, |
| which has evolved a cunning way of harvesting its own fresh water in | which has evolved a cunning way of harvesting its own fresh water in |
| the desert – collecting condensation on its bumpy shell, which | the desert – collecting condensation on its bumpy shell, which |
| runs down into its mouth. | runs down into its mouth. |
| The | The |
| beetle’s principles have been used to develop a complex of | beetle’s principles have been used to develop a complex of |
| seawater-cooled greenhouses, in which the evaporation | seawater-cooled greenhouses, in which the evaporation |
| of seawater is increased to create higher humidity, while a large | of seawater is increased to create higher humidity, while a large |
| surface area is created for condensation. In this way, saline water | surface area is created for condensation. In this way, saline water |
| can be turned into fresh water just using the sun, the wind and a | can be turned into fresh water just using the sun, the wind and a |
| small amount of pumping energy. | small amount of pumping energy. |
| “I | “I |
| was astonished that they managed to grow cucumbers and tomatoes | was astonished that they managed to grow cucumbers and tomatoes |
| throughout the Qatari summer,” says Pawlyn. “And there is also a | throughout the Qatari summer,” says Pawlyn. “And there is also a |
| useful byproduct that could have implications for construction.” He | useful byproduct that could have implications for construction.” He |
| shows me a gnarled block the size of a shoebox, which looks like a | shows me a gnarled block the size of a shoebox, which looks like a |
| sponge dipped in plaster. It turns out this is an | sponge dipped in plaster. It turns out this is an |
| evaporator pad from one of the seawater tanks, which has become | evaporator pad from one of the seawater tanks, which has become |
| encrusted with calcium carbonate as the water has evaporated – | encrusted with calcium carbonate as the water has evaporated – |
| forming a handy lightweight building block. | forming a handy lightweight building block. |
| Nearby | Nearby |
| lies another encrusted object that looks like a bundle of pipes | lies another encrusted object that looks like a bundle of pipes |
| dredged from the Titanic, or a giant kettle filament suffering from a | dredged from the Titanic, or a giant kettle filament suffering from a |
| serious case of limescale. This, says Pawlyn, is the future of | serious case of limescale. This, says Pawlyn, is the future of |
| “biorock”, the result of passing a low electric current through a | “biorock”, the result of passing a low electric current through a |
| metal armature immersed in the sea, attracting mineral deposition | metal armature immersed in the sea, attracting mineral deposition |
| over time. | over time. |
| “It’s | “It’s |
| a lesson taken from the coccolithophore,” he says, | a lesson taken from the coccolithophore,” he says, |
| pointing to an electron micrograph image of what looks like an | pointing to an electron micrograph image of what looks like an |
| elaborate ball of crochet, all interlocking woven | elaborate ball of crochet, all interlocking woven |
| circles. “It’s a single-cell marine organism, enclosed in a kind of | circles. “It’s a single-cell marine organism, enclosed in a kind of |
| cage made from calcium carbonate, which it pulls from the surrounding | cage made from calcium carbonate, which it pulls from the surrounding |
| seawater. Over the years, these organisms capture carbon and fall to | seawater. Over the years, these organisms capture carbon and fall to |
| the sea floor, building up layers of limestone.” | the sea floor, building up layers of limestone.” |
| Using | Using |
| the coccolithophore’s principles, he says, we can potentially “grow” | the coccolithophore’s principles, he says, we can potentially “grow” |
| buildings from atmospheric carbon, employing a technique that was | buildings from atmospheric carbon, employing a technique that was |
| originally developed by marine biologist Thomas Goreau for rebuilding | originally developed by marine biologist Thomas Goreau for rebuilding |
| coral reefs. A project currently being designed in collaboration with | coral reefs. A project currently being designed in collaboration with |
| Queens University, Belfast, could see the first biorock pavilion grown | |
| underwater, using a wire mesh structure in the form of a ribbed | underwater, using a wire mesh structure in the form of a ribbed |
| seashell. At a deposition rate of 50mm a year, it’s not exactly | seashell. At a deposition rate of 50mm a year, it’s not exactly |
| rapid-response construction, although Pawlyn estimates the | rapid-response construction, although Pawlyn estimates the |
| lightweight shell structure they have designed could be fully grown | lightweight shell structure they have designed could be fully grown |
| in only 18 months. | in only 18 months. |
| Beyond | Beyond |
| the projects on show, the walls of the exhibition are lined with 20 | the projects on show, the walls of the exhibition are lined with 20 |
| more creatures and their as-yet untapped potential, from the | more creatures and their as-yet untapped potential, from the |
| orbweaver spider to the mud-dauber wasp, which could inform our built | orbweaver spider to the mud-dauber wasp, which could inform our built |
| environment over the coming millennia if Pawlyn has his way. “We | environment over the coming millennia if Pawlyn has his way. “We |
| just have to look a bit harder,” he says. “The answers are | just have to look a bit harder,” he says. “The answers are |
| already out there – perfected by 3.6bn years of research and | already out there – perfected by 3.6bn years of research and |
| development.” | development.” |
| • Michael Pawlyn will deliver a lecture at the Architecture Foundation tonight, Monday 17 February at 7pm. A further panel discussion, Designing with Parameters, chaired by Marcos Cruz and featuring Michael Pawlyn, Rupert Soar, Nerea Calvillo and Patrik Schumacher, will take place on 27 February at 7pm. | • Michael Pawlyn will deliver a lecture at the Architecture Foundation tonight, Monday 17 February at 7pm. A further panel discussion, Designing with Parameters, chaired by Marcos Cruz and featuring Michael Pawlyn, Rupert Soar, Nerea Calvillo and Patrik Schumacher, will take place on 27 February at 7pm. |