Yaşayan malzemenin mekansallıkları
Spatiality of living material
Yazar: ASLI ALDEMİR
Danışman: DOÇ. DR. PELİN DURSUN ÇEBİ
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü / Mimarlık Ana Bilim Dalı / Mimari Tasarım Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2019
Konu: Mimarlık = Architecture
Dizin: Biyomalzemeler = Biomaterials ; Hibrit malzemeler = Hybride materials ; Mimari malzeme = Architectural material

Özet:
Mimarlık pratiğinde tasarımcılar tarafından esin kaynağı olarak görülen doğa, bilim ve teknolojideki gelişmeler sayesinde daha detaylı olarak incelenebilmekte, bu süreç ise tasarlama pratiklerini etkilemektedir. Doğa esinli tasarım yaklaşımlarına yeni bir bakış getirebilmek adına yapılan araştırmada, doğaya nasıl sorusunu yönelten araştırmacıların alternatif tasarlama pratiklerini ürettiği görülmektedir. Doğa odaklı bir bakışla tasarım yapılmasından bahsedilecek olduğunda çoğu zaman ilk akla gelen doğanın biçimi ile tasarlama pratiğidir. Doğal süreçleri ve oluşumları anlamak için yapılan çalışmaların ne tür tasarlama pratiklerine olanak sağladığı araştırıldığında mimarların yanı sıra tasarımcı, biyolog ve mühendislerin söylemlerini incelemenin de bu alternatif bakışı oluşturmada değerli olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Bilim ve teknolojinin etkisiyle doğa odaklı bu bakışlar, doğanın çalışma prensipleri ve ekosistem düşüncesi ile tasarlama gibi pratikler için de esin kaynağı olmaktadır. Bu yaklaşımların yanı sıra, doğal süreçler ve oluşumlar incelendiğinde yaşayan malzemenin kendine has çalışma prensiplerine sahip olduğu görülüp, bu malzeme üzerine çalışmalar yapmanın doğa esinli tasarıma ne tür katkılar sunabileceği merak edilmektedir. Araştırma, doğanın bir parçası olan, doğal bir bileşen gibi gelişip dönüşen yaşayan malzemeye odaklanmaktadır. Bu bakışla tasarımcı, yaşayan malzemenin çalışma prensiplerini anlayıp, herhangi bir değişikliğe uğratmadan malzemeyi kendi tasarımında işbirlikçi olacak bir şekilde kullanabileceği gibi, doğada var olan çalışma prensiplerini dönüştürerek de yaşayan malzemenin bir nesneyi ya da bir mekanı üretmesini sağlayabilmektedir. Her iki durumda da doğa tasarımın bir parçası haline getirilerek, üretim gerçekleştirilir. Bu bağlamda, doğanın bir parçası ile tasarlama pratiğinin anlaşılabilmesi için malzemenin detaylı olarak incelenmesi önem kazanmaktadır. Doğa, gelişen teknolojilerle birlikte malzeme ölçeğinde de tasarımcıya esin kaynağı haline gelmiştir. Bu çalışma doğa esinli tasarımın malzeme ile olan ilişkisine bakabilmek adına öncelikle yaşayan malzemeye odaklanarak doğa odaklı malzemeyi anlamayı, sonrasında ise bu malzemenin bilim ve teknoloji ile birlikte değişimini gözlemleyerek mekanda ne tür mekansal kaliteler ürettiğini belirlemeyi hedeflemektedir. Bu tez yaşayan malzemenin kullanıldığı örneklerin seçilip incelenmesiyle, malzeme üzerine yapılan araştırmaların doğa esinli tasarım pratiklerini nasıl değiştirdiğini, mekanın ise bu tür malzemeler ile ne tür mekansal potansiyeller kazanabileceğini araştırmaktadır. Seçilen örneklerin tasarlama pratikleri, malzemenin kullanımları ve mekansal kaliteleri değerlendirilerek, elde edilen veriler ile, yaşayan malzeme odağında üretilen mekansallıklar hakkında gelecek senaryolarının geliştirilmesi hedeflenmektedir.

Abstract:
Nature which is seen as a source of inspiration by designers in architecture, can be examined in more detail by the help of developments in science and technology. This process triggers new design strategies, alternative materials and interactive architecture. For centuries, nature has been a unique inspiration for many disciplines, including architecture. 
Until the 20th century, it was generally thought that developing a design method with inspiration from nature can be related to the techniques of finding a shape; when it comes to the 21st century, it is seen that the systems found in nature are examined experimentally thanks to the developments in science and technology, and this situation allows us to think that nature inspired designs evolved. Thus, it is thought that new design practices that promise potential for architectural discipline will emerge. 
What is the nature-inspired design approaches that can affect architecture and how the discipline of architecture can benefit from nature? In order to answer these questions, ignoring the boundaries between the disciplines, the work of architects, designers, biologists and engineers on nature is considered important. By studying of the possible qualities of the space inspired by nature, it is thought that the studies carried out by researchers from outside the discipline of nature can contribute greatly to nurture architecture. 
This situation causes us to ask questions about the functioning in nature and may play a role in generating alternative analyses. In this direction, the first part of the thesis focuses on nature-inspired design approaches; a classification is made through the discourses of the researchers. With this classification, it is aimed to redefine "nature inspired design" today.
As a result of researching the processes and working principles in nature, a new perspective and understanding towards nature has been developed. As the processes and working principles in nature started to be searched, new design practices in nature inspired design began to develop. In this case, nature can inspire many mechanisms by searching the working principles within itself, while triggering space and detail design. 
This understanding undoubtedly constitutes the basis for new definitions of architecture and space. For example, living things and systems in nature often react to external factors; this process sometimes takes centuries, and sometimes the process can take a few seconds. Adaptation developed by changing the parameters of heat, humidity, sunlight, contact and etc. extends to the discussions of responsive architecture.
When the boundaries of space are compared to the skin of the living body, these boundaries can correspond to the external factors just like the skin. In this context, the responsive state of the nature-inspired space can be discussed. When nature is examined on a microscopic scale, systems are thought to function as organisms, while ecosystems can be seen as inspiration at this point. According to the principle of designing with ecosystem thinking, all kinds of resources entering the system are called "input" and the wastes coming out of the system are called "output". In ecosystem thought, outputs can be re-used as an input. When the ecosystems that bring the used energy and produced waste back to the system are examined, it is concluded that spaces can be designed with ecosystem thought. In both cases nature becomes a part of design. 
What is meant here is to evaluate the possibilities of the material in nature and to manipulate them if necessary to change the possibilities of nature; in other words, nature can be hacked with design. In this context, when examining nature-inspired systems material where a part of nature becomes the focal point. It is a matter of concern how the material, which is studied in detail by the researchers, influences the nature-inspired design discussions and differentiates the space.
If examined from material scale to space scale, can be defined as a living and growing organism. This condition also brings abnormality to the existing system of nature. With the past and present knowledge, nature can still be seen as a the inspiration of form, a collaborator and a borrowed system (nature as a model, as a collaboration or a hackable system) as in the past centuries or can be accepted as a source of inspiration for a living system, as in current debates. This study focuses on the design practice inspired by alternative living materials in nature and searches the relationship between these materials and architecture. While evaluating its spatial potential, the concept of 'hybridity' can be discussed.
In the 18th century, the material which is classified as living and inanimate has been investigated with the advances in science and technology and what kind of opportunities it provides. Today, it is thought that the material is handled by alternative methods, not by traditional uses. The questions of this research are how living materials can be used in designs with the effect of developments in science and technology, how lifeless and recyclable materials can transform the space with today's possibilities, and how this space will be affected. 
In this thesis, the material which is defined as a part of nature and which is thought to have an important role in nature-referenced design is explained as a "hybrid" by intertwining with other materials and transforming it from its original state. The hybrid concept mentioned here is derived from the relationship between technology and architecture. It is a matter of curiosity how the space can evolve in the case of the use of a hybrid material.
As a method within the scope of this objective, firstly, nature-inspired design strategies are evaluated through the discourses of architects, designers, biologists and engineers and they are understood and explained under the titles with individual aspects. Afterwards, by examining how the material is looked at today, it is understand how the current materials affect the space and how it enables spatial quality through nine examples. With the data obtained from the literature survey, a concept map was produced with focus concepts, designing practices and researchers and the related concepts were gathered under certain titles. For this conceptual map, "Graph Commons", an online conceptual map generation program was used as a tool. 
By examining the selected examples, it has been tried to understand how this approach affects the quality of the space. The spatial qualities discovered through the examples were collected and evaluated under certain headings and prepared the discussion in the conclusion section. As for the conclusion part, it is aimed to produce future scenarios based on the contributions of living materials to the space. With this research, it will be possible to make an inference about how spatial qualities can be produced by living material designs, how space can produce itself, how it can grow will be discussed with all these concepts.