Biomimicry, literally defined as “mimicking life,” is the science of harnessing the laws of nature’s design to inspire human innovation. Officially coined in the 1950s, the timeline does not justify the magnitude of impact it has had on the history of placemaking and travel.
The roots of biomimicry stretch back to early civilisations. Ancient Egyptians engineered irrigation systems inspired by natural floods. Romans derived arch bridge structures from natural rock and branch formations. Seafarers crafted ships by studying the streamlined shapes of fish. In the High Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci decoded bird flight, a precursor to the Wright brothers pioneering the aeroplane centuries later, and revolutionising travel forever.
Through the ages, our greatest minds have scrutinised Earth’s evolutionary secrets to spearhead design strategies that transform the way we live, interact, and explore. However, despite nature’s most valuable lessons catalysing our progress, we have failed to fully appreciate the potential of nature as a source of inspiration, until now.
From Sustainable to Regenerative Tourism
From the Middle East’s regeneration of coastline destinations1 and Scandinavia’s eco-conscious tree lodges2 to China’s holistic guest experiences, the paradigm is shifting from sustainable to regenerative tourism. The imperative to reconcile a more symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature is topping every development agenda. This opens the opportunity to embrace biomimicry in ways that allow us to stop taking from the landscapes we traverse and start giving back.
Tourism Experiences That Amplify Nature
1. Living Shorelines
Beach stay activities where guests can participate in shoreline restoration, helping preserve coastlines, improve water quality, and restore marine habitats. Coastal hubs such as Thailand, Bali, and Australia have been ahead of the curve with several marine restoration activities in place for tourists.
2. Greywater Recycling Systems
Eco-friendly resorts that implement plant-based systems to recycle water, facilitating a hands-on guest experience in sustainable practices such as conserving water and maintaining flora diversity. Even luxury collections like the Ritz-Carlton in Maui have begun to implement greywater recycling systems, enriching the in-resort experience.
3. Bio-Acoustic Monitoring
Listening devices to identify and monitor wildlife sounds, helping track the health of species and giving guests a novel opportunity to contribute to conservation data collection. An exciting prospect yet to be tapped into, but imagine the possibilities – a dive with underwater acoustics that helps us understand marine life better, or a night walk guided by audio equipment that helps discern the variety of nocturnal life around us.
4. Solar-Powered Wildlife Corridors
A trek through solar-powered trails designed for safe animal crossings, supporting renewable energy and wildlife conservation efforts set against the backdrop of a scenic route. An innovative concept the world is yet to see, but there are cases where solar energy has been harnessed to nature’s benefit. Tanzania, for instance, has powered solar drones to track, detect and combat the poaching of wildlife3.
5. Extremophile-Inspired Habitats
Climate-adaptive lodgings inspired by organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, providing a comfortable stay and fostering a deeper understanding of nature’s resilience. With space travel just around the corner, extremophiles could also inform the design of habitats on other planets.
These examples merely scratch the surface of possibilities as biomimetics is fully embraced. Biomimicry is far from a novel concept; however, whether or not we have implemented it in the most conscious way possible is debatable. With our cognitive abilities to observe and learn from nature, the answer to the collective dilemma lies in finding harmony between the preservation of life’s diversity and not compromising on the human experience.
“Nature has all the answers” is no longer pseudo-hippie talk; it’s verified science. We just need to change the way we approach it.
Insignia Worldwide crafts new realities at the intersections of strategy and storytelling, by challenging what is humanly possible and creating what is Impossibly Human.TM
1 arabnews.pk
2 medium.com
3 borntoengineer.com