Evolutionary Design: design according to Nature
The way we currently design houses, consumer products, and other technological artifacts is obsolete and harmful. While there is a growing consciousness concerning environmental impact and so-called appropriate technology and some progress is noted in the mainstream, the most promising ideas are found at the “fringe,” in the domain of a group of visionaries here called the “outlaw designers.” The inspiration for the right solutions can be found all around us by appropriately drawing from Nature’s design techniques. It requires a profound change in our compartimented way of thinking to properly understand Nature’s systemic and synergetic quality. Applying this holistic view to the design of houses and other products will lead to better integration with the surroundings, with the users, and reduce considerably the environmental footprint. We briefly list architect Eugene Tsui’s principles of Evolutionary Architecture, which represent a Nature-inspired, bold and necessary departure from tradition in building appropriate shelters. In the same spirit, we also propose a series of 12 evolutionary design principles to be applied to small scale technological products.
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