FROM FORM TO PROCESS: REFLECTIONS ON BIOMIMICRY, PARAMETRIC MODELING AND DESIGN IMPLICATIONS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

In the context of the built environment, biomimicry has often been incorporated into design through form-centered approaches, which limit its understanding as a process- oriented strategy guided by performance, adaptation, and systemic organization. In response to this gap, this article proposes a theoretical reflection that shifts biomimicry from morphological imitation toward an approach grounded in functional, systemic, and adaptive principles observed in natural systems. The objective is to discuss how parametric modeling, articulated with Design Science Research (DSR), can contribute, at a conceptual level, to the translation of these principles into design parameters and variables applicable to the built environment. Methodologically, the research adopts DSR as an epistemological and analytical framework, positioning itself within the initial phases of problem awareness and conceptual framing, without proposing or empirically validating artifacts. The study is based on a critical literature review and on the conceptual articulation between biomimicry, natural processes, and parametric modeling, seeking to highlight relevant convergences for the field of design. As a result, the article proposes a theoretical–methodological framework that outlines conceptual pathways for the operationalization of biomimicry as a process, emphasizing the role of parametric modeling in organizing relationships, exploring variations, and simulating behaviors. It is concluded that the proposed approach contributes to the theoretical debate on biomimicry and design, indicating methodological implications and future perspectives for empirical investigations and emerging computational approaches within the built environment.