This book comprises a first survey of the Collaborative Research Center SFB-TRR 141 ¿Biological
Design and Integrative Structures ¿ Analysis Simulation and Implementation in Architecture¿
funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft since October 2014. The SFB-TRR 141 provides a
collaborative framework for architects and engineers from the University of Stuttgart
biologists and physicists from the University of Freiburg and geoscientists and evolutionary
biologists from the University of Tübingen. The programm is conceptualized as a dialogue
between the disciplines and is based on the belief that that biomimetic research has the
potential to lead everyone involved to new findings far beyond his individual reach. During the
last few decades computational methods have been introduced into all fields of science and
technology. In architecture they enable the geometric differentiation of building components
and allow the fabrication of porous or fibre-based materials with locally adjusted physical and
chemical properties. Recent developments in simulation technologies focus on multi-scale models
and the interplay of mechanical phenomena at various hierarchical levels. In the natural
sciences a multitude of quantitative methods covering diverse hierarchical levels have been
introduced. These advances in computational methods have opened a new era in biomimetics: local
differentiation at various scales the main feature of natural constructions can for the first
time not only be analysed but to a certain extent also be transferred to building
construction. Computational methodologies enable the direct exchange of information between
fields of science that until now have been widely separated. As a result they lead to a new
approach to biomimetic research which hopefully contributes to a more sustainable
development in architecture and building construction.
