Architectural envelopes that interact with their environment Marlen López Fernández Ramón Rubio Santiago Martín González Gijon Polytechnic School of Engineering. University of Oviedo. Spain Abstract__We investigate the application to biomimetics on the development and creation of a new type of exterior walls for buildings. We study and explore envelopes as found in nature with an eye on their application to architecture and engineering. Our hypothesis is the following: Is it possible to obtain greater efficiency and performance in the construction of exterior walls in buildings by mimicking nature as opposed to building façades according to the traditional processes? Conventional solutions for façades and roofs are not designed for optimum adaptation to contextual issues and needs. We find large enclosures built with restrictions that exclude interaction with the environment, energy efficiency and the optimization of materials. Multiple environmental and climatic characteristics of the area are variable parameters, and conventional buildings are designed to provide a static design solution. A static building can not guarantee an optimal level of performance, and this will lead to a discrepancy between the building and the environment. Through technological innovation and new manufacturing techniques, we investigate the application of biomimetics to the development of multifunctional envelopes systems, in terms of structural and environmental efficiency. We focus on a bottom- top study of seeds and leaves that leads us to a new kind of environmental interacting envelope. Keywords__Biomimetics in Architecture; Innovation inspired by nature; Smart Envelopes; Energy efficiency; Biodigital Architecture; Living Architecture; Envelopes in nature. I. INTRODUCTION This research aims to develop new approaches to building, one in which architecture plays a smarter and more responsive role in the environment. We investigate the application of biomimetics to the development and creation of a new type of exterior walls for buildings. The subject of study is the following problem: conventional solutions for facades and roofs are not designed for optimum adaptation to contextual issues and needs. We find large enclosures built with restrictions that exclude interaction with the environment, energy efficiency and material optimization. All modern buildings are constructed in the same way: they employ industrial processes to use functionally inert materials that then form a barrier between human habitation and nature [1]. There are several parameters that affect the performance and energy efficiency of buildings, including: . Architectural criteria. Throughout the history of architecture there has been a tendency to divide functions implicit in the architectural elements with shapes, structures and materials [2]. . Constructive criteria. At present the production of building components is performed in series, instead of custom productions for each particular case. Traditionally, buildings are designed and constructed as products of industrial, machine-manufactured processes that are functionally inert and both unresponsive and damaging to the changing environment [3] [4]. . Static solutions. The multiple environmental and climatic characteristics of the area are variable parameters, and yet conventional buildings are designed to provide a static design solution. A static building cannot guarantee an optimal level of performance, and this will lead to a discrepancy between the building and the environment[5] [6]. Therefore, the hypothesis for this research is the following: Is it possible to obtain greater efficiency and performance in the construction of exterior walls in buildings by mimicking nature rather than by building façades according to the traditional processes? As opposed to our buildings, wich remain inert, living objects respond to the environment and they are able to adapt to or respond to the seasons with living coatings wich respond to the availability of more or less wind, sunlight and water [7]. Innovation in technological functions of architecture is key to _______________________________________________________________ 978-1-4799-2911-5/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE