Our planet is a complex system where hierarchically organized structures thrive in a delicate balance. It is also a resilient system, and as such it tolerates disruptions and it is able to return to a dynamic equilibrium; but there are thresholds that if disrupted simultaneously or repeatedly can provoke planetary collapse. At the moment we have, at least, transgressed three thresholds: climate change, biodiversity loss and nitrogen cycle; and according to the last report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) some of the environmental changes that humans have produced and/or exacerbated are irreversible for centuries to millennia and they affect the whole Earth’s climate system.

In this context, learning from Nature’s resilient strategies appears as a humbling, and yet powerful, approach to rethinking our aspirations as a species, but also as designers. The BIOM Studio is positioned in this territory where architectural creation is inspired by a careful consideration of Nature’s lessons of adaptation and survival to address environmental challenges and respond to societal and technological requirements of our profession.

Earth’s disrupted landscapes are slowly but consistently becoming more frequent, and architects have to be prepared to work in extreme environments, and more importantly, in cooperation with these environments. Extreme environments can be defined by climatic conditions, but also by social conditions (e.g. isolation, housing crisis, social inequality) or by outer space requirements (e.g. orbital habitats, Moon or Mars colonies). However, in all cases architects have to become true system thinkers if we are to transcend the boundaries of our discipline.

In doing so, the BIOM studio will encourage students to explore biologically inspired venues to expand their creativity, undertake climatic challenges and deliver radical architectures for extreme environments.