Design
Design
for living
for living
with Wildfire
with Wildfire
Positing the potential for developing architectural, urban and peri-urban resilience to wildfires through the creation of adaptive material and information systems that mimic the biochemistries, behaviours, structures, and relationships of plant and animal species that have evolved to live with fire, and the ecosystems they form…
An unprecedented nature-inspired approach to solving the highly complex challenge of design for coexisting with wildfires - Panarchistic Architecture emerged from an groundbreaking transdisciplinary research programme that examined the intricate interactions between abiotic (non-living), biotic (living), and anthropogenic (human) systems over deep time and space.
Rooted in advanced research from multiple fields, Panarchistic Architecture synthesises data spanning diverse forms, disciplines, epochs, and global research communities. The works presented here document the theoretical evolution of original architectural, urban, and landscape material and information systems that are specifically designed to align with the fire regimes of their environments.
These systems collectively represent a revolutionary new paradigm in architectural, urban, and peri-urban resilience, which is capable of persisting in the presence of wildfires of varying intensities, behaviours, and severities: the seminal bio-inspired design approach to problem of living with wildfire.
The underlying logic of these mimetic systems is thoroughly examined in an extensive PhD thesis, which published in 2018 by design scientist and systems theorist Melissa Sterry, integrates insights from over 1,500 research papers, surveys, books, and other published materials, and draws on interviews and discussions with foremost experts across a range of fields, including fire science, information technology, biotechnology, materials science, engineering, design, urban planning, policymaking, social and natural history, and more.
Panarchic Codex®
Panarchic Codex®
Speculative building codes and design tools educate and inspire architects, planners, and policymakers
Speculative building codes and design tools educate and inspire architects, planners, and policymakers
The term ‘Panarchic Codex®’ originally referred to speculative building codes (extract left) were designed to illustrate how the Panarchistic Architectural paradigm could be implemented in both policy and practice, and that also serve as tools to educate and inspire designers, architects, planners, and policymakers in workshops and other active learning environments. Following the publication of these codes and the associated thesis, its use was extended to cover related research, development, and publishing efforts, some of which are available on this site.
An ‘Ecosystem of Architectures’
An ‘Ecosystem of Architectures’
for building resilience to natural hazards
for building resilience to natural hazards
Addressing the challenges of fire, drought, and flooding in an interconnected systems-led approach.
Addressing the challenges of fire, drought, and flooding in an interconnected systems-led approach.
Wildfire being a phenomena that’s intimately bound with other natural hazards including flooding, debris falls, landslides, and disease, from the outset the Panarchistic Architecture paradigm was conceived as a systems-led approach that not merely examined risks during and immediately after fires, but over years, decades, and centuries, while also accommodating of the fact that the impacts of wildfire are not merely localised, but as explained in the thesis, extend to the planetary scale. Recent field studies and advances in Earth Systems science have led Dr. Sterry to further develop an ‘ecosystem of architectures’. Presenting not one, but several nature-inspired approaches to coexisting with natural hazards, this system of design includes Pyrophytic Architecture™, Xerophytic Architecture™, and Hydrophytic Architecture™, named after pyrophytes (plants evolved to live with fire), xerophytes (plants evolved to live in desert conditions), and hydrophytes (plants evolved to live in water).
Panarchistic
Panarchistic
Architecture
Architecture
a brief synopsis
By advancing biomimicry from the level of individual species to entire systems [ecomimicry], Panarchistic Architecture rejects generic notions of Nature and instead rigorously examines the interactions between living and non-living processes from the molecular to the landscape and planetary scale, across both human and geological timescales. The paradigm introduces several original theoretical and technical concepts in architecture and urban planning, exploring their potential applications
and implications both within and beyond the wildland-urban-interface. Also drawing on insights from indigenous and ancient fire cultures that are native to Northern America, among other continents, Panarchistic Architecture proposes that reconciling human and non-human systems in fire-prone wildland-urban areas is not only possible, but also holds significant ecological, social, and technological potential, warranting further research in the years and decades to come.
Pyrophytic Architecture™
Pyrophytic Architecture™
Mimicking the unique traits of plants that evolved for fire-prone environments
Mimicking the unique traits of plants that evolved for fire-prone environments
to create cutting-edge design concepts.
to create cutting-edge design concepts.
In the interim between the publication of Panarchistic Architecture and the present, Dr. Sterry has continued with her research into how pyrophytes (plants that have evolved to live with wildfire) can inform, inspire, and enable design for buildings and other built infrastructure in the fire-prone regions of the world. She has completed further field studies both in and beyond California; a series of interviews with foremost experts working at the edge of multiple fields of science, technology, engineering, design, planning, and policy; advanced research and development of several seminal architectural and urban resilience design concepts that integrate the biochemistries, behaviours, structures, and relationships of pyrophytes in a way that’s synchronised with local fire regimes; built a global research and collaboration community; and delivered ongoing insights on her design for wildfire research, its applications, and possible impacts in a series of keynotes delivered at leading international design, architecture, and planning conferences and festivals, as well as in interviews, articles, and chapters for academic, trade, and consumer press and media worldwide.
Open Access Learning for All
Open Access Learning for All
Explore an array of accessible materials
Explore an array of accessible materials
from pamphlets to ebooks, designed to inform everyone.
from pamphlets to ebooks, designed to inform everyone.
Those interested to learn more will find an array of open access learning materials on this site, of which some are authored with field experts in mind, whereas others are designed to be accessible to those without pre-existing knowledge of fire ecology and related sciences. Resources hosted here, including pamphlets, essays, ebooks, codes, scenarios, fictions, concepts, recordings, and upcoming public events. Yet more information can be found at embedded links and through Panarchic Codex®’s social media accounts at sites including Instagram.
Partnering for the Future of Wildfire Resilience
Partnering for the Future of Wildfire Resilience
Discover opportunities to collaborate through talks, workshops, publications,
Discover opportunities to collaborate through talks, workshops, publications,
and the Design for Wildfire school.
and the Design for Wildfire school.
Organisations seeking to educate their boards and staff on bio-inspired design for living with wildfire may be interested in Dr. Sterry’s talks and workshops, which offer a unique opportunity to explore cutting-edge strategies for wildfire resilience, drawing from decades of research and real-world applications. These sessions are ideal for fostering awareness, enhancing decision-making, and sparking innovative thinking within teams. Additionally, Dr. Sterry is available to commission to author bespoke white papers, reports, or other publications tailored to the specific needs of organisations seeking to develop actionable insights into wildfire resilience. For those looking to make a long-term impact, there is an exciting opportunity to become a partner or supporter of the Design for Wildfire school. This pioneering initiative provides interdisciplinary education on nature-inspired resilience strategies, equipping individuals and organisations with the tools to adapt and thrive in fire-prone environments.
Panarchistic Architecture presentation at Future of Architecture and Building conclave, Mumbai, 2024.
Investing in Nature-Inspired Wildfire Solutions
Investing in Nature-Inspired Wildfire Solutions
Collaborate to advance cutting-edge bio-inspired designs for resilience and sustainability.
Collaborate to advance cutting-edge bio-inspired designs for resilience and sustainability.
We invite expressions of interest from those looking to partner or invest in groundbreaking solutions for wildfire resilience. Whether through funding, joint ventures, or strategic collaborations, there are opportunities to support pioneering bio-inspired designs that align with local fire regimes and advance sustainable innovation. These collaborations can help bring transformative solutions to market while addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time.