ABSTRACT
Chapter 27 delves into the concept of regenerative architecture as a response to the global decline in ecosystem services, which are crucial for human survival. As the provision of these services diminishes, the built environment needs to transition towards providing resources and ecosystem services such as energy, water, food, habitat for non-human species, air and water purification, and nutrient cycling. The chapter explores the practical task of creating or enabling the evolution of built environments that can achieve regenerative status, considering the scarcity of existing examples that even reach a neutral environmental impact. It examines whether biomimicry, the practice of emulating nature’s strategies and solutions, can contribute to achieving this aim. Different types of biomimicry are discussed, weighing their advantages and disadvantages in a design context. By considering biomimicry as a potential tool for regenerative architecture, the chapter encourages a shift towards designs and strategies that emulate nature’s wisdom.
