In the previous blog post, we explored saguaro cacti using the book Opportunities for Everyone: Lessons from Keystone Species with STEAM & Biomimicry Activities.
Below are two pages from our Nature & Biomimicry Journal with ideas for a cacti city and sketches of saguaro cacti. The homes in the skyscrapers are inspired by the nest holes in the cacti. Birds, like the Gila woodpecker, use these nests as their home.
Every part of this Cacti City is biomimicry in action — the nest-hole apartments come from the Gila woodpecker, the flexible solar “bristles” come from cactus spines, and the sun-tracking platform copies how a saguaro itself manages heat throughout the day.
The skyscrapers are built on a platform made with sustainable concrete using desert sand. The city is built on the water, and the water level varies during the seasons. Water is collected from the buildings, and the leftover water is directed towards the little lake.
Botanical cacti solar panels, like tiny bristles, are placed on the top of the buildings. The panels are flexible and move with the wind so they also collect wind energy. The leftover energy is used to swirl the buildings around. The whole platform moves with the sun to help keep the building cool.
I hope this will inspire you to make your own Cacti City. Our book is filled with activities that are perfect for exploring Keystone species in the classroom or at homeschool!
Your Turn: Pick one animal that lives in a harsh environment — desert, arctic, ocean depths — and ask what a city built around its survival trick might look like. Start with a single building, then sketch how it would solve heat, water, or shelter the way that animal does.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.