BioForm – learning at the intersection of science and design

Our future designers have much to learn from the complex and highly functional systems found in nature. Creating design products that are not only human-centred but also in tune with the natural world requires our designers to be exposed to natural phenomena and scientific principles. To provide des...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dearquitectura 2020-01, Vol.26 (26), p.52-59
Main Authors: Palin, Damian, Russell, Sam, F. E. Kohle, Ferdinand, O’Dowd, Enda, Tunali Flynn, S. Yeşim
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Art education
bio-inspired design
Biology
Biomimetics
biomimicry
Collaboration
Core curriculum
cross-disciplinary team
Design
design and science
Interdisciplinary aspects
Learning
learning beyond the studio
Mimesis
Mindfulness
Museums
Nature
Pedagogy
Problem solving
Product design
Public speaking
Science education
Scientists
Screen printing
Seeds
Senses
Student organizations
Teaching
Workshops
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Summary:Our future designers have much to learn from the complex and highly functional systems found in nature. Creating design products that are not only human-centred but also in tune with the natural world requires our designers to be exposed to natural phenomena and scientific principles. To provide design students with a starting point, we have created BioForm: a bio-inspired design module run as part of the Product Design curricula at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), Dublin, Ireland. The module is delivered by an interdisciplinary team of designers and scientists who expose students to biologically inspired theory and practice through a series of lectures, workshops and site visits, aimed at encouraging bio-inspiration in their design practice. The students, with their growing understanding of bio-inspiration, are then challenged to design a chair, which allows them to playfully explore form and function, and to consider its impact on their design. We hope that by encouraging bio-inspiration in students’ practice they produce designs that are innovative and more environmentally sustainable. This paper reflects on the BioForm project’s pedagogical approach, its impact on the student’s design practice and proposes further developments for the module.
ISSN:2011-3188
2215-969X
DOI:10.18389/dearq26.2020.06