A Biomimicry Course in an ID Department: Nature-Driven Innovation for Food Systems

This paper explains a case study on biomimicry-based education work in an industrial design undergraduate program. It seeks to outline and explain an elective design course and its framework, GST116 Biomimicry, in the Department of Industrial Design (ID) and the Faculty of Fine Arts. Furthermore, it proposes recommendations for use in similar courses. The research questions are: “What can be the possible stages of a biomimicry lecture in an ID department?” “What recommendations can be made for educators concerning a biomimicry course? Moreover, “What are the learning outcomes of a Biomimicry lecture in first year ID department? Seventeen students collaborated in pairs or trios with their classmates during this course. Twelve design projects were showcased in total. Students applied the Biomimicry Institute Design methodology to design biomimicry-based products related to the sub-stages of food systems. Besides these methods, the teams conducted brainstorming sessions, produced sketches, perspective, orthographic, and technical drawings, and created 3D mock-ups. The students’ projects also focused on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) issues. To sum up, recommendations for further biomimicry courses were proposed.