Like a Tree in the Wind – Biomimetic Studie for Well-Being in Modern Workspaces
GALLERY 2025
In 2025, BioWdesign build upon its 2024 outputs, which were showcased at We Will Design 2024 in BASE Milano and presented at Biomim’EXPO 2024 in Paris, France. This next phase continue to expand the semantic and research-driven exploration of nature-inspired design, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in sustainable innovation.
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Like a Tree in the Wind
Biomimetic Studie for Well-Being in Modern Workspaces
This phase draws on the metaphor of a tree as a symbol of growth, flexibility, interconnectedness, and adaptability. Using this metaphor, we introduce an object designed for modern office environments, fostering well-being, biophilia, regeneration, and collaborative thinking.
Our installation takes inspiration from the exceptional properties of wood, replicating its strength, flexibility, and interaction with light and the environment. These elements are not merely functional but are intentionally crafted to enhance users’ connection with nature, promoting a holistic approach to workplace well-being. Just as a tree grows and adapts to its surroundings, our designs embody principles of modularity, multifunctionality, flexibility, and organic growth.
The designed object is a hybrid of sculpture, biomimetic tree, and innovative office design. Inspired by the idiom “like a tree in the wind,” it personifies the principles of flexibility, adaptability, and interconnectedness. This multifunctional interior object, informed by biological strategies found in trees, creates a unique space for privacy, regeneration, and concentration. More than just a design element, it serves as a metaphor for life in motion, dynamics, and mutual care—a tree in the wind that grows, connects, and protects.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES INSPIRED BY WOOD
The design draws on the biomimetic properties of specific forms, replicating trees’ ability to withstand wind and tension through structures that dynamically adapt to their environment. Flexible modules allow for spatial transformation, with connections modeled after the junctions between tree trunks and branches, rendered in a utilitarian form through additive manufacturing.
The innovative use of light within the object is based on principles of light diffusion via biominerals found in leaves (cystoliths), offering regenerative and photobiomodulation effects for users—what we call a “light shower.” The modules’ organic forms are derived from specific structures – so called phi thickening in delicate roots, which serve as structural reinforcements.
Key characteristics of the project
Biomimetic Structures
By emulating the biological mechanisms that enable trees to resist tension, pressure, and stress while continuing to grow and harness light energy, our bio-inspired studies, models, and prototypes demonstrate how these principles can be innovatively applied. In collaboration with wood science, we integrate these biological strategies into the design of innovative, flexible, and multifunctional office components that support both physical and mental well-being.
Working with Light
Inspired by the way trees use light for growth and survival, and their ability to enhance photosynthesis through specialized leaf structures called cystoliths, our designs incorporate biomimetic lighting elements for photobiomodulation. These features foster focus and relaxation by influencing both users and their environment in innovative ways.
Multifunctionality and Modularity
Just as trees grow and expand, our designs enable adaptable and evolving workspaces that reflect the dynamic nature of modern work environments. Each component can be arranged or combined to create new, personalized “work cells,”
Authors
AUTHORS OF DESIGN „Like a tree in the wind“:
Zuzana Tončíková, Marian Ihring
WOOD SCIENCE
Rastislav Lagaňa
BIOLOGISTS
Jaroslav Ďurkovič, Ján Kováč
PARAMETRIC MODELING
moiie, s.r.o. – Ján Šebeň
3D VISUAL MODELING
Mário Pelka, Patrícia Pančíková
MAKERS
I2industry
CURATOR
Elena Farkašová; René Baďura
VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Miroslav Chovan