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Biomimicry and Innovation in Sustainable Design: Understanding Its Innovation Supporting Characteristics Compared to Ecodesign

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Biomimicry and Innovation in Sustainable Design: Understanding Its Innovation Supporting Characteristics Compared to Ecodesign Université de Montréal Biomimicry and Innovation in Sustainable Design: Understanding its Innovation Supporting Characteristics Compared to Ecodesign par Yves A. Michel Faculté de l’Aménagement Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l’obtention du grade de Maître ès Sciences Appliquées en Aménagement, option Design & Complexité Avril 2015 © Yves A. Michel, 2015 Université de Montréal Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales Ce mémoire intitulé: Biomimicry and Innovation in Sustainable Design: Understanding its Innovation Supporting Characteristics Compared to Ecodesign Présenté par Yves A. Michel a été évalué par un jury composé des personnes suivantes : M. Pierre DeConinck______________________________________ Président-rapporteur M. Sylvain Plouffe ______________________________________ Directeur de recherche Mme Tatjana Leblanc_________________________________________ Membre du jury Résumé Depuis la dernière décennie, le biomimétisme est une discipline en plein essor dans le monde du design durable. De plus en plus, cette stratégie prend place dans plusieurs facettes du design, que ce soit dans le design industriel, dans l’architecture ou encore dans le design urbain. Le livre de Janine Benyus intitulé Biomimétisme: Quand la Nature Inspire des Innovations Durables (1997) est largement reconnu comme étant le catalyseur de la stratégie et comme l’indique le titre du livre, le biomimétisme est très souvent associé à l’innovation. Le but principal de cette recherche est de mieux comprendre le lien entre le biomimétisme et l’innovation. Cette recherche sur le biomimétisme comprend un objectif mineur et deux objectifs majeurs. Le premier objectif cherche à comprendre le véritable lien entre le biomimétisme et l’écodesign. Le second objectif vise non seulement à valider la théorie selon laquelle le biomimétisme est une stratégie menant à des solutions de design innovantes, mais également à établir quels types d’innovations ont été générés par cette stratégie. Finalement, le troisième objectif est d’identifier les aspects du biomimétisme qui mènent à des solutions de design innovantes. Pour accomplir ces objectifs, cette recherche utilisera une approche qualitative supportée par des études de cas et une revue de littérature. Afin de contextualiser les deux derniers objectifs, cette étude établit que le biomimétisme et l’écodesign sont des stratégies complémentaires plutôt qu’en compétition. Les conclusions de cette recherche démontrent que la théorie proposant que le biomimétisme soit une stratégie d’innovation est valide et que la discipline est surtout apte à générer l’innovation radicale. Finalement, la recherche indique que l’analogie de distance et la transdisciplinarité sont les deux aspects du biomimétisme aidant à produire des solutions de design innovantes. Le biomimétisme est mieux connu dans le contexte du design durable et cette recherche permet de mieux comprendre le biomimétisme dans le contexte de l’innovation. Considérant que le biomimétisme est une discipline qui suscite beaucoup d’intérêt des milieux académiques et privés, cette recherche participe à l’expansion de la connaissance sur le sujet et propose de nouvelles pistes de recherche sur le biomimétisme et l’innovation. Mots-clés: Analogie, biomimétisme, bioinspiration, design, design durable, écodesign, innovation, transdisciplinarité i Abstract Biomimicry is a growing design discipline that has gained much recognition throughout the last decade in sustainable design. The bioinspired design approach is finding its way across design disciplines from product design to architecture and urban design. The book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, by Janine Benyus is credited to launch the design movement and as indicated in the title, biomimicry is often presented as a strategy for design innovation. The goal of this thesis is to gain a better understanding of biomimicry in the context of innovation. This study has two principal objectives and a minor objective. The first objective aims at understanding the correlation between biomimicry and ecodesign. The second objective is to validate the notion that biomimicry is a strategy supporting design innovation by establishing what kinds of innovation has been spawned by this approach. And finally the third objective is to identify the aspects of biomimicry that lead to innovative design solutions. To fulfill these objectives, this research will employ a qualitative approach and supported literature review and case studies. To contextualize the last two objectives, the study clarifies that the qualitative approach of biomimicry and the quantitative approach of ecodesign are actually complimentary and thus together form a more comprehensive approach to sustainable design. The findings of this study also validate that biomimicry supports innovation, specifically radical innovation. To finalize, the study demonstrates that the two aspects of biomimicry responsible for innovation are the use of distant analogy and transdisciplinarity. Biomimicry is typically observed in the context of sustainability and this thesis aims to observe and understand biomimicry in the context of innovation. Given the growing interest in biomimicry by academia and the private sector, this research also will propose new paths of research in biomimicry and innovation and thus hopefully provoke new insights on the subject. Keywords: Analogy, biomimicry, bioinspiration, design, ecodesign, innovation, sustainable design, transdisciplinarity ii Table of Contents Résumé .................................................................................................................................. i Abstract ................................................................................................................................. ii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ iii List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... vii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................. viii Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. xi Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 1 Chapter One_The Context of Biomimicry and Innovation ............................................... 5 1.1 Sustainability is Design’s Wicked Problem ............................................................................. 5 1.1.1 Ill Conceived Industrial System and Environmental Degradation ................................. 5 1.1.2 Design and the Environment ............................................................................................... 7 1.2 A Brief History of Biologically Inspired Design ..................................................................12 1.2.1 Nature as Model of Aesthetic and Function ....................................................................12 1.3 Biomimicry ................................................................................................................................17 1.3.1 Nature as Model, Mentor and Measure of Design Solutions ........................................17 1.3.2 Biomimicry 3.8 .....................................................................................................................20 1.3.3 Clarifying the Difference between Bionics and Biomimicry .........................................21 1.3.4 The Future of Biomimicry ..................................................................................................27 1.4 What is Innovation in the Context of Design? ....................................................................28 1.4.1 Defining Innovation ............................................................................................................28 1.4.2 Different Spectrums of Innovation ...................................................................................30 2 Chapter Two_ Research and Methodology ..................................................................... 38 2.1 The Research Problem .............................................................................................................38 2.1.1 Primary Research Question ................................................................................................39 2.1.2 Research Objectives .............................................................................................................39 2.2 The Methodology .....................................................................................................................39 2.2.1 A Qualitative Approach ......................................................................................................40 iii 2.2.2 A Case Study Research Supported by Literature Review ...............................................40 2.2.3 Analysis ..................................................................................................................................41 2.2.4 Research Disclaimer ............................................................................................................42 2.2.5 Research Limitations
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