HORTUS BIONICA
How to design sustainable environments that really move us?
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We believe that sustainable and healthy living of the future is adaptive and interactive like natural systems. To achieve this, over the last years, we have developed digitally produced origami designs to implement as lightweight and dynamic 3D textile installations that generate flexible space.
HORTUS BIONICA is the next step in merging nature and technology.
Type
Research Project
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Team
Samira Boon, Anna Sitnikova, Eva Llorens, Floor Beckeringh, Sophie Singeling
Collaborator
Sensor Lab Utrecht
Supported by
Creative Industries Fund NL
Completion
Ongoing
ADAPTIVE GARDEN
HORTUS BIONICA explores our relationship to nature to foster healthier forms of architecture based on biophilic design principles. It is a garden of bionic plants – the new species of architectural elements that are able to carry out a number of smart functions and optimise flows (energy, light, sound, movement) within public spaces. Our biophilic approach goes beyond adding natural elements to unnatural indoor environments. HORTUS BIONICA recognises and amplifies the nature like characteristics found in architectural materials, technology and data. By highlighting these properties, our aim is to promote architecture as an adaptive garden with a strong emotional and sensory dimension that actively supports the user’s wellbeing.
PLANT INSPIRED ROBOTICS
To behave in symbiosis with the ever-changing needs of the users and environmental stimuli, HORTUS BIONICA learns from ecosystems. The installations imitate morphologies and behaviours found in natural organisms to generate systems with healthy dynamic processes similar to micro ecosystems. HORTUS BIONICA sprouts are plant-like structures: inheriting their traits from DNA – programming code, having biocomposite roots and stems for support, movement and power and tactile textile flowers for interaction with the other species.
This leads to artificial natural organisms that change their shape in an automated way in relation to the ever changing needs and wishes. The possibilities offered by this garden combining nature and technology are enormous. Each inhabitant of HORTUS BIONICA garden has its own unique functional application and character behaviourally and visually. The first 2 ‘sprouts’ of HORTUS BIONICA are “~ ~ ~” (sonic blossom) and “>> • <<” (proxi flower). Launched in March 2020, they are designed for the specific challenges of public spaces (including workspaces, atria, restaurants and libraries).
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PROXI FLOWER
“>> • <<” is all about encounters that move us. With integrated vicinity sensors it directly responds to the user by opening and closing to generate temporary dividers creating more intimacy. Within large spaces, arrays of “>> • <<” offer flexible divisions, privacy and emotionally affiliated environments.
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SONIC BLOSSOM
“~ ~ ~” opens and closes like an inflorescence reacting to sound. This installation improves acoustic experience and therefore wellbeing and productivity. By installing multiple pieces of “~ ~ ~” we can map sound distribution to create an aurally pleasing soundscapes that enhance mood and aesthetics.
