Building based on mechanical stiffness of sea-sponges

[Jelena Pascuttini Interior Design (JPID)]

The Euplectella aspergillum is a cylindrical sponge that lives in tropical waters. It has a height of 45 cm. Its exoskeleton consists of hydrated, amorphous silicon dioxide organized into a complex network of spicules that supports the structure. These fibres, which are 5-10 cm long and as thin as a hair form a crown at the foot of the network that anchors the sponge to the bottom of the ocean.

The Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs studied the structure of the sponge and identified 7 structural, hierarchical levels, each corresponding to a fundamental principle that the construction is handled. For example, the fibres of the skeleton organized into a network consisting of cross pieces with diagonal reinforcement. Such a structure is often used in the timbering of very tall buildings or self elements subjected to shearing forces.

Those sponges use the exact amount of material needed for their problems concerning strength and stability.

The architecture of steel girders in the Swiss Re Tower Norman Foster (180 m), which was erected in London in 2004, was inspired by the structure of such a sponge, whose skeleton is distinguished by a large mechanical stiffness and an interesting stability for a very fragile material.

Moreover the ventilation system of the building imitates the way the sponge ciculates water in order to obtain nutrients.