Wild Buildings and Bridges

Nature and architecture are perfect partners!

Are you planning a biomimicry challenge? The book Wild Buildings and Bridges: Architecture Inspired by Nature by Etta Kaner is a great introduction to using nature as inspiration to design and architecture. Thought provoking questions and illustrated examples mixed with directions that invite children to build and explore their ideas.

Architects look to nature to help them solve many of their own building problems. The book has more than 30 examples of different ways that nature has influenced architects. In some cases, nature has helped to solve structural problems, for example, using the long roots of grass to create an earthquake-proof bridge. Nature has also provided artistic inspiration and Frank Gehry was inspired by the beauty of moving fish.

The book is a wonderful combination of art and science that has been beautifully illustrated by Carl Wiens.