Resources

Workshop Agenda 2 pgs
Desgn Challenge 1 pg
Workshop Homework Assignment from Nick Beck, 2 pgs

From Nick Beck, Biologist at the Design Table

• Biomimicy Resources (books, databases, websites, search terms & journals) 12 pgs
• Biomimicry Process Handout 2 pgs
• Biomimicry Life's Principles Handout 2 pgs

Contributions from Architecture faculty

• Karl Chu suggested the video by two philosophers: Peter Sloterdijk and Bruno Latour. "It has to do with the connection between thought and reality, be it the natural and the artificial or the biological and the technological.
• From John Lobell: BioMimicry in Genomic Architecture 41 pgs

Structure & Participation

The Saturday, April 4 Workshop has two basic components:
- 1. morning of presentations in a lecture-type format; and
- 2. afternoon of hands-on building.
You may attend the full day or only the morning session. We provide lunch between sessions

MORNING 9:30 am - 1:30 pm
* Greetings and introduction to biomimicry/nature inspired design
* Case studies
* Modes of application
* Presentation by students in Rebecca Welz's ID class in Biomimicry
* Example Interactive Case Study; Nick Beck, Biologist at the Design Table
-- Protective cover for an Organic LED
-- Introduce attendees to the methodology in action
-- Introduce design challenge for the afternoon
-- Divide into groups; participants will be working in six teams of 5

AFTERNOON, 2 :15 - 6:30 pm
Hands-on workshop, Design Challenge (see post below)

Team Design Challenge

AFTERNOON SESSION
Design and make a model of an emergency shelter that can be used in the scenario using the methodology of biomimicry or nature inspired design. Each team will pick a scenario from a bag.

Download PDF of Desgn Challenge

Here are some other questions for your team to define and think about, in addition to asking the questions presented in the biomimicry methodology:

1. What is an emergency?
2. What must your shelter do?
3. What would you like for it to do in addition to providing the necessities?
4. How many people would use this shelter? What part of the body is sheltered?
5. How is it deployed?
6. How is it carried/stored?
7. Is it reusable or is it for a one -time use?
8. Ideally what materials would it be made of?

SCENARIOS
For 30 participants divided into 6 teams of 5 each

1. A terrorist has detonated a bomb in a NYC building. You find yourself homeless.
2. There has been a water main break and your street and apartment are flooded.
3. There is no public toilet and you have food poisoning.
4. Your train has derailed in the subway blocking the exits to the station so that no one can leave.
5. A bridge has collapsed and you have been pulled from your car and are on a barge for the night.
6. Your flight has been cancelled due to a storm. No flights are departing or arriving. The hotels are already full.

Participants Biomimicry Workshop

ORGANIZERS
01. Deb Johnson, Academic Director of Sustainability
02. Nick Beck, Biologist at the Design Table
03. Rebecca Welz, Industrial Design faculty, sculptor
04. Douglas Wirls, Foundation faculty, painter
05. Jenny Lee, Fine Arts faculty, sculptor
06. Kim Sloane, Foundation faculty, painter

STUDENT PRESENTERS (from Rebecca's Industrial Design classes)
1) Crossing Disciplines: Biomimicry and Form Development with travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands -- Chang-Yen Tsai, grad; Helene Kenny, grad; presenting their work developed from our field work snorkeling with biologists in the Caribbean.

2) Design Workshop: Concepts of Design for first year graduate ID students -- Blain Kennedy, Nina Damario, Sara Dierck, Sahar Ghaheri, Lisa LiaoNina Damario, Sara Dierck, Sahar Ghaheri, Blain Kennedy, Helene Kenny, Li-Rong Liao, Chang Yen Tsai

CONFIRMED, FULL DAY- updated Saturday, March 28
Limited to 30, on a first come, first served, basis

1. Anthony Caradonna, Architecture faculty
2. Tony Gelber, Director of Administrative Sustainability
3. Donna Moran, Fine Arts Chair, printmaker
4. Pirco Wolfframm, Communications Design faculty
5. Lisa Bateman, Fine Arts faculty
6. Luis Alonso, Foundation faculty, artist
7. Jeremy Polk, Alumni Relations Coordinator
8. Jeanne Pfordresher, ID faculty, artist
9. Peter Nekola, Social Sc, SLAS, Hist & Philosophy
10. Margaret May, alumna, Librarian & artist
11. Aline Fader, staff Multi Media Svc, GCPE student
12. Joel Wennerstrom, ID faculty, Designer
13. Mandy Morrison, Foundation faculty, Video Art, Performance, Film Artist
14. Dan Wright, Math & Science faculty
15. Laena McCarthy, Librarian & Professor
16. Carol Crawford, Interior Design faculty, sculptor
17. Cather Billian, Foundation faculty, artist
18. Elizabeth Whalley, Fine Arts faculty
19. Dr. Charles Rubenstein, SILS, Professor of Information Science, Bioengineering background
20. John Gendall, SLAS faculty, writer & researcher on ethics & biomimicry, sustainability & architecture
21. Cindie Kehlet, Math & Science faculty
22. Viren Brahmbhatt, Architecture faculty
23. Christian Rietzke, Interior Design faculty; architect
24. Scott Lundberg, ID faculty, designer
25. Leslie Roberts, Foundation faculty, artist
26. Chris Sanderson, Foundation faculty, artist
27. Dr. Erik Ghenoiu, Grad Arch professor of design history & theory
28. Stephen Mullins, Interior Design faculty; designer
29. Rob Kimmel, Comm D faculty, graphic design/illustration
30. Natalie Moore, Foundation faculty; artist, designer, teacher
31. William J. Fasolino, Foundation Chair
32. Harvey Bernstein, Interior Design faculty; designer
33. Olga Osipenko, Art History student, focus in Urban Design; NYU
    
34. Katie Cooper
35. Jasmeet Kahlon, Architecture student, research Biomimicry
36. Arjav Shah, Interior Architect, Perkins+Will
    

CONFIRMED, HALF DAY - morning session
37. Rob O'Neill, Digital Arts faculty; Digital Arts Lab, programmer & animator, Bioanthropology background
38. David Schulz, CommD faculty; photographer, graphic designer
39. Carol Reznikoff, Construction & Facilities Management faculty
40. Mark Lawrence Stafford, Foundation faculty; interdisciplinary conceptual artist
41. Adelle Rossetti-Morosini, Math & Sc faculty; artist & educator
42. Ramzy Telley, Media Arts faculty, film producer
43. Philip Ayers, Foundation faculty, artist
44. Karl Chu, Architecture faculty, architect
45. Lara McCornick, AOS graphic design faculty, designer
46. Hannah Mishin, Alumna, Fine Artist
47. Jean Brennan, Grad CommD
48. Elizabeth Hollinger, CommD. alumna, illustrastor
49. Andrew Whelan, Designer
50. Adam Elstein, Architecture faculty, architect

Lunch Order

Place your lunch here; or you may help yourself from an assortment of sandwiches and drinks.

Grilled Vegetables eggplant, onion, bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes & arugula on kalamata olive bread

Pan Bagna tuna, egg, bell peppers, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, nicoise olive, mustard vinaigrette on ciabatta

Tilapia radish sprout, tomato, red onion, cilantro, cucumber, aji amarillo sauce on sesame seed brioche

BBQ Salmon tomato, red onion, lettuce, pickles & horseradish sauce on brioche

Roasted Leg Of Lamb grilled red pepper, eggplant, onion, arugula, tomato, fresh herb yogurt sauce & harissa sauce on sourdough bread

BLT smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, rosemary mayo on 7-grain bread

Chicken Salad swiss cheese, tomatoes, arugula, bacon, black pepper, mayo on 7-grain bread

Roast Beef arugula, grilled red onions, tomatoes, lima bean puree & olive oil on rye bread

Materials and Supplies

In order to design and make a model using the methodology of biomimicry or nature inspired design, we will need stuff. Except for laptops, we will provide the items listed below. You are, however, welcome to bring your own. We will post updates as to how many laptops have been committed and what/how much we have procured.

FOR TEAM RESEARCH
Each team should have at least 1 Mac notebook and 1 PC notebook, where possible, provided by participants. The online registration (link in the right-hand column) asks you to indicate if you can provide either or both devices.

FOR DRAWING & BRAINSTORMING
Charcoal, pens, pencils, markers
Sticky notepads, large paper pads

FOR CONSTRUCTION/FABRICATION
Tools: Scissors, x-acto knives, hot glue gun
Materials: Strips of wood, wire, sheeting -plastic and fabric, rubber hose and tubing, plastic water bottles, cardboard, branches, screening, duct tape, string, safety pins, tape, glue

Please feel free to suggest other material, including sources for donations.

Purpose of Workshop

This workshop is designed to introduce faculty from a variety of departments at Pratt, to biomimicry or bio-inspiration, to provide a methodology of working, which may be applicable to their practice and teaching.

Download PDF of Biomimicry @ Pratt, Workshop Agenda and Design Challenge

What is Biomimicry or Bio-inspiration?
A field called biomimicry or bio-inspiration has long emerged and is gaining traction. On the premise that nature has accomplished everything human beings want to do, but without destroying the biosphere or threatening our future, biomimicry brings biologists and designers together in answering the question "How would nature do that?" Products and processes are developed using nature as the model.

Why is This Significant & Relevant For Pratt?
Pratt Institute is the second largest independent college of art and design in the northeastern United States, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in architecture, art and design. Education, particularly in fields of design, can play an enormous role in opening eyes and minds to the possibility of non-harming or green living. In our professional practice and teaching, we can help students see and think about nature in ways that they did not before.

Workshop Sponsors

The Biomimicry Workshop is made possible by contributions from:

• Center for Sustainable Design and Studies, Pratt Institute
• Academic Senate, Pratt Institute
  
• School of Art & Design; Frank Lind, Dean
• Fine Arts Dept; Donna Moran, Chair
• Foundation Arts Dept; Bill Fasolino, Chair
• Industrial Design Dept; Matthew Burger, Chair
• Pratt Store, Roy Muraskiewicz, Manager
• Your department/name here

WHY WE NEED SPONSORS
The CSDS is committed to providing educational workshops that introduce our faculty and staff to new tools, thought leadership and resources around the topic of sustainability and the creative professional. We need funding for provide modest stipends that will help compensate participants for their time and expenses; as well as support (in kind or funding) to defray the cost of workshop materials.

HOW TO SPONSOR
Contact Deb Johnson, Academic Director of Sustainability