Forest Façade

Pattern Scale: Building

Description of the Pattern:

The biomimicry of a line of a forest or other natural elements represented into the design of the outside face of a building. This simple, yet complicated process, involves crafting the exterior of the building to match that of a natural scene. Manmade materials manipulated to seem as if they were grown and nurtured into an enclosed space. Interface Base Camp, located in Atlanta, is an ambitious tribute to biophilic principles. Interface pays homage to the city’s goal of restoring its tree canopy to 50 percent by encasing the building in a unique forest overlaid façade. The recyclable polyester sheath that wraps the north and east faces of the building features a white transparent forest landscape. The result allows natural light into the workplace and simultaneously conserves energy by reducing heat from sunlight. The importance of brining nature back into building designs is vital. The benefits of natural sunlight, and increased open spaces can have positive effects on mental and physical health.

The emulation of nature, or biomimicry, can be found in design across the world. In this pattern's case, biomimicry is utilized through aspects of digital art, materiality, and architectural design to create a forest facade. There is no one true way to make a forest facade, but the product results in the creation of simulated wooded area without planting a single tree. In Incheon, South Korea, color, materiality, and pivotal panels were considered when designing the "Forest House".

The architect, JYA Architects, were tasked with having a restaurant be representative of a forest to create a sense of green space within a bustling city. A few structures project the illusion of a forest by using ceramic ink on printed glass over an entire building. The Barclays Origami Building in Paris, France adopted this printing technique to apply Japanese influence, modernity, and of course, a reflection of nature to its exterior. The Cultural and Leisure Center in Chaville, France appears to be a sculpture, but is a black concrete building lined with a wooden casing carved into a branching phenomenon. The forests surrounding the city of Chaville are integral to the community, and this structure is a tribute to the natural landscape.

Forest facades and biomimicry facilitate biophilia through eye-catching art and design tactics. Whether traversing the city or within these structures, forest facades stimulate the euphoric feeling of taking a walk in a park or gazing upon a lake filled with waterfowl. The addition of a forest facade to any building could provide a positive effect to the mental and physical wellbeing of city dwellers having grander opportunity for looking upon nature stained onto glass compared to a heavily trafficked concrete jungle.

More about this pattern:

Biophilic Cities Short Film: Interface Base Camp: Modeling Nature

Who Submitted this Pattern:  Rachael Miller + John Ward