What can designers learn from the natural world? (part 1)
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About the video: ‘What can designers learn from the natural world? (part 1)’
Janine Benyus gives examples of how designers have used biomimicry to create more environmentally benign products. The German paint manufacturer, Sto, studied the surface of a Lotus leaf in order to develop a self-cleaning facade paint called Lotusan. The paint eliminates the need to clean large surface areas with polluting detergents, and it also saves on water. She describes how scientists are learning lessons from nature to create colour using sunlight. “Structural colour” reduces contamination from toxic dyes and pigments that would otherwise be used.
Total views: 5,462
Filmed: San Francisco, USA on 16 October 2005
Credits: Interviewer - Marcus Morrell Camera and Editor - Marcus Morrell
Copyright © 2005 Big Picture TV
About Janine Benyus
Janine Benyus is co-founder of the Biomimicry Guild, where she works as a biologist helping designers and engineers learn from nature’s design solutions.
She is also President of the Biomimicry Institute, a non-profit organization whose mission is to naturalize biomimicry in the culture by promoting the transfer of ideas, designs, and strategies from biology to sustainable human systems design.
She is the author of several books, including ‘Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.’
She is also a public speaker and has given lectures to a number of large organizations and corporations including Nike, Novell, Proctor & Gamble, Patagonia and Interface Carpets.
In 2006 she received the Women of Discovery Award.
Other videos with Janine Benyus
Janine Benyus
What is biomimicry?
Janine Benyus describes how biomimicry works, pointing to its origins in early human history. She explains how and why western industrial nations are only now rediscovering the…
Recorded: 16 October 2005
Janine Benyus
What can designers learn from the natural world? (part 2)
Janine Benyus looks at how biomimicry has enabled engineers to develop innovative, resource-efficient materials. In stark contrast to the typical “heat, beat and treat”…
Recorded: 16 October 2005
Janine Benyus
What can designers learn from the natural world? (part 3)
Janine Benyus gives more examples of innovations that have been inspired by nature. Pax Scientific, a US technology company, has developed…
Recorded: 16 October 2005
Janine Benyus
What can industry learn from nature?
Janine Benyus talks about how mature ecosystems like rainforests have inspired a number of industrial eco-parks. These are co-locations of companies that distribute waste and raw…
Recorded: 16 October 2005
Janine Benyus
What can designers learn from biologists? (part 1)
Janine Benyus talks about her current efforts to bring more biologists to the design table. She believes there is a vast wealth of knowledge in fields such as biology, zoology and…
Recorded: 16 October 2005
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what can designers learn from biologists? (part 2)
In this second part of a two-part series, Janine Benyus discusses the pressing need to educate engineers, designers and even biologists in the field of functional biology. Nature…
Recorded: 16 October 2005
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