Project Possibilities: Biomimetic Architecture Solutions
Coastal Water Defense and Management
Architect Davina Cranstoun's vision of the future and use of biomimicry feels like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.
Her conceptual design symbolises strength and support, drawing inspiration from the "Guardians of the Coastline" - mangroves. This 'Marine Park' will surely attract attention. Still, it is intended to educate and provide crucial ecosystem services, such as water regulation and shoreline protection to St. Kitts, a tropical paradise that once boasted the most beautiful fertile landscapes in the Caribbean region.
Let's dive into her biomimicry project, which looks to nature as inspiration for her flood defense designs.
Using systems thinking in biomimicry
‘Something is wrong when you can’t go to school whenever it rains’
Davina's groundbreaking work is deeply rooted in her childhood experiences. Growing up in St. Kitts, she often faced school closures due to rain, which ignited her determination to solve the island's environmental issues.
Over just 20 years, St. Kitts transitioned from a self-sustaining ecosystem to semi-arid conditions. This drastic change propelled Davina to pursue a Master’s degree focusing on the Anthropocene and urban landscape patterns at Donghai University in Taiwan.
Through her work with Learn Biomimicry, Davina discovered that poor urban planning decisions, particularly a 1.5 km-long airport runway cutting across natural water run-off paths, from mountain to sea, were causing severe environmental degradation. That misstep, along with, ironically, mangrove deforestation led to regular flash floods in some areas and significant desertification in others, highlighting the dire consequences of ignoring natural water cycles in urban planning.
Biological inspiration and insights
'It is not only pretty. It works!'
Davina's attention to detail brought mangrove math to life! She meticulously studied the intricate shapes and patterns of mangrove root systems, calculating the precise ratios needed for the mangrove-inspired design to work - branching in three’s with 60 degree angles to be exact.
Davina's work underscores the importance of understanding nature's unifying patterns. Beyond the well-known Fibonacci ratio, she explores lesser-explored statistics to design effective ecological solutions. Her ability to harness these natural patterns demonstrates how numbers can deepen our understanding and application of biomimicry in ecological design. Some other Learn Biomimicry learners have done so too, to design, for example voting systems (10:3 UN voting system).
Product development
‘Flooding segregates people and it is not right’
As Davina continues her journey as a Biomimicry Practitioner, she has since patented her bio-inspired wave dissipation and flood defense design - Trinity D20. Setting the bar even higher, she and her husband are the architect duo D-Architect Architecture and Construction Consultancy Services, revolutionising low-cost, flood-proof housing. Inspired by beaver dams, their designs employ monolithic construction techniques, pouring concrete and steel into a single mold (think massive 3D printing) to create robust structures capable of withstanding hurricanes and floods.
This method, though effective, poses cost challenges that the couple are actively working to address. They are inviting fellow change-makers to join their mission. They aim to develop affordable, locally sourced housing materials to combat seasonal flooding, ensuring that communities around the world can access safe and sustainable housing solutions.
Breaking barriers and moving forward
‘It hasn’t been easy…’
For many, and for Davina, academia seemed like a safe place to be curious, but knocking through its siloed walls was not easy. Yet, she remains undeterred, bringing biomimicry to life in the Caribbean through her models, workshops, and educational videos. Her goal is to show that ‘sustainability’ is not only science-based but also intuitive, as it was to older generations in her homeland. ‘...(but) It’s about reconnecting with nature’.
In closing
Davina’s journey exemplifies the ikigai intersection, where her passion, skills, and the world’s needs converge seamlessly through the lens of biomimicry. Her deep understanding of local contexts and her expertise uniquely position her to create innovative, practical solutions.
With the rising demand for environmentally friendly and disaster-resistant housing, Davina's work is set to address some of the most urgent challenges in modern architecture. Her transition from academia to practical innovation highlights the power of interdisciplinary approaches in solving complex problems. By drawing inspiration from nature, Davina offers sustainable and resilient housing solutions and paves the way for future architects.
As she continues to refine her designs and overcome cost challenges, her work promises to leave a lasting legacy in biomimicry in architecture.
If you're planning to start your own project or incorporate biomimicry into an existing one, explore our Biomimicry Practitioner Programme. You'll get practical knowledge of how to apply biomimicry to your own design, get a Learn Biomimicry certificate which is recognised globally (and endorsed by the Biomimicry Institute), and so much more.