Nature: The Architect of Our Future. A Micro-Conference on Biomimicry
Romanesco broccoli with very evenly shaped spirals that radiate from the center
and grow larger as they extend toward the outer edges.
– © Stéphane DOUADY / LPS / CNRS Images
Natasha Chayaamor-Heil, architect, design engineer at ENSA Paris-la Villette, and researcher in biomimetic strategies applied to architecture and urban planning at the Architecture and Anthropology Laboratory (LAA – UMR LAVUE 7218), has been invited to speak at the CNRS’s “Échappées inattendues” event as part ofthe 2026 “Automne de la science” series at libraries throughout the City of Paris.
These events offer an opportunity to discover how science draws on the forms and strategies of living organisms to address the major challenges of our time, whether it’s reimagining the city of tomorrow or finding innovative solutions for cleaning up the oceans. Following the presentations, a Q&A session with the audience allows for a deeper exploration of these issues.
Natasha Chayaamor-Heil: Building the City of Tomorrow with Living Organisms
How can we limit urban sprawl by drawing inspiration from proteins’ ability to change shape? How do penguins teach us to better protect our buildings from the cold? There are so many examples that illustrate the potential of biomimicry in architecture! Long focused on observing the performance of living organisms to develop innovative solutions, biomimicry is now evolving toward a holistic approach driven by social and ecological concerns. It no longer aims merely to imitate nature, but to design buildings and cities that engage in a constant dialogue with residents and the natural world in order to promote biodiversity and address social and climate challenges.
