Jamie Miller
on Inner Biomimicry, Thinking and Creating Naturally
Nature is a mentor of design, but we need to embrace “inner biomimicry” to be able to think and create naturally.
A nature-obsessed child, Jamie Miller’s upbringing had been the pillar of his intense desire to learn. The moment he fell in love with biomimicry was during a Math and Poetry class at university while exploring the Fibonacci sequence.
“I was opening up my eyes to a whole new world of design secrets. All I could see was how nature does it better!” The Fibonacci spiral is the same one we can see in the packaging of sunflower seeds, in a pine cone, in the galaxy, or even in skin pores. Everywhere, literally. When Jamie got to witness nature’s patterns of behaviour it pushed him into this “healthy obsession” with finding design secrets from the natural world.
One of his benchmarks is the genius of spider silk: “It is so strong and yet so light – and also fully recyclable. A spider can eat its silk, and it’s made only with the energy of the sun. It is proof that we design materials with an abundance of energy.”
Trained by Indigenous Elders and the legend who coined the term “biomimicry” itself, Janine Benyus, Jamie found his mission - planting a seed towards a new ecological-based paradigm that is based on regenerative and harmonious designs: “Nature is the only model of sustainability we have on this planet and biomimicry is the most comprehensive tool for abstracting this genius!”
He is currently the Director of Biomimicry for B+H Architects and the founder of Biomimicry Frontiers, an award-winning sustainability consultancy. Through his The Biomimicry Commons, an incubator and education platform, he fuels the creativity of the commons by helping innovative thinkers access their potential: “Take a look at flowers, forests, and skin: these are ideals in packaging, circular economies, sustainable manufacturing and dynamic facades.”
One of his beliefs is that our designs reflect our assumptions. The dominant urban design strategies prove that “our thinking is driven by the idea that humanity is separate from nature, that we can predict, dominate and control it, as it exists for unlimited human consumption.” The good thing is, most people understand the concept of biomimicry, even though they may not have heard of the word. The struggle to apply it is real, yes. It is very disruptive and it takes incredible creativity to do it well and, most importantly, it “requires people to be open to ideas that may dramatically differ from their own, and diverse thinkers to work together.”
To think naturally, we may have to shake up some of our early assumptions about how we think the world works because they might be pretty outdated!
Read Jamie Miller’s answers for Inspirators and embrace inner biomimicry!
Thank you, Jamie, for being an Inner Biomimicry Architect!
Stay inspired and inspire!
#INSPIRATORS QUESTIONNAIRE
Name: Jamie Miller
Company / Institution: B+H Architects; Biomimicry Frontiers; Biomimicry Commons
Title: Global Director of Biomimicry; Founder
Website: www.bharchitects.com; https://biomimicryfrontiers.com/
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemillerbiomimicry/
Country of origin: Canada
Country you currently live in: Canada
Your personal definition of Regeneration: Nature!
Main business challenge you face: Demystifying the practical application of biomimicry.
Main driver that keeps you going: The confidence that nature is the only model of sustainability we have on this planet. Biomimicry is the most comprehensive tool for abstracting this genius!
The trait you are most proud of in yourself: Listening.
The trait you most value in others: Honesty.
Passions & little things that bring you joy: Being in nature, my family, seeing others feeling lit up by something!
The Inspirators who determined you to take the regenerative path:
Janine Benyus,
Norm Van’t Hoff
Jean Becker
Kevin Hall
A hint or starting point for companies or professionals that are taking the first steps in the regeneration journey: Just look at Nature! It’s already doing circularity, passive design, or green chemistry, and she can teach you what to do next!
Most used and abused clichés in sustainability that bother you: That we need to “save nature”. Nature was fine before us and would be fine after us. It’s the human exceptionalism that this conveys that bothers me.
An honest piece of advice for young people who lose hope: There’s a model for how to thrive on this planet that exists out your back door!
Books that had a great impact on you:
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Must-reads for any regenerative professional:
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Music that makes you (and your heart) sing: Indigenous Drumming.
Places you travelled to that left a mark on you: Kaua’i, Iceland, Indonesia, Morocco.
Global Regenerative Voices you recommend us to follow: Janine Benyus
Trends in Regeneration we should keep an eye on: Biomimicry!
Sustainable Development or Regeneration courses, trainings, or certifications that really teach us how to have an impact: Biomimicry Commons.
Reasons to feel optimistic about our future in 2030: The rise of biomimicry!
Regenerative Leadership qualities much needed today: Knowing your niche and having a strong vision and context.
The quote that inspires you:
“We’re not a bad species, just a very young one."
Your own quote that will inspire us:
