Natural Design and the Transformation of Human Industry

Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Architectural Science

2nd Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

2nd Student Major

Architectural Science

3rd Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

3rd Student Major

Architectural Science

Institution

Western Kentucky University

KY House District #

52; 83; 23

KY Senate District #

16; 15; 9

Department

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Abstract

For most of our history, the human response to the living earth, to particular places, has expressed the same flowering of diversity. As a society, human beings have become isolated and detached from nature. Does this fault not lie in our own design? We create physical barriers that separate us from the world, and consequently, we have removed ourselves from the natural environment. Bearing the unique human ability to imagine and create, we are responsible for tailoring future architecture as not just shelter, but elegant responses to locality, and breathing structures of art. Human industry and habitations can be designed to celebrate interdependence with other living systems. Designs can transform in the marketplace, in the human community, and in the natural world. “Through the daily experience of the designed environment, we learn detachment… As nature has receded from our daily lives, it has receded from our ethics." - Sim Van der Ryn.

The urbanization of our world has created a distance between humans and our natural environment. As a result, there has been research that highlights the several health issues such as obesity, ADHD, and a sharp decline in creativity that affects us humans. Despite the amount of urban design and industry environment, humans still have an innate connection to the natural world, that tenacious desire to fuse architecture with nature.

The surrounding environment came as the largest inspiration for our project, drawing ideas from nature’s functions, forms, and structures. Our research focused on discovering a deeper connection between the natural world and architectural design. In the resort projects undertaken around the world, we were able to apply that connection by designing sustainable spaces that integrated well into their surroundings. Our design incorporates natural elements in modern architecture which created an interaction between humans and nature through external senses.

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Natural Design and the Transformation of Human Industry

For most of our history, the human response to the living earth, to particular places, has expressed the same flowering of diversity. As a society, human beings have become isolated and detached from nature. Does this fault not lie in our own design? We create physical barriers that separate us from the world, and consequently, we have removed ourselves from the natural environment. Bearing the unique human ability to imagine and create, we are responsible for tailoring future architecture as not just shelter, but elegant responses to locality, and breathing structures of art. Human industry and habitations can be designed to celebrate interdependence with other living systems. Designs can transform in the marketplace, in the human community, and in the natural world. “Through the daily experience of the designed environment, we learn detachment… As nature has receded from our daily lives, it has receded from our ethics." - Sim Van der Ryn.

The urbanization of our world has created a distance between humans and our natural environment. As a result, there has been research that highlights the several health issues such as obesity, ADHD, and a sharp decline in creativity that affects us humans. Despite the amount of urban design and industry environment, humans still have an innate connection to the natural world, that tenacious desire to fuse architecture with nature.

The surrounding environment came as the largest inspiration for our project, drawing ideas from nature’s functions, forms, and structures. Our research focused on discovering a deeper connection between the natural world and architectural design. In the resort projects undertaken around the world, we were able to apply that connection by designing sustainable spaces that integrated well into their surroundings. Our design incorporates natural elements in modern architecture which created an interaction between humans and nature through external senses.