New Scenarios for Sustainable Design Toward an Integrated Approach Between Bio-Inspired Design, Biomimetic Materials, Generative Parametric Modelling, Additive Manufacturing

The definition of Circular Economy identifies the design as a strategic tool for the radical change of the linear economic model. The cultural debate on the role of Design for Environmental Sustainability is focusing on the importance of a circular and bio-inspired approach to accelerate the change. Bio-inspiration becomes necessary for designers to increase the environmental performance of artefacts and to transform, from linear to circular, the production and consumption model. Nanoscience, supported by nanotechnology, has carried out major shifts in the scientific paradigm, enabling us to gain new insights into natural phenomena and processes that were previously impossible to understand and replicate on macro and micro scales. Nanoscience can explain in new ways the characteristics of nature, observed at the nanoscale, and enabling the nanotechnology to replicate some specific performances of biological beings. This scientific paradigm shift is rapidly bringing new perspectives to the design culture to enhance the environmental sustainability of products, processes, systems, and services, supported by other significant technological innovations driven by digital transformation of the design and production methods and tools. Today, promising new scenarios are opening for sustainable design, based on an integrated approach between bio-inspiration, the application of biomimetic materials, the use of generative parametric modelling software, and the rapid and additive prototyping/manufacturing. This paper aims to explore the highlights and perspectives of such integrated design approach that could trigger the radical transformation of the traditional process of ideation/design/production of industrial products, also through some case-studies of bio-inspired design and products.