apologies... this essay is unfinished, I hope to tidy it up and make good soon... there is a lot of great new references to add... and better examples and analogies..
Biological Conversion, Filtration, (re)Production, Creation and Re-creation
In a Smart Garden City, the "Smart," or intelligent bit, is choosing well, how to employ inherent and latent properties of biological and technological systems. For this reason, a Smart Garden City is one that combines the best of ecological and technological engineering - designing for optimization based upon lessons learnt through observation of processes, inputs and outcomes.
As a the leaves on a plant sequester Carbon through photosynthesis; converting light energy and Carbon Dioxide, combined with soil nutrients, creating Carbon-based biomass, with oxygen as a bi-product. So too, does any vegetation, and en masse we call this green space, in nature the highest conversion system is a forest system. Producing thousands of tonnes of biomass and oxygen per day, sequestering thousands of tonnes of atmospheric carbon in the process, every second.
Therefore, it is common sense to plan and design for the inclusion of productive urban green space, including urban and peri-urban woodland, coppices and agroforestry systems, resulting in a complete city organism includes both tissues and organs and the production of these - a Smart Garden City is a complete organism.
"...it is common sense to plan and design for the inclusion of productive urban green space, including urban and peri-urban woodland, coppices and agroforestry systems, a complete city organism includes organs and tissues, as well as bones and veins..."
We can see that plants possess a reception mechanism - to uptake or receive inputs - of sunlight and carbon dioxide via the leaves at the top of the plant.
This is linked by a vascular system within the entire organism, comprised of Xylem and Phloem.
whilst the bottom of the plant exhibits a filtration and absorption system known as the roots, to absorb water and nutrient and mineral compounds.
The simplified diagram to the right shows that vegetation has a vascular, circulatory system.
Xylem transports water and minerals up to the stems and leaves.
Phloem transports processed nutrients, sugars and amino acids to the roots.
This ensures that material needs such as water and nutrient compounds reach all parts of the organism, ensuring vital products are distributed allowing for growth, repair and (re)production, via fruits and seeds.
We can take this assertion a step further by looking at more complex systems within vegetation. One example is the reproductive system of the plant. We know this as blossom, flowers, fruit and seeds.
As we can replicate the biomass and oxygen production processes of a plant, en masse by planting en masse, we can also copy the reproductive system of the plant. The diagram left illustrates an idealized flower physiology.
As leaves are arranged around a central foci - the stem, so too are petals arranged around a central foci, being the Pistil (Stigma system) and Stamen. To translate this into the city, we can say there are foci - which, anthropocentrically speaking, are human population centres. As the plant invests in maintaining health, repair, growth and (re)production so too does the city. We need to supply these parts of the city organism, with the essential inputs required to to perform the functions of repair, growth and evolution.
To cut to the chase, we can ensure the ample supply of high quality tangible and intangible resources, creating a mutually beneficial environment, in order for evolution to continue and like an ancient tree, this can be in harmony with the greater organism of the forest and the planet.
Organs translate as centers or sites of complex activity - this can be a system of resource exchanges, such as a market place, or a combination or integration of resources, which may translate as a research and development centre, a workshop, a recycling centre, an architectural studio and so on. There are distribution centers, storage centers, call centers, factories, offices. The task is to reinterpret these as functions within a biological organism and define what biological functions they are serving to the greater organism. If it is deleterious to the health of the system, such as an open cast mine or a Fracking plant, it is difficult to see how this translates into essential biological functions. There is no such equivalent of a bank, except the feeling of well being or joy, but joy does not depend upon financial assets, in fact financial assets can bring a great deal of worry and negativity to a person's life. So it is necessary to find new interpretation of personal joy at the societal level. This may be in the form and depth of culture and community spirit - it can be the pleasantness of the people, it can be the beauty of both the architecture and landscaping.
Physical evolution is realised by biological reproductive processes, this involves the exchange and combination of indefinable and infinite criteria, both genetic, material and circumstantial, always resulting in unimaginable outcomes, there is no coherent understanding of the complexity of outcomes, and the inherent values of the infinite spectrum of variations that arise. Historically humans have created interpretations that are binary and limited by contemporary cultural and intellectual values.
Evolution is the creation of successive generations the survival of which is accordant with the necessary adaptions exhibited by the successive generations ensuring there ability to survive and continue the evolution. Evolution is not limited, nor stationary, it is constant. Adaptations
Plants generally dispose of waste products through defoliation - where the organism sheds part of it's physical structure. If a plant becomes intoxicated it may shed part of it's physiology, that can be a leaf, branch or entire upper section of the plant leaving just the roots in order to regenerate; many plants can regenerate from their root systems. Failing that, the entire organism will die. Without going into unnecessary detail, let us consider city waste disposal, mechanisms and of course biological analogy to learn from.
At the city scale, defoliation does of course occur - directly as a function of the vegetation present within the city. Defoliation is always an appropriate method of waste disposal, because by definition, it is expressed as the direct deposition of a waste material in situ. So perhaps when someone drops a sweet packet, it is metaphorically a form of defoliation, or deposition. Deposition requires further inputs of energy and ecosystem services to complete the cycling of the disposed material which in a circular system we may consider as a resource.
Deposition works for organic material, but not so well for inorganic material. But even with organic material, if the deposition occurs in a location not suited to nutrient or material decomposition, this can cause a stagnant accumulation of materials, which roughly speaking, leads to what we call 'pollution.' Purists will of course say that no organic material is pollution, but when fallen branches block a cycle path, there may be speculation as to the appropriateness of the accumulation of woody materials. Or when cholesterol blocks an artery we can say that this is due to a stagnant accumulation of materials, with an undesirable effect. So in summary, part of the city's metabolic system is comprised of deposition and decomposition such as we see in a forest. There are benefits to be derived from these processes, such as mulching, composting, heat production and fungal growth for example.
These kinds of systems may be related to tissue systems. In more complex organisms, we see their physiology also includes tissue systems, in addition to organ systems.
Biological systems are universal in mammalian species, although organisms that live in extreme environments often display unique evolutionary adaptations, such as the camel - adapted to desert environments has advanced water retention abilities, or animals adapted to extreme cold weather may possess a blubber layer, insulating downy fur, hollow hair fibres or oily coats to repel water. We can extrapolate these properties, and consider how buildings and cities in various climates adapt to these specificities - blubber and hollow fibres obviously translate as advanced insulation and isolation techniques for cold climes, thick waxy cuticle may assist in reflecting the searing heat of the sun, a camel storing water obviously translates to a city in an arid region finding ways to trap, absorb and store water, to raise and maintain the water table and so forth.
Because the city organism is more complex than a plant, we can look at more complex systems for inspiration. Therefore we shall also consider the mammalian physiology. A great many clues are held within this advanced biological metabolic system - clues which we can translate into the macro-form of the urban environment.
We know that our bowels support similar organisms to those involved with biochemical decomposition found in composting processes - that is why our bowels contain a great many microorganisms (or biochemists) involved in the breakdown of materials - just the same as in a compost heap or forest floor - processes common to all forms soil formation. Before we discuss digestion (processing and conversion), let us continue to look at circulation - distribution and collection.
The diagram below illustrates the mammalian circulatory system. This shows how vital compounds (such as minerals, gases, hormones, enzymes) are transported and distributed around the body via a circular system of channels, in this instance using a liquid as the medium. At the same time as distribution, the channels also serve to remove and evacuate spent and output compounds from the various parts of the organism some of these are waste, some are toxins, some are to be recycled and reused elsewhere.
Returning compounds are transported in the veins for filtration and conversion. Gases are exhaled, fibres may be recycled, toxins and surplus materials are shipped for removal from the system. Most often these waste products are transported to the digestive system, although there are other methods of extraction, such as we see when an infection rises to the surface of the skin for example. This is more of a reactionary or emergency process, a bit like if there was a plane crash, or a gas explosion, emergency services would be dispatched. If a tree were to fall onto a house, we would see a combination of responses - initially emergency units, followed by tree surgeons and laborers to remove the debris. The same may be true of a puncture wound to the body - where toxic or dangerous material is enveloped and ejected from the body as close to the site as possible. Remaining residues or non lethal compounds are broken down and enter the cycle or are sent to the digestion system.
The combination of the circulatory system and the digestive system, maintain nutrient supply and waste processing and evacuation throughout the system of the body - this is the metabolic system. This is similar to how the city creates products, distributes them around the city, collects waste, recycles and in a last resort we create feaces - waste to be evacuated from the system. The human body does not create any non-biodegradeable products, no mammal or biological system creates non-biodegradable products.
In the case of the mammalian body this final waste product is organic and by leaving the body system, it re-eneters the planet's nutrient cycles - such as the carbon and the nitrogen cycles.
Biological Conversion, Filtration, (re)Production, Creation and Re-creation
The following, is an introduction to the reasons behind the conceptual form of the Smart Garden City (also known as the GCoT Model); A complex mosaic of formalised natural forms, natural patterns and natural interactions and interconnections, which harmonize bottom-up with top-down inputs and eventualities.
In a mechanical or technological sense, plants are like filtration, conversion, production units. They absorb and collect inputs and convert this into products, tangible and seemingly intangible. They filter airborne particulates, trapping the particulates in their leaves and fibrous structures, at the same time as absorbing and converting Carbon dioxide and Water to Oxygen and Sugar. They absorb and convert sunlight and minerals, together with Carbon dioxide and water into biomass which we can use - food, fuel and construction materials. They provide shade and habitat, influence wind flow patterns and create sound and motion.
Vegetation is an ecosytemic service provider of nutrients, biomass and building materials as well as clean air, habitat and enjoyment. There are no equivalent machines to do this synergistically, thus it is wise to invite these wondrous creations (plants and animals alike) into our support system at every opportunity.
Similarly the mammalian body - for instance our human body - our very own sustainable transport, habitation, communication, computing, design, entertainment and recreation device, possesses many synergistic processes and qualities both inherently, and also through learning skills and applying it's intellectual and physiological capabilities. We are the fortunate operators of our bodies, how we choose to use them, is akin to how people choose to use other tools and devices, such as cars and machinery - they can be used responsibly and creatively, or in a way that is dangerous and even lethal to ourselves and others.
"We are the fortunate operators of our bodies, how we choose to use them, is akin to how people choose to use other tools and devices, such as cars and machinery - they can be used responsibly and creatively, or in a way that is dangerous and even lethal to ourselves and others."
We can look at how the universal systems in biological organisms (such as the brain, liver, heart and vascular systems) function on a conceptual level, we can interpret these functions and patterns and translate and magnify them through realizing synergistic relationships inherent in natural ecosystem processes and facilitating creative interrelationships, we can catalyze these processes, facilitate them and speed them up by creating optimal conditions, such as supplying nutrients, water and light as we tend to household plant, but scale this up.
This does not necessitate our involvement on a sub-molecular or genetic level. Plant and domestic animal breeding is a responsible approach. The number of organisms and their requisite functions or roles within the greater organism of the planet are unknown and unknowable. We only recently discovered that Wolves influence the flow of fluvial systems - from the outside, if this had not been proven or observed, it may appear a very tenuous connection to propose, but the effects of trophic cascade must be considered, both top-down cascade and bottom-up ascension (e.g. effects of soil reparations) both possess equally as widespread impacts; human influence or intervention in the trophic spectrum has infinite outcomes and it can be extremely positive as well as extremely negative.
"We can look at biological circulatory, filtration and conversion systems and learn from them, (re)interpret them and design for the repair and optimization of degraded ecosystems - to act as a greater body supporting us at a societal level..."
We can look at biological circulatory, filtration and conversion systems and learn from them, (re)interpret them and design for the repair and optimization of degraded ecosystems to act as a greater body supporting us at a societal level (degraded ecosystems - where we have removed or destroyed ecosystem processes in the landscape) resulting in ecological repair - bioremediation and regenerative landscape and agricultural practices - by employing biological processes and arranging landscapes via plant, animal, built and temporal assemblies, we can combine this with transport routes (acting as circulatory systems) we may employ machinery or other alternatives, to combine their natural properties and patterns for exponential ecological materials production and filtration. We can employ plants as "factories" or "Production Plants" that satisfy material needs such as fuel and food, as well as physiological and psychological needs, for both ourselves and for fauna - other animals, or biological organisms - which are all interconnected, essential, fellow parts of the system - everything gardens.
"In a Smart Garden City, the "Smart," or intelligent bit, is choosing well, how to employ inherent and latent properties of biological and technological systems. For this reason, a Smart Garden City is one that combines the best of ecological and technological engineering - designing for optimization based upon lessons learnt through observation of processes, inputs and outcomes."
In a Smart Garden City, the "Smart," or intelligent bit, is choosing well, how to employ inherent and latent properties of biological and technological systems. For this reason, a Smart Garden City is one that combines the best of ecological and technological engineering - designing for optimization based upon lessons learnt through observation of processes, inputs and outcomes.
 |
| Biomimetic Nutrient and Waste Pathways in an idealized city - featuring tissue and organ systems - |
"In more complex organisms, we see their physiology includes tissue systems, in addition to organ systems..."
Biomimetics or biomimicry is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems.[1] The terms biomimetics and biomimicry come from Ancient Greek: βίος (bios), life, and μίμησις (mīmēsis), imitation, from μιμεῖσθαι (mīmeisthai), to imitate, from μῖμος (mimos), actor. A closely related field is bionics.[2]
Living organisms have evolved well-adapted structures and materials over geological time through natural selection. Biomimetics has given rise to new technologies inspired by biological solutions at macro and nanoscales. Humans have looked at nature for answers to problems throughout our existence. Nature has solved engineering problems such as self-healing abilities, environmental exposure tolerance and resistance, hydrophobicity, self-assembly, and harnessing solar energy. (SOURCE : Wikipedia)
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| http://www.seafriends.org.nz/enviro/soil/soil27.gif |
Therefore, it is common sense to plan and design for the inclusion of productive urban green space, including urban and peri-urban woodland, coppices and agroforestry systems, resulting in a complete city organism includes both tissues and organs and the production of these - a Smart Garden City is a complete organism.
"...it is common sense to plan and design for the inclusion of productive urban green space, including urban and peri-urban woodland, coppices and agroforestry systems, a complete city organism includes organs and tissues, as well as bones and veins..."
 |
| http://images.wisegeek.com/leaf-diagram.jpg |
This is linked by a vascular system within the entire organism, comprised of Xylem and Phloem.
whilst the bottom of the plant exhibits a filtration and absorption system known as the roots, to absorb water and nutrient and mineral compounds.
 |
| http://guide.makebonsai.com/images/Plants-and-Water-Relations.jpg |
Xylem transports water and minerals up to the stems and leaves.
Phloem transports processed nutrients, sugars and amino acids to the roots.
This ensures that material needs such as water and nutrient compounds reach all parts of the organism, ensuring vital products are distributed allowing for growth, repair and (re)production, via fruits and seeds.
 |
| http://5e.plantphys.net/image.php?id=570 |
As we can replicate the biomass and oxygen production processes of a plant, en masse by planting en masse, we can also copy the reproductive system of the plant. The diagram left illustrates an idealized flower physiology.
As leaves are arranged around a central foci - the stem, so too are petals arranged around a central foci, being the Pistil (Stigma system) and Stamen. To translate this into the city, we can say there are foci - which, anthropocentrically speaking, are human population centres. As the plant invests in maintaining health, repair, growth and (re)production so too does the city. We need to supply these parts of the city organism, with the essential inputs required to to perform the functions of repair, growth and evolution.
To cut to the chase, we can ensure the ample supply of high quality tangible and intangible resources, creating a mutually beneficial environment, in order for evolution to continue and like an ancient tree, this can be in harmony with the greater organism of the forest and the planet.
Organs translate as centers or sites of complex activity - this can be a system of resource exchanges, such as a market place, or a combination or integration of resources, which may translate as a research and development centre, a workshop, a recycling centre, an architectural studio and so on. There are distribution centers, storage centers, call centers, factories, offices. The task is to reinterpret these as functions within a biological organism and define what biological functions they are serving to the greater organism. If it is deleterious to the health of the system, such as an open cast mine or a Fracking plant, it is difficult to see how this translates into essential biological functions. There is no such equivalent of a bank, except the feeling of well being or joy, but joy does not depend upon financial assets, in fact financial assets can bring a great deal of worry and negativity to a person's life. So it is necessary to find new interpretation of personal joy at the societal level. This may be in the form and depth of culture and community spirit - it can be the pleasantness of the people, it can be the beauty of both the architecture and landscaping.
Physical evolution is realised by biological reproductive processes, this involves the exchange and combination of indefinable and infinite criteria, both genetic, material and circumstantial, always resulting in unimaginable outcomes, there is no coherent understanding of the complexity of outcomes, and the inherent values of the infinite spectrum of variations that arise. Historically humans have created interpretations that are binary and limited by contemporary cultural and intellectual values.
Evolution is the creation of successive generations the survival of which is accordant with the necessary adaptions exhibited by the successive generations ensuring there ability to survive and continue the evolution. Evolution is not limited, nor stationary, it is constant. Adaptations
Plants generally dispose of waste products through defoliation - where the organism sheds part of it's physical structure. If a plant becomes intoxicated it may shed part of it's physiology, that can be a leaf, branch or entire upper section of the plant leaving just the roots in order to regenerate; many plants can regenerate from their root systems. Failing that, the entire organism will die. Without going into unnecessary detail, let us consider city waste disposal, mechanisms and of course biological analogy to learn from.
At the city scale, defoliation does of course occur - directly as a function of the vegetation present within the city. Defoliation is always an appropriate method of waste disposal, because by definition, it is expressed as the direct deposition of a waste material in situ. So perhaps when someone drops a sweet packet, it is metaphorically a form of defoliation, or deposition. Deposition requires further inputs of energy and ecosystem services to complete the cycling of the disposed material which in a circular system we may consider as a resource.
Deposition works for organic material, but not so well for inorganic material. But even with organic material, if the deposition occurs in a location not suited to nutrient or material decomposition, this can cause a stagnant accumulation of materials, which roughly speaking, leads to what we call 'pollution.' Purists will of course say that no organic material is pollution, but when fallen branches block a cycle path, there may be speculation as to the appropriateness of the accumulation of woody materials. Or when cholesterol blocks an artery we can say that this is due to a stagnant accumulation of materials, with an undesirable effect. So in summary, part of the city's metabolic system is comprised of deposition and decomposition such as we see in a forest. There are benefits to be derived from these processes, such as mulching, composting, heat production and fungal growth for example.
 |
| Earthship Biotecture - A complete system www.lowtechmagazine.com/2007/12/heat-your-house.html www.earthship.com |
Biological systems are universal in mammalian species, although organisms that live in extreme environments often display unique evolutionary adaptations, such as the camel - adapted to desert environments has advanced water retention abilities, or animals adapted to extreme cold weather may possess a blubber layer, insulating downy fur, hollow hair fibres or oily coats to repel water. We can extrapolate these properties, and consider how buildings and cities in various climates adapt to these specificities - blubber and hollow fibres obviously translate as advanced insulation and isolation techniques for cold climes, thick waxy cuticle may assist in reflecting the searing heat of the sun, a camel storing water obviously translates to a city in an arid region finding ways to trap, absorb and store water, to raise and maintain the water table and so forth.
Because the city organism is more complex than a plant, we can look at more complex systems for inspiration. Therefore we shall also consider the mammalian physiology. A great many clues are held within this advanced biological metabolic system - clues which we can translate into the macro-form of the urban environment.
We know that our bowels support similar organisms to those involved with biochemical decomposition found in composting processes - that is why our bowels contain a great many microorganisms (or biochemists) involved in the breakdown of materials - just the same as in a compost heap or forest floor - processes common to all forms soil formation. Before we discuss digestion (processing and conversion), let us continue to look at circulation - distribution and collection.
The diagram below illustrates the mammalian circulatory system. This shows how vital compounds (such as minerals, gases, hormones, enzymes) are transported and distributed around the body via a circular system of channels, in this instance using a liquid as the medium. At the same time as distribution, the channels also serve to remove and evacuate spent and output compounds from the various parts of the organism some of these are waste, some are toxins, some are to be recycled and reused elsewhere.
 |
| http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/3693490067_fa9e25eba8.jpg |
The combination of the circulatory system and the digestive system, maintain nutrient supply and waste processing and evacuation throughout the system of the body - this is the metabolic system. This is similar to how the city creates products, distributes them around the city, collects waste, recycles and in a last resort we create feaces - waste to be evacuated from the system. The human body does not create any non-biodegradeable products, no mammal or biological system creates non-biodegradable products.
In the case of the mammalian body this final waste product is organic and by leaving the body system, it re-eneters the planet's nutrient cycles - such as the carbon and the nitrogen cycles.
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