ABSTRACT: As we stumble on in our development as a species, two significant areas of change for those in design fields are: 1) increasingly complicated design tools; and 2) a deepening understanding of the systems we design for—living systems in particular. Of course, these areas are closely related. New tools make it possible to understand our environments in new ways; and, new understandings make it possible to develop new tools, new methodologies, etc. Biomimicry is a prime example of this interplay. It's a methodology made possible by a deeper understanding of the systems we inhabit and the life we share these systems with; and, it provides frameworks and perspectives to make new discoveries as we explore the life all around us.

‍nuLUCA has two, analogously related purposes: 1) to help designers navigate some of the more sophisticated design tools available (in parametric and computational design) by showing how methods within them can help us explore living systems and can, themselves, be inspired by living systems; and 2) help align human design with the health of the social and biological systems we design within by furthering research in biomimicry and related fields.