The course aims to develop an understanding of how biology can be a model for material, mechanical, spatial and computational systems. An introduction to the ways in which organisms have evolved through form, materials and structures in response to varied functions and environments is followed by an account of engineering, logical and organisational design principles that have been abstracted from nature in current research projects for industry and material science. A study is made of a natural system (general form, anatomy, energy flows, geometry, organisation, hierarchies and behaviour), along with an exploration of interrelations and an abstraction of design principles. The methods of analysis as well as system logic and material performance studied in this seminar will be further developed within Core Studio 1. Student groups will investigate mathematics, geometric, material and hierarchical logic in order to develop a critical view on the relationships between systems design and performance.