**7. Biomimetic approach to design**

A proposal for a new biomimetics-based design approach is represented as an exercise on inter-disciplinary knowledge networking. The exercise aims to develop new formal and functional treatments that evolve from contextual fit considerations and users' changing needs as well as product lifecycle factors. In this exercise, the inter-disciplinary knowledge transfer and deployment is preceded by a cross-disciplinary development of a new approach to architectural designing that shifts conventional paradigms of design thinking, which are mostly centered about formal attributes, into behavior-centered and function-oriented design formations. As such, the approach proposed in this study is concerned with the development of design solutions from the context and environment of a designated design not only to generate organic forms but also to develop environment-friendly functions, systems and solutions.

The approach uses new resources of inspiration that are simulated by digital studio tools. It is described, implemented, reflected on and discussed in digital design studio settings for third year architectural engineering students in Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). The approach is presented to introduce a new style in architecture, which we called "BioTecture". It is represented as a Biomimetic-Inspired Design (BID) project and is based on the application of principles of biomimetics on architectural design using various points of departure. All departure paths map buildings to living creatures, but vary in order of station points. The approach includes three methods (Figure 4). These are:


#### **7.1 Building-based design method**

In this method, a designer starts from the building that needs designing. For its design, s/he:


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Fig. 4. The biomimetics-inspired design methods

**9. Conclusion** 

Future extensions of this line of research include the automation of databases that are relevant to biosystems and that may be matched to artificial artifacts through computer-aided software. Such software may help in the external and internal referencing between entities and in the

Given that knowledge is essential for most design tasks, it can be made more accessible, applicable and useful if approached and represented in new forms. It can be recycled by

knowledge linkage and networking between databases in different disciplines.

#### **7.2 Organism-based design method**

In the organism-based method, a designer studies an organism and its relationships to its biome, and then draws partial solutions from the analysis. In this method, a designer:

