Taking inspiration from the natural world

Surprisingly, humans are not the only species responsible for the creation of incredible architecture; there are many wonderful examples of structures in the animal kingdom too. Architects could take inspiration from the ingenuity behind some of them, and they become even more impressive when we consider that unlike humans, tools and machinery are not used in the construction. Ants build super colonies consisting of extensive connections between several anthills, capable of housing hundreds of millions of ants. The structures can even feature water sources and ventilation to keep the colony at a comfortable temperature. In 2004 an enormous super colony measuring 100km wide was found in Melbourne, Australia, demonstrating the extent of the work that goes into the creation of these homes.Termites are also known to create huge colonies, with structures rising to almost 10 metres tall. This is effectively the equivalent size of a skyscraper when you consider the scale of termites compared to humans. The termites can even grow fungus for food inside these complex structures, and they have been noted for their strength and resilience, with some surviving examples dating back over 2,000 years.Spiders have been known to create giant webs to help them catch their prey. The largest examples are found in Madagascar, where Darwin's bark spiders can create a web that spans an entire river, stretching as far as 25 metres from one bank to the other. There have even been examples of spiders working together to build huge webs that can cover whole trees or fields. It is rare to see them being social, but when they do, they are capable of creating amazingly large webs.Paper wasps offer yet another fascinating example of architecture in the insect world. They eat wood and plant fibre, converting it into paper to make strong nests. The material is waterproof and provides excellent protection against parasites. The nests fall apart through the course of the winter and are rebuilt in the spring, providing us with an example of temporary architecture.As specialists in commercial, public and residential architecture in London and beyond, we are always inspired by the natural environment and the world around us. The structures created by animals can provide great inspiration for architects in terms of their structural strategy and inventive use of materials.