​​​​​​​Nature is probably world's most effective designer, having solved many big and small challenges in the course of evolution and adaptation. Do you want to learn how to create solutions by taking inspiration from nature (biomimicry) or even participate in design (biodesign)? This is your chance!

Summary

Nature is probably world's most effective designer. You will explore the ways in which nature can inspire (biomimicry) or even participate in design (biodesign). Understanding the basics of life sciences, applying biomimicry methods and using open source tools to implement your design are at the center of attention in this semester. 

The general objective of the minor is to train students to create solutions for a wide of range of challenges and to design products by learning about strategies and mechanisms from nature in order to implement these into the design of the product (design solution). This minor will enable students from different backgrounds to work within interdisciplinary teams of designers, scientist and engineers. 

More specifically, you will: 

1. Learn to use tools/techniques learned from nature (biomimicry).

2. Learn about the Global Goals of the United Nations (also known as Sustainable Development Goals).

3. Work together with students and professionals of different disciplines such as software engineering, biology and life sciences and Industrial design to form and implement product concepts.

4. Use rapid prototyping tools and techniques to test your ideas.

5. Be urged to participate in the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge.

6. Reflect on your role as an open innovator in the edge of design and as a biomimicry designer (practitioner).

Competences (*):

1.1.  (Re)define problems and reason analytically [level 2&3]

1.2. Discover knowledge by investigating and experimenting

1.3. Take external contexts into account (societal, environmental, entrepreneural) 

2.1.  Formulate design briefs containing vision and requirements, based on primary and secondary research 

2.2   Use an iterative process with diverging and converging methods and techniques 

2.3   Integrate human, market, technological, and context values during the design process 

2.5. Create and optimize ideas, concepts, prototypes, and product proposals 

2.6.  Evaluate ideas, concepts, and (end) products  based on requirements 

3.2. Collaborate within a designteam in a multidisciplinary (international) setting 

3.5   Practice project, stakeholder, time and resource management 

4.1.  Manifest/present yourself in a (semi) professional setting  

4.2   Communicate within a team on team dynamics and your role 

4.3.  Make deliverables tangible in a refined, communicative way 

5.1.  Reflect on your role in projects and your impact on society as an innovator 

5.3. Transfer and integrate acquired knowledge and experience in projects

(*) IPO/IDE competence set (based on the CDIO syllabus, general HBO competences and the IPO/IDE domain competence set) 

1. Students should submit a Letter of Motivation (500 words in English) that explains their interest in the field of design with nature, what they would like to learn and achieve by taking this minor. Letter of Motivation should be sent to Laura Stevens l.l.stevens@hhs.nl at the time of online enrolment. The applicants will be informed about the result of their application within 10 working days after the submission of the letter.  
2. Student should have completed the propaedeutic exam and obtained at least 60 ECTS of the main phase (hoofdfase) of your study. 

Study and other aids 

The Biomimicry Resource Handbook is handy, not mandatory, reading 

Schedule

Information about scheduling will be sent to you no later than 7 days before the start of the minor. Please send an email to tis-minoren@hhs.nl if you haven't heard anything by then.

If you want to know more about minors within THUAS, please view our KOM Minorbrochure.

Exams

Examination takes place in the form of 3 integrated assessments (33% each) in which the student proves mastery of a pre-defined selection of 24 course specific sub-competences by showing the ability to integrate knowledge and skills in the main semester project. The sub-competencies are defined on three levels: novice, advanced beginner and competent. The assessment is divided between an oral exam supported by project materials that the student brings as evidence, group presentations and written assignments uploaded on Blackboard. There are three rounds of assessments that take place in week 5, 10 and 15, each for 10 ECTs. The resit for all assessment rounds takes place in week 18.

Target group:

Students in Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts.

Teaching methods and study load:

The course includes weekly lectures and hands-on workshops on diverse topics that support the project which is conducted by students who work in multidisciplinary groups.

Minimum and maximum participation:

Minimum: 15

Maximum: 60

Contact hours:

This minor requires 40 hours work per week:

14 contact hours p/w (tutoring/workshops/excursions)

26 hours p/w self-study and teamwork