Organisms and their unique methods of interaction with their given ecosystem such as contributions, survival, and coexistence can be abstracted and applied directly to an architectural level. There are a millions of ways living organisms have adapted to to their surroundings to become a an integral part of it’s ecosystem and it’s internal workings. Lessons can be learned from nature and applied to the built world in the attempt of creating a more innovative and sustainable future for human beings and the planet.
A mixed-use environment such as my proposed EcoLiving-Learning facility could benefit from incorporating the natural processes of organisms that work directly with many other species. Two species that I have identified as working well with their surroundings and/or related species within the ecosystem are the Coral Reefs and the busy North American Beaver. Each has a unique approach to their ecosystem.
The coral reef offers an organic and gradual growth which creates shelter and food supply for a myriad of marine species. These concepts can be transferred over into a built environment that caters to personalization and sense of ownership while providing a safe place to live. The Beaver takes a more direct approach; they construct dams to provide shelter for themselves, but what this also does is create wetland and pond habitat for other species. In a built environment a set program can be in place but it can also benefit from the ability to facilitate other functions and encourage different people to utilize the space.