Let every observation of a slug’s movement, every question about how animals stay warm, every “what if” moment be a seed for future urban innovations. The future belongs to cities that are not just near nature, they ARE nature, working as living systems where every building, street, and space contributes to the health of both people and wildlife. Get ready to explore a world where buildings are like forests, streets are like rivers, and cities are a home for everyone!
A Glimpse into the Future of Urban Life
Have you ever wondered what our cities could look like in a hundred years? What if we could solve some of our biggest urban challenges, from traffic jams to water shortages, by working with nature instead of against it?
This video, “Solarpunk: The Bright, Beautiful Sci-Fi Future We Deserve”, takes us on an inspiring journey to imagine the year 2125, using real-world solutions and forward-thinking ideas. It explores how places like Los Angeles, Lagos, and São Paulo could transform into vibrant, sustainable hubs where humans, technology, and nature coexist in harmony.
Get ready to see how a sustainable future is not just a dream, but a possibility we can start building today.
What If Our Cities Were Like Magical Forests?
What if we could use those amazing secrets to make our cities even better? Imagine a future where our cities aren’t just near nature, but are truly part of nature, like living, breathing ecosystems that help people and wildlife thrive!
Imagine that you’re walking through your neighbourhood, and instead of grey buildings, you see colourful butterflies fluttering between balconies. You hear cheerful birdsong from lush rooftop gardens and maybe even spot tiny streams trickling down pathways, just like in a real forest! This isn’t just a fantasy; it’s what cities are starting to do through something called Urban Rewilding. It’s all about bringing wild nature back into our everyday lives.
But how can a city become more like a forest? Let’s dive into how cities are learning from nature’s amazing designs to become healthier, happier places for everyone!
Biomimicry: Nature’s Superpowers for Cities!
Biomimicry is like being a super-detective for nature’s secrets. It means looking at how plants and animals solve problems and then using those brilliant ideas to create new things. For example, Velcro was invented because an engineer noticed how sticky burrs from a plant clung to his dog’s fur and solar panels, which give us clean energy, were inspired by how leaves use sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis.
Now, cities are getting inspired by nature’s blueprints to tackle big challenges, like making our planet healthier!
Why Should Our Cities Learn From Nature?
Our cities today face some tricky problems:
- Too Hot! Buildings and roads made of concrete can trap heat, making cities much warmer than cool, shady forests. This is called the ‘urban heat island’ effect!
- Where Did the Rain Go? When rain falls on hard surfaces like concrete, it can’t soak into the ground. This can lead to flooding, resulting in less water for plants and trees.
- No Place Like Home! Many animals, from busy bees to chirping sparrows, find it hard to find safe homes and food in our concrete jungles.
- Breathing Easy! Without enough plants and trees, the air in our cities can become polluted. Plants are like nature’s air filters!
- Feeling Disconnected from nature. Many of us don’t get enough time to play and explore in nature. And we know that being in nature makes us feel happy and healthy!
By using biomimicry, we can solve these problems and make our cities better for everyone.
Keep exploring, keep asking questions, and let’s help our cities grow more like the wonderful natural world around us! What’s a nature secret you’ve discovered lately?
In the next blog post, we will continue to explore the future of cities.
AI helped with inspiration and research for the blog post.
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.