Biologically Inspired Design: A Case Study on Furniture Design Experiences of Interior Architecture Students

Abstract

This study represents the furniture design course outputs of a group of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design Bachelor’s Degree students, working on biologically inspired designs. The aim of the study is to put forward an alternative inspiration-transformation-design process by briefly touching the notion of biomimicry; and by this means to raise the awareness of biological inspiration sources in furniture design. Study reveals the conceptual and final product design suggestions of 38 senior class students. Two essential processes were followed in the study; solution-driven design process and problem-driven design process. Findings showed that there have been some common features and differences between these two processes, in terms of finding the starting point and approaching the final design decisions. In both processes, it was seen that the last steps -principle application- involved a particular process, compared to the other steps in each process. Research and analysis based actions, seen in initial steps, gave place to sketching, design development and the usage of professional notions in the final steps. It can also be said that in both processes, the first steps involved the preparation stages regarding the design inputs, whereas in final steps a transform of information regarding the design output can be observed. These two linear processes were thought to be connected with two essential methods; inductive method and deductive method. Within this scope, 38 design ideas were put forward and suggestions were made regarding the processes.

Keywords

• Biomimicry
• design
• furniture
• inspiration
• nature

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