LB/x>or\'/ 53/03 
A STUDY OF PARALLELISM 
BETWEEN 
BIOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE 
•A 
The Dissertation presented to the 
Faculty o f Architecture o f 
University o f Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 
for the Final Examination in 
M.Sc. (Architecture) 
B. A. H. Ariyaratne 
Department o f Architecture, Tfry^a 
University o f Moratuwa, 
Sri Lanka, 
April, 2 0 0 2 . 
University of Moratuwa 
IIIHI 78158 
78158 
78158 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
Let me informed here my faithful gratitude to each and everyone mentioned below for 
their help to make this dissertation a success. 
To Archt. Vidura Sri Nammuni, Senior Lecturer, Dept.of Architecture Who Showed 
me correct path to my intellectual searching eye about vast subject areas, with his 
comments and criticisms which helped to built up my assurance. 
To Ravin Gunarathne, Lecturer, Dept. of Architecture, for giving me most suitable 
vision when I was braking down my confidence, criticized me and helped me with 
valuable comments. 
» 
To Prof. Sarath Kotagama, Dept of Zoology, University of Colombo and Prof. Upali 
S. Amarasinghe, Dept of Zoology, University of Kalaniya, for gave me necessary 
guidelines about subjects' matters. 
To Architect Mahinda Witanarachi helped me to develop my enthusiastic for reading 
relevant books and hard work and also reading and correcting the script. 
To Anuradha for helping me to take most of the photographs. 
To my dear friendly cliques Danachandra, Dasuntha, and my loving Pathmakumari for 
their help, encouragement given, sharing most of the hard work and help during the 
word-processing and printing the document. 
To my dear parents for their valuable comments, encouragement to develop my self-
confidence and living with me in lifetime failure and success. 
Finally to rhythmic attributions of nature, which are stimulated and inspired me in 
writing this. 
I 
CONTENT 
Acknowledgements I 
Abstract V 
Introduction 01 
Chapter One 
Biology, man and origin of man made things 
1.1 Biology and nature 07 
1.2 Animal and human behavior 08 
1.3 Man and multicellular organism 10 
1.4 Living harmony with nature 10 
1.5 Primitive society and culture 11 
1.6 Primitive art 12 
Chapter Two 
The nature, art and architecture 
2.1 Art 
2.1.1 Definition of art 16 
2.1.1.1 The definition 16 
2.1.1.2 Sense of beauty 17 
2.1.1.3 Art and aesthetics 17 
2.1.1.4 The elements of art 18 
(a) Line 18 
(b Tone 19 
(c) Colour 19 
(d) Form 19 
II 
r 
2.1.1.5 Form and expression 
2.1.2 Art and science 
2.1.3 Art and humani sm 
2.1.4 Art and religion 
2.2 Art and nature 
2.2.1 The Golden proportion 
2.3 Architecture as art 
Chapter Three 
Parallels between Biology and Architecture 
3.1 Natural forms and built forms 
3.2 Principles of Nature as applied in architecture 
3.2.1 Rhythm 
3.2.2 Symmetry and Balance 
3.2.3 Proportions 
3.2.4 Part to the Whole 
3.3 Concept of organic architecture 
3.4 Primitive hut concept 
3.5 Village settlements 
3.5 Natural environment and built environment 
3.6 The image of the spiritual space 
III 
Chapter Four 
Applications of Biological analogy in architecture 
4.1 Compositional analogy 41 
4.1.1 Structural Elements 41 
4.2 Functional Analogy 43 
4.3 Analogy of architectural designs. 44 
Case study of famous architectural works and architects 
4.3.1 Architect Frank Lloyd Wright 44 
4.3.2 Architect Santiago Calatrava 47 
4.3.3 Architect Glenn Murcutt 48 
4.3.4 Architect Geoffery Bawa 50 
4.4 Application in Town planning 53 
Conclusion 56 
Bibliography 59 
IV 
ABSTRACT 
The 'origin of living' in Earth was given birth to supreme creature of human being. 
Since that he interconnected with nature and survived through the millions of years. 
He captured the several rhythmic attributions of nature and he felt about the warmth of 
the land and freshness of the air, and he talked about the beauty of the flora and fauna 
and sparkle of the blue water. All these moral forces surrounded by man and governed 
by nature. He consequently helped him and dominated nature, being a part of it and 
observing "nature's" phenomenon of creation. 
Nature was given path to intellectual and physical revolution of man and he mutually 
connected with innumerable talented procedure. So "Architecture" became one of the 
visible creative result of these innumerable talents. 
These inspirations man interpreted as an analogy with different visual terms of nature 
and sciencetific in terms of studying nature's processes and applying it in his designs. 
Even in today most of architects illustrate about diversity of architecture according to 
biological concepts. Architecture and biology have unexplainable connection between 
with each other. Biology and architecture are vast subject areas, which have their own 
language of interpretations. So this is the time to study, examine, search about 
architectural and biological interconnections according to our intellectual vision.