The Nature of Design: Biomimetic & Biophilic Innovation

It’s said that a millennium before the Wright brothers made aviation history with the world’s first motorised aircraft, Andalusian engineer Abbas Ibn Firnas took to the skies after years of watching birds’ graceful flight.

Sadly, Firnas’ foray into aerodynamics was far less elegant than his avian counterparts. Somewhere between the age of 65 and 70, Firnas launched himself from the edge of a cliff donning a pair of silk wings; wooden-framed and adorned in real feathers. Despite staying ‘in flight’ for over ten minutes, it all came literally and figuratively crashing down as pre-flight Firnas had neglected the mechanics of landing.

Presumably crestfallen and probably injured, Firnas spent the remaining twelve years of his life (impressive mortality for the ninth century) furthering his studies, refining his theories and designing diagrams that would eventually become the cornerstones of aviation a thousand years later. All inspired by the imitation of birds.

Mimicking nature in manufactured designs has led to some of the most significant and enduring products in human history. In the modern era especially, designers are open to ways they can work with our environment, rather than against it.

Biomimicry: A Brief Explainer

When Swiss designer George de Mestral noticed how burs from a burdock plant stuck to his clothes and dog’s fur, he was inspired to create his most prolific invention—velcro. The original sticky note we all know and love was first adapted by NASA as a solution to anchoring equipment in zero gravity, before hitting the mainstream in the 1960s. Now, it provides a classic example of biomimicry at work.

"Design in nature is but a concatenation of accidents, culled by natural selection until the result is so beautiful or effective as to seem a miracle of purpose." – Michael Pollan

By definition, biomimetics is the emulation of materials, structures, systems and processes modelled on biological entities. Fairly convoluted for a fundamentally simple concept.

Further along the lexical chain we have biophilia: humankind’s innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. And in architecture and experience design specifically, the biophilia effect has been proven time and time again to improve health and well-being.

The effect (some still call it a hypothesis) refers to the positive, healing responses caused by a range of elements from natural views and patterns to daylighting and organic materials. It’s about bringing nature closer, really weaving it into our surroundings and lifestyles, while biomimicry is all about the inspiration the natural world can offer us.

So as climate chaos forces us to reckon with our collective relationship with nature and our planet — an intense reevaluation only exacerbated by the pandemic — designers, engineers and innovators are turning to these two concepts as a welcome source of inspiration across every field.

Biomimicry in Product Design

Perhaps the most prominent, or at least well-known, examples of biomimicry are the design of products like velcro, LEDs (influenced by a firefly’s light-enhancing microsystems), the humpback whale-inspired wind turbine or the Shinkansen bullet train.

Shortly before the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964, the West Japan Rail Company (JR West) launched the Tokaido Shinkansen segment of their new high-speed intercity rail network. Its speed came from the train’s rounded front (hence the name ‘bullet train’) but engineers found that every time it entered a tunnel the shape created a pressure wave which, in turn, caused a sonic boom on exit.

Solution inspiration struck when one of the engineers, who also happened to be an avid birdwatcher, studied a film on kingfishers—how they can move from one density (air) to another (water) without causing even a ripple. Such a feat that even Midjourney could not replicate it after a series of increasingly detailed prompts.

So when JR West replicated that same shape in the Shinkansen train design, not only did their new design eliminate the sonic boom, the train moved 10% faster on 15% less electricity.

In more leisurely pursuits, back in 2015 the design brand Norlan partnered with product designer Sruli Recht on a kickstarter aiming to improve the experience of whisky drinking. Originally seeking to crowdfund $75,000 yet ending up raising just under $400k, the collaboration used biomimetics to create a whisky glass that enhances the spirit’s aroma, thus improving the taste.

Four fin-like protrusions inside the double-walled design generate wave-like motions as the vessel is swirled, increasing the whisky’s exposure to air. This movement encourages ethanol evaporation, intensifying aromas and enriching the perception of flavor. Though no longer available for sale, the Norlan Whisky Glass claims to have changed the game, developed out of a love for the spirit matched with a frustration over the poor glassware available to enthusiasts. At the time of writing, the project’s crowdfund sits at over $800,000.

Increasingly, products are seen as the ‘antidote’ to something, even if it’s not an urgent need. An adjacent to biomimcry, biophilia’s rapid takeup in the design world over the last decade or so is symptomatic of a need for ‘healing’ spaces—something architects, placemakers and urban planners are taking seriously.

The Impact of Nature In Architecture & Placemaking

Bringing nature into spatial design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating spaces that make people feel good. Biophilic design taps into our innate connection to nature, reducing stress, boosting focus, and even improving air quality. It’s why offices with greenery tend to have happier, more productive employees and why homes with natural light just feel better. Whether it’s a living wall, raw wood textures, or an open view of the outdoors, these elements ground us in a fast-paced, screen-heavy world. In short? Nature isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a need. And a couple of dehydrated plants dotted around the workplace isn’t going to cut it anymore.

English designer and founder of Heatherwick Studio, Thomas Heatherwick, has pivoted his and the firm’s focus to a greener vision for the future. On a mission to turn buildings into plant-filled utopias (much more than a lone monstera) as an antidote to painfully boring cityscapes and wider health issues.

Before new ways of thinking, a building’s purpose was purely functional. Utilitarian almost. And ultimately unable to evolve with changing lifestyle demands, shifting mentalities and societal goals.

Through his work, Heatherwick is trying to trigger a global humanising movement that no longer tolerates soulless, inhuman places. He questions: what if our buildings inspired us to want to adapt and adjust and repair? And the buildings themselves could evolve too? Lasting beyond the horrifyingly short average lifespan (in London, just forty years) of an innercity commercial building.

Also focused on the literal building blocks of the future, NEOM is widely integrating biophilia and biomimetics into its futuristic designs to create a sustainable and livable environment inspired by nature.

The Line, NEOM’s flagship linear city, will feature extensive greenery, reducing the urban heat island effect and improving air quality. Its buildings and infrastructure are designed to maximize daylight exposure, reducing the need for artificial lighting. They also take cues from desert organisms like termites, which regulate temperature naturally, reducing reliance on energy-intensive cooling. Along the Red Sea coastline, NEOM is exploring biomimetic desalination techniques, inspired by how mangroves filter seawater.

Across the entire region, structures are shaped to minimize wind resistance and maximize energy efficiency, much like natural formations, while various materials mimic self-cleaning lotus leaves or chameleon-like adaptive skins to reduce heat absorption. NEOM’s vast and varied initiatives aim to overcome the gaps left in ecosystem’s health with traditional urban design, by doing things differently to how they’ve always been done.

Biophilia in Branding & Sensory Design

The innovations happening in haptics, sonics and scent at the moment frequently make sensory design the topic of the moment. Specifically what it can do in tandem with the rise of brand worlds and experience. Here, the impact of biophilia and biomimetics is perhaps subtler and rarer than on product design or placemaking, but it’s present nonetheless.

In November 2024, beauty brand Natura introduced its first-ever sonic identity, crafted by turning the electrical pulses of Amazon rainforest trees into melody. In collaboration with Africa Creative and sound design studio Soundthinkers, the brand used proprietary technology to translate the bioelectric signals of native trees into a unique audio signature for its communications.

The process involved attaching sensors to trees to capture their electrical activity, which was then analyzed for tempo, tonality, and timbre. The resulting soundmark embodies Natura’s dedication to biodiversity—as a founding member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade—and its philosophy of Bem Estar (wellbeing), creating a deeper sensory bond with its audience.

For brands looking to amplify their sustainability messaging, this initiative is a compelling example of how innovation can seamlessly connect environmental values with consumer experience in a way that feels both real and emotionally engaging.

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In an industry where the word ‘seamless’ is used in every other sentence, looking to nature for inspiration and innovation tracks easily. Evolution having already lit the path of least resistence. But don’t mistake utility and efficiency for value.

When incorporating principles of any kind—natural or otherwise—a business’ biggest arbiter is the brand itself. Does the idea feel true to you? Does it amplify or deepen or espouse your brand? That is your starting point.

Often innovation comes from smashing together two completely opposing ideas. Like train networks and the biological makeup of slime mould. But that’s not as easy as it sounds. At Matter Of Form, we have a proven, proprietary framework for meaningful innovation. We call it Brand Interactions™. To find out more, get in touch with one of our consultants via hello@matterofform.com.