Bionic City®

Joyce Gioia interviews fellow futurist Melissa Sterry for 'Conversations with Mensa'. Recorded in August 2012 and published as a podcast in March 2013, the 54-minute long interview explores Melissa's research interests and inspirations. Topics discussed include Biomimetics, Resilience Theory, Bionic City, Buckminster Fuller, Leonardo da Vinci, medical bionics, smart cities, 3D printing, disruptive innovation, futurism and Earth 2 hub. The interview is available as a free download on iTunes.

The Bionic City™ Facebook page is now live, visit the link to 'Like'.

"Technological advancement once again gathered pace in the past year and looks unlikely to slow down in 2013 or beyond. Jess Davies takes a look at what to expect...

Hailed by The Economist as the “third industrial revolution”, 3D printing is making serious headway in areas including health, engineering, construction, decoration and aeronautical sectors. In short, it’s relevant to just about everyone.

Although some way off being a mass market product there are already examples of where 3D printing has already been used to recreate human organs, vital replacement spacecraft parts for NASA’s astronauts, and even the Aston Martin in the latest James Bond movie Skyfall.

Experts including Melissa Sterry, head of technology at Earth 2 Hub, believe brands which ignore the rise of 3D printing do so at their peril. Get involved with the science of technology is her advice to brands. “There are no words to explain just how fast technology is developing - we’re on the brink of quantum computing. I’m really surprised more retailers aren’t being more experimental, they need to be afraid of what they will miss out on if they don’t experiment,” she said." 

“Raising the Energy Performance of Your Properties” has been designed to help those in both the private and public sectors improve energy performance across property portfolios by getting the most from stakeholders,finance, technology and data.

All of the different stakeholders will work together to tackle their shared challenges within the three working groups, and to realise the benefits of higher performing, more sustainable property portfolios and truly engaged landlords, tenants and staff.

Speakers include Karen Dell - Head of Sustainability, DECC; Neil Pennel - Head of Sustainability & Engineering, Land Securities; David Farebrother - Managing Director, Faregreen Environmental; Jon Lovell - Global Practice Leader Sustainability and Real Estate, Drivers Jonas Deloitte; Melissa Sterry - Director/Head of Technology - Earth 2 Hub; Munish Datta - Head of Property Plan A - Marks and Spencer; Bill Hughes - Managing Director - Legal and General Property.

On the evening of July 10th 2013, Design Scientist and Futurist Melissa Sterry will join Jon Turney, author of 'A Rough Guide to the Future', to present the future of post-industrial cities. Chaired by Jurgan Maier, Managing Director of Siemens UK Industry Sector, the event is taking place at The Biospheric Project in Salford, as part of the Manchester International Festival - a biennial international arts festival, with a specific focus on original new work.

Sterry will give a 45-minute presentation on possible future urban scenarios born of emergent and likely future developments in science and technology, including biomimetics, synthetic biology, 3D and 4D printing, hydroponics and information communications technologies.

Throughout MIF13, The Biospheric Project will have a free programme of daily events including talks, tours, film screenings and ‘how to’ workshops, as well as a weekend of activity for families.

In August 2012, US futurist Joyce Gioia joined UK futurist Melissa Sterry, Earth 2 Hub’s Head of Technology, to become the latest Mensa members in conversation for the series. Their conversation explored several areas of Melissa’s research, including Biomimetics; the Bionic City® and transferring knowledge embedded in flora and fauna species and ecosystems to applications for the built environment; medical bionics, including neurological prosthetics, and their profound implications for human health and wellbeing - including reframing ageing and perceptions thereof; Resilience Theory and its role in protecting society from natural hazards; smart cities and how emergent ICT is re-inventing both urban and rural dwelling; disruptive innovation as a catalyst for social, cultural and economic change; 3D printing and its potential impacts on individual and community lifestyle choices, business organisation and population distribution; perceptions of place and the merger of the real and the virtual world...

Interview with futurist Melissa Sterry about Earth 2.0 and the Bionic City makes Inhabitat Editors Top 9 Favourite Stories of 2012.

Inhabitat writes...

'We’re quickly making our way towards 2013, and as as we countdown these last few days of 2012, we here at Inhabitat are looking back at all the best green design and news stories from the past year. We saw a number of great strides achieved over 2012, proving that there are millions of people out there working tirelessly to make the world we live in a better, more sustainable place. From educating people on the little things they can do to help combat climate change to the mainstream adoption of 3D printing to a feel good story about a man who single-handedly planted an entire forest, check out the stories that really shined in the eyes of our editors this year.'