Week 2

E-learning: Lessons from nature

Note:

Sometimes examples from nature are translated directly in to the built

environment and we call this bio-mimicry.

(Ref: LMS of Constructing Environments 2013 n.p University of Melbourne)

Lecture Note:

Referencing Structural Systems from Natural and Manmade systems

Gravity—vertical forces

Wind

Water

Seismic—lateral forces

Think an object into architecture. For example: table can be think to large roof or

floor.

Animal architecture: bats, honeycomb, the rib structures.

Plant architecture

Non architectural manmade structures

Tutorial Program：Build a tower as high as possible use balsa wood in group.

(Step 1) (Step 2)

First, we cut the balsa wood in a half and stick it in triangle shape because we think it

can help the tower to be stable.

Then we put three triangles on three sides of the base and make a small triangle to

connect the three top together.

(Step 3) (Step 4) (Step 5)

(Step 6) (Step 7) (Step 8)

We stick the balsa wood vertically on the three points of small triangle because we

want to make it high. Then we use short balsa wood to connect them to make it

stable. Also, we stick the balsa wood on the side of it across the corner to reinforce it.

At last, we make a small top for our tower.

After we destroy our tower, we found that the most stable part is the triangle base

and it can sustain high gravity. We put two IPads on it and it didn’t collapse.