George Elvin Wants to Evolve Biomimicry

George Elvin recently spoke with Spring Partners Design about resilient architecture. Below is a snippet of the article. Read the full article on Spring Partners Design’s website.

The general theme of architect George Elvin’s career is, simply, innovation — innovation in work systems, in design, and in construction. Currently a professor at North Carolina State University College of Design, Elvin’s written books and white papers on integrative practice, nanotechnology, post-petroleum design, and, more recently, resilient architecture — that is, buildings designed to withstand modern ecological disasters

“I try to keep my eyes open for things that are not just interesting but are going to have a big impact too. I have tried to look for issues that are going to be urgent, I guess, would be a good way to sum it up,” says Elvin of his kaleidoscopic yet coherent scope of work.

In this conversation, the ever-enlightening Elvin shares his thoughts on:

• Why biomimicry needs to go beyond form and focus on processes.

• How modal analysis can advance architecture.

• And what wild horses and coastal oaks can teach us about making stronger homes to withstand climate change.

Read the full article on Spring Partners Design’s website.