Biomimetic approach to architecture

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POLITECNICO DI MILANO

BIOMIMETIC APPROACH TO ARCHITECTURE School of architecture and society Supervisor: Professor Simone Giostra

A. Y. 2016/ 2017

Master of architecture Student: Nadezhda Safronova

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

SOCIAL SITUATION

Brazil can be characterized as a very rapidly developing country. From 930-s with only about 30% of population living in cities it reached 80% to 2000 year. From 930 to 980, the period was also called "National development"

Sao Paulo is very significant city in Brazil context. To understand better,

on its territory that is around 3% of Brazil area lives 22% of country population. This period can be characterized as a very advantageous period with a lot of good improvements in social sphere.But in 980s the crisis came with a lot of side effects, that are poverty, drop in economic rates and social problems. One of the main outcomes of that period was introduction of favelas, as there were not enough of space for people in the city.

Of course the urbanization of Brazil is linked to Sao Paulo. It is a very complex and not homogenious city. First of all I should mention that

urbanization rate is more than 90% and rate of population growth is around 60%. Hence, this drammatic changes of population distribution can not be unnoticed in city context. Urbanization is always very debating process, with its prons and cons. Sao Paulo is an important attractor, as it has work places, facilities, education institutes, so its metropolitan area population is almost equal to city area.

SAO PAULO (city) Area [metro/city] 7,944 km2 /,22 km2 Population [metro/city] 2,242,939/ 2,038,75 Density [metro/city] 7.858,3 km2/ 2,469.35 km2 SAO PAULO (federal state) Area: 248,222.8 km2 Population: 44,396,485 Density: 80/km2 BRAZIL 27 federative units Area: 8,55,767 km2 Population: 206,440,850 Density: 23.8/km2

Population density rate per square kilometer Deposition of favelas Average income per month ($)

5 000 and more 0 to 000 0 000- 5 000  000- 2 000 5 000- 0 000 2 000- 3 000 3 000- 4 000 5 000 and less 4 000 and more M 1: 200000 M 1: 200000 M 1: 200000 M 1: 200000 M 1: 200000

Population growth rate in Sao Paulo and its metropolian zone. 970 980 99 2000 203 5 5.9 8. 5 9.6 0.4 .3 8. 2.6 5.4 7.9 20.8 0 5 20

highly polluted water polluted water moderate water quality autoroads

train metro train circle (rodoanel) train circle (rodoanel) under construction

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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TOPOGRAPHY

WATER ACCUMULATION

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

One of Sao Paulo's characteristic features is its very dramatic landscape that gives space for chaotically organized favelas that spread on highly furrowed terrain.

Though the site is an exception, as can be seen from the map. The site is a plain low- lying land with very slight height changes.

Water accumulation analysis was very useful to understand the water drainage way that is important in the city with a lot of non- permeable spaces that is one of the flood problems.

That should be considered as all the rainwater will go through the site due to its lower position.

The city has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate. In summer (January through March), the mean low temperature is about 7 C and the mean high temperatures is near 28 C. In winter, temperatures tend to range between  and 23 C.

550 kWh/m2 530 50 490 470 M 1: 6000 M 1: 6000 M 1: 6000

Water flow map

Water accumulation map

Radiation map M 1: 20000 M 1: 20000 790 meters 775 meters 760 meters 745 meters 730 meters 75 meters park vacant land max min public private green track field riparian asphalt street green rooftops

Average minimum and maximum temperatures.

Average monthly sunhours.

Average rainy days ( rain/snow ).

Source: https://weather-and-climate. com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,sao-paulo,Brazil Source: https://weather-and-climate. com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,sao-paulo,Brazil Source: https://weather-and-climate. com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,sao-paulo,Brazil

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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LOGICS OF TESSELATION

Water accumulation map was taken as the base for Voronoi tesselation and then the heighths of cells were ordered according to water accumulation, water flow and thermal maps. The logic of size range is following. In humid zones cells are bigger and higher. Heighths were also changed according to thermal map, so that less sunny zones are higher.

Ranging heighths and heighths helps in preventing water flooding on site.

water accumulation map

thermal map

excluding river zone

voronoi based on water accumulation map

heighths based on water accumulation map

heighths based on thermal map

heighths based on water flow map

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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MOLD AS A DESIGN ENGINE Sao Paulo's Metro is small relative to the size of the city and currently links

only a few districts. It works in tandem with the CPTM regional rail system. Expansion of the city's rail network is planned, but the combined capacity still does not meet current demand, The subway has only 6 kilometres of lines,

though 35 further kilometers are under construction or planned by 200. Also the southern part of train network will connect it in a circle.

The bus system is very well developed. In most cases, the buses have to share the roads with cars and are often equally affected by the problematic

traffic conditions. While there are separate bus lanes in some places, their allocation is limited due to a general lack of space on the roadways. blue- collar work,

One of the main aims of project was to design effective transport connection within the site and coonect it to the city. In nature mobility processes are working without any pauses and breaks. Thus, as a guide for my design I have taken inspiration from mold.

In the last years was proved that mold has an ability to find the best root in search of food. Various experiments have proved that. As an example, putting food on the centers of Tokyo city and its pereferia and letting then mold develop a root, shows that it recreates almost identically city transport system.

DESIGN/ transport scheme

food- bigger cells and outer border

Car 27. 2 % 29 % 34 % 37 % Motorcycle . 9 % Walking 33.  % Bicycle 0. 7 % Metro 5. 8 % Train 2.  % Bus 28. 5 % Taxi 0. 2 % highways max traffic min traffic bicycle paths local roads train stop train metro bus M 1: 20000 M 1: 20000

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

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Sao Paulo is a city that started its development late compared to Rio de Janeiro. Prevailing industry was a coffe plantations. From 20th century with the beginning of urbanization, first signs of social segregation could be noticed. From 20s- 30s Sao Paolo began rapid industrialization with switch from coffee production to blue- collar work,

ANALYSIS/ global scale

School of architecture and society Supervisor: Professor Simone Giostra A. Y. 206/ 207

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A. Y. 206/ 207

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EUCALYPTUS AS AN INSPIRATION

LINGOTUBER

ANALYSIS/ global scale

Second part is epicormic shoots. They lie dormant inside a trunk until needed. They have regenerative function, so in case of lack of sun energy or damage of upper part they "wake up" and start to grow.

Third part is serotiny. Their amount depends on condition of tree. So, when

it is dying a trigger start to work, enlarging the amount of serotiny and launch them.

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Next replaceable part is epicormic shoots that are in a state of sleep under tree skin and when the tree is damaged and has not enough branches to catch solar energy, they wake up and start to grow.

At last, eucalyptus has a serotiny that are a capsules with seeds that are very hard in normal conditions, but when the fire starts, they melt and throw the seeds to the ground. Next replaceable part is epicormic shoots that are in a state of sleep under tree skin and when the tree is damaged and has not enough branches to catch solar energy, they wake up and start to grow.

At last, eucalyptus has a serotiny that are a capsules with seeds that are very

SEROTINY EPICORMIC SHOOTS

Eucalyptus cultivation is one of the mail industries in Brazil.

That tree has a various characteristics that are interesting and can be transferred in architecture. It is one of the most fast- growing tree species.

That characteristic can be explained due to the often fires in Eucalyptus forests. So the tree has adapted some features to fight against natural conditions.

The main word to characterize the eucalyptus protection can be replaceability. First of all, it has lingotuber, that is a part of root that is situated above ground and contains biomass, so when the tree is damaged or dead, the new tree is growing from the same lingotuber.

First part is lignotuber, that is a part of root above ground containing a lot of minerals and chemical elements, so that when the tree is dead or burnt, new tree is growing from the same lingotuber.

It is interesting to think of building as a process and imagine that it can be changed according to current needs. The idea is to put useful functions, like water storage, hydroponics system, grey water cleaner, etc. in the base of buildings and increase it if needed.

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A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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Sao Paulo is a city that started its development late compared to Rio de Janeiro. Prevailing industry was a coffe plantations. From 20th century with the beginning of urbanization, first signs of social segregation could be noticed. From 20s- 30s Sao Paolo began rapid industrialization with switch from coffee production to blue- collar work, Sao Paulo is a city that started its development late compared to Rio de Janeiro. Prevailing industry was a coffe plantations. From 20th century with the beginning of urbanization, first signs of social segregation could be noticed. From 20s- 30s Sao Paolo began rapid industrialization with switch from coffee production to blue- collar work, Sao Paulo is a city that started its development late compared to Rio de Janeiro. Prevailing industry was a coffe plantations. ANAEROBIC ULTRAVIOLET ULTRAVIOLET BIOLOGICAL ULTRAFILTRATION

ANALYSIS/ global scale

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A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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WATER LOOP

Average water usage in Sao Paolo is around 43 litres per capita per day. So having around 5850 people on the site we get daily 702 702 litres of grey water. Taking in consideration possible rainfalls and more active water usage in summer, it is around  000 000 m3 of volume. If we put this amount in containers that have 500 m2 area and 5 m og heigths we need 33 of that containers, but for safety reasons it can be avereaged to 50.

x 50 containers with area of 500 m2 and heighths of 5 m are needed for water loop

storage storage pisciculture agriculture livestock toilet rain water ANAEROBIC SCREENING ANAEROBIC ULTRAVIOLET ULTRAVIOLET BIOLOGICAL BIOLOGICAL ULTRAFILTRATION ULTRAFILTRATION CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION ANAEROBIC SCREENING ULTRAVIOLET ULTRAFILTRATION BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION 568.6

ANALYSIS/ global scale

METHANE CO2

toilet organic waste kitchen reidues livestock agriculture

storage anaerobic digestion

fertilizer

biogas in CHP unit _{heat and electricity} pisciculture livestock agriculture biomethane fuel - hydrolysis - acidogenesis - acetogenesis - methanogenesis ANAEROBIC SCREENING ULTRAVIOLET ULTRAFILTRATION BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION SOCIAL SITUATION

Sao Paulo is a city that started its development late compared to Rio de Janeiro. Prevailing industry was a coffe plantations. From 20th century with the beginning of urbanization, first signs of social segregation could be noticed. From 20s- 30s Sao Paolo began rapid industrialization with switch from coffee production to blue- collar work, ing of urbanization, first signs of social segregation could be noticed. From 20s- 30s Sao Paolo began rapid industrialization with switch from coffee production to blue- collar work,

ANAEROBIC

ULTRAVIOLET BIOLOGICAL ULTRAFILTRATION

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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1 KM 2

5 M 5 M

24 M

wheat to feed 3000 people

sweet potatoes to feed 2350 people

fish to feed 3300 people

potatoes feed 3300 people vertical farming helps to increase efficiency

OR OR OR ANAEROBIC SCREENING ULTRAVIOLET ULTRAFILTRATION BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION CHLORINE RESIDUAL PROTECTION SOCIAL SITUATION

ANAEROBIC

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A. Y. 2016/ 2017

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ANALYSIS/ global scale

A. Y. 2016/ 2017