Symbiotic Architecture: Designing Buildings with Synthetic Biology

Thought

A realization that synthetic biology could be used to grow structures or parts of a building, integrating living organisms into the architecture.

Note

"Symbiotic Architecture" — the marriage of construction and synthetic biology.

Analysis

The concept of constructing buildings and facilities with synthetic biology is an avant-garde idea that can turn architecture into a dynamic and self-sustaining system. In this vision, I consider a future where buildings are not built but grown, utilizing engineered living organisms to form structures that can adapt, repair, and respond to their environment.

Taking inspiration from natural processes such as the growth of coral reefs or the formation of beehives, we can imagine engineered organisms that secrete building materials to create structures. This way, "Symbiotic Architecture" can also be seen as an embedded ecosystem that includes microorganisms with different functionalities – from structural integrity to energy production and waste management.

When reflecting on this idea through the lens of Arthur Koestler's concept of Bisociation, we can perceive the intersection of the fields of architecture and synthetic biology. Bisociation, according to Koestler, is the creative leap that connects unrelated matrices of thought to yield an original idea. Therefore, the fusion of these two domains exemplifies bisociation, merging the rigidity and permanence of traditional buildings with the adaptability and liveliness of biological systems.

Books

• "Synthetic Aesthetics: Investigating Synthetic Biology's Designs on Nature" by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, Jane Calvert, Pablo Schyfter, Alistair Elfick, and Drew Endy
• "Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature" by Janine M. Benyus
• "The Nature of Order" by Christopher Alexander

Papers

• “Living materials pave the way for evolutionary buildings” by Wil Srubar III, The Conversation

https://theconversation.com/living-materials-pave-the-way-for-evolutionary-buildings-109960

Products, Services or other Objects

• Self-healing concrete with bacteria that produce limestone
• Bio-lighting using bioluminescent microorganisms or plants
• The Hy-Fi tower by The Living, which used organic bricks grown from mycelium

Implications

The implications of such a philosophical shift in architecture are far-reaching. It could lead to more sustainable building practices, buildings that adapt to changing environments, and a reduction in construction waste. On the flip side, ethical, societal, and safety concerns would need addressing – living organisms as building material may necessitate new kinds of regulations, maintenance, and understanding from architects, engineers, and inhabitants alike.