ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces biomimicry design as a nature-inspired design and innovation approach in the field of design for sustainability and discusses its main sustainability benefits, limitations and unresolved issues, as well as its current and future research directions. The premise of biomimicry design is using nature as a model, measure and mentor. Different authors have proposed nuanced categorisations of mimicking nature, essentially related to mimicking natural forms, processes of nature and mimicking natural (eco)systems, representing a spectrum from shallow to deep biomimicry. Biomimicry design has a good track record of yielding innovative solutions in new product development, and there is also some evidence that using biomimicry design to drive sustainable innovation can result in remarkable outcomes. However, there are several critical perspectives on biomimicry design, including that its outputs are not per se sustainable and that there is not an established system of accountability for biomimicry in sustainability-oriented innovation. It has also been criticised for viewing nature only instrumentally. In addition, it has been argued that biomimicry design is technocentric and therefore obscures non-technological solutions to problems.
