Recommended Readings...

I was on the Biomimicry website today, and found a recommended reading list:



Biologic: Environmental Protection by Design. David Wann. 1990.
Guide to designing our way out of the environmental conundrum we are in by taking a system’s view of technology – asking, “how does it fit in?”
Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Janine Benyus. 1997.
Demonstrates how nature's solutions to survival needs have been the creative jumping-off points for individuals seeking solutions to human challenges, developing, or simply revitalizing processes or products.
Cat’s Paws and Catapults: Mechanical World of Nature and People. Steven Vogel. 1998.
Investigates whether nature or human design is superior and why the two technologies have diverged so much.
Deep Design: Pathways to a livable Future. David Wann. 1996.
A new way of thinking about design by asking: “What is our ultimate goal?” The idea is to produce designs that are sensitive to living systems.
Design and Nature II. Ed M. W. Collins et. Al. 2004.
Contains proceedings of 2nd international conference on design and nature. Brings together researcher around the world on a variety of studies involving nature’s significance for modern scientific thought and design.
Design for the Real World, Human Ecology and Social Change. Victor Papanek. 1984.
One of the world’s most widely read books on design. Author provides a blueprint for sensible, responsible design.
Design in Nature: Learning from Trees. Claus Mattheck. 2004.
Describes and verifies external shape laws in nature. Also explores self healing. Many optimization examples.
Design Lessons from Nature. Benjamin De Brie Taylor. 1974.
Describes strategies in the plant kingdom with some suggestions on their relationship to human designs..
Design with Nature. Ian L. McHarg. 1969.
A blend of philosophy and science, author shows how humans can copy nature’s examples to design and build better structures.