Welcome, Urban explorers! Last time, we talked about how cities can become like magical forests. But how exactly does that work? The secret is in biomimicry, learning from nature’s best ideas! Let’s see how our cities are already using nature’s brilliant blueprints.
Green Roofs = Forest Canopies
Imagine a forest from a bird’s-eye view. The tops of the trees form a leafy canopy that keeps everything below cool and catches the rain. Cities are now building something similar on top of their buildings!
These Green Roofs are gardens on rooftops. They work like nature’s umbrellas, keeping buildings cool in the summer and soaking up rainwater so it doesn’t flood the streets. Many green roofs even have wildflowers that bees and butterflies love!
Wildlife Corridors = Animal Bridges
Have you ever seen a path in the woods that animals use to travel? They’re called wildlife corridors. Cities are creating these same pathways using plants!
Wildlife Corridors are strips of parks and gardens that connect different areas of a city. Think of them as bridges made of plants that help animals move safely through a busy city, just like they would in a forest. Some cities even build special tunnels or overpasses just for animals to cross busy roads!
Wildlife-Friendly Architecture = Animal Apartment Buildings
What if buildings were designed with animals in mind from the very beginning? Architects are starting to do just that, creating places for both people and animals to live together.
- Pollinator Balconies: Every apartment balcony can be a mini-meadow for bees and butterflies.
- Bird Superhighways: Special patterns on glass windows help birds see the building and avoid flying into it.
- Urban Bat Caves: Some buildings have special spaces for bats to roost safely and help eat pesky bugs.
- Hedgehog Highways: Small tunnels under fences or sidewalks allow hedgehogs and other small animals to travel safely.
Nature’s Climate Solutions
When cities copy nature, amazing things happen for our planet. Nature has been solving problems for billions of years, and we can learn from its solutions!
- Cooling Down Cities: Trees and plants work like nature’s air conditioners, making our neighbourhoods cooler without using electricity.
- Cleaning the Air: Just like they make food for themselves, plants breathe in a gas called carbon dioxide and help filter out pollution, making our air cleaner to breathe.
- Managing Rain and Floods: Plants and soil soak up rainwater like giant sponges. This helps prevent flooding during big storms and makes sure there is enough water for trees and plants to grow.
How You Can Become a Biomimicry Detective
Are you ready for a mission? You can be a biomimicry detective right in your own backyard!
- Observe Carefully: Watch how a spider weaves its web. How strong and light is it? How could we use that idea to build bridges?
- Ask “What If” Questions: What if our house could collect water like a cactus? What if our school bus could navigate like a bird?
- Imagine: What would your neighbourhood look like if it copied a forest or a meadow?
Keep exploring, keep asking questions, and you’ll find that nature is the very best teacher of all!
AI-generated images – poster and featured image.
You might also like to explore the blog posts Treescrapers and Cacti City.
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.