Sustainability and biomimicry: learning through the practice of design

Biomimicry has become one of the emerging trends in design, focusing on learning
based on and with nature, not only as a source of technical inspiration but also as a
model for manufacturing and materialization. This is demonstrated in how
contemporary design practice is increasingly oriented towards sustainability and
transdisciplinary, considering the ecological footprint and manufacturing processes
involved in construction. One of the main challenges for art and design schools is to
develop technical awareness in students, promoting responsible practices that integrate
experimentation and exploration of materials. This work systematizes the experiences of
the design project of a formal unit, under the approaches of biomimicry and
sustainability, with 76 students from art, architecture, and design programs at the
University of Monterrey in Mexico, between 2022 and 2024, to validate its pedagogical
use and its contributions to aspects such as creativity, materiality, and sustainable
production. Six phases of the biomimetic spiral were developed: define, biologize,
discover, abstract, emulate, and evaluate, to achieve the desired solution based on the
study of living beings. Additionally, the use of reusable materials with a low
environmental impact was considered. The application of biomimicry has transformed
the design teaching process by converting biological principles into replicable
strategies, demonstrating that nature can serve as an operational driver for innovation in
learning.