Nature’s Architecture: How Animal Forms Inspire Lazerian’s Creative Process

At Lazerian, the natural world, and particularly the animal kingdom, has always been a profound source of inspiration. From the elegant spiral of a seashell to the complex geometry of a honeycomb, animals offer unparalleled examples of how form meets function in perfect harmony. Their shapes, behaviors, and symbolic meanings provide endless fuel for our creative endeavors. Whether we are designing sculptures, installations, or interactive artworks, we continuously draw upon nature’s architecture to bring our projects to life. In this article, we explore how animals inspire not just our designs but also the philosophies behind them, with examples from some of our most iconic works.

1. The Power of Animal Symbolism in Design

Animals are deeply rooted in human culture, often representing qualities like strength, wisdom, or transformation. By tapping into these associations, we create designs that carry both aesthetic and symbolic weight. A perfect example of this is our Celebration of Polar Bear sculpture, created for a Christmas installation. The polar bear symbolises both power and vulnerability, particularly in the context of climate change, making it a fitting subject for an installation that combines visual beauty with a reminder of the planet's fragility. The icy tones and reflective materials used in the sculpture mirrored the polar bear’s Arctic environment, while also highlighting the urgent environmental message behind the work.

In a different vein, Gerald, our beloved paper dog sculpture, symbolises loyalty and companionship. However, his geometric design lends a modern, playful twist to this traditional symbol, allowing us to explore how something as familiar as a dog can be transformed into a piece of contemporary art. Through both symbolic and structural inspiration, animals become a vehicle for storytelling in our work.

2. Animal Forms as Structural Inspiration

Nature’s Architecture

Beyond symbolism, animals often influence our designs through their physical structures. Nature’s architecture, from the spiral of a seashell to the geometric perfection of a beehive, is a constant source of inspiration for Lazerian. These forms are not only beautiful but also highly efficient, achieving a perfect balance between form and function.

The Honeycomb: Nature’s Perfect Structure

The hexagonal cells of a honeycomb, for example, are one of nature’s most efficient designs, offering both strength and space optimization. Inspired by this, we created the Overworked Bee sculpture, where the hexagon became a central element in representing both the industrious nature of bees and the environmental challenges they face. The geometry of the honeycomb serves not only as a structural foundation for the design but also as a metaphor for the delicate balance of ecosystems that bees help sustain. Through this sculpture, we aim to raise awareness of the importance of bees while celebrating the beauty of their natural engineering.

The Movement of Fish: The Paper Cod

In our Paper Cod sculpture, we looked to the natural form of a fish, particularly its scales, which allow for fluid movement through water. The layered structure of the cod’s body inspired the way we designed and assembled the paper sculpture. Much like the fish’s natural ability to glide through water, the Paper Cod catches light and shadow, creating a sense of movement even in a stationary form. This exploration of layering and movement is a testament to how animals’ functional adaptations can influence modern design practices.

Sharks: Grace and Power

Sharks, with their streamlined bodies designed for speed and power, influenced the creation of our shark sculptures. We sought to capture their grace and strength, crafting designs that evoke movement and agility. The rough texture of a shark's skin, known as dermal denticles, reduces drag in water, which we interpreted into the layered textures of our sculpture. The result is a piece that feels alive, even in its stillness, reflecting the shark’s dominance and fluidity in the ocean.

3. Playfulness: Capturing the Spirit of Animals

Creativity through Play

Animals often exhibit playful behaviors, reminding us of the joy and spontaneity that comes with creativity. At Lazerian, we believe in embracing this spirit of play in our designs. This is evident in interactive installations like Man’s Best Disassembled Friend, where we deconstructed Gerald, our iconic dog sculpture, and invited viewers to engage with the pieces. By breaking Gerald down into his essential parts, we created a playful, interactive experience that echoes the playful nature of dogs themselves.

The butterfly sculptures we showcased at the Manchester Art Fair further explore this idea of playfulness. Butterflies, known for their delicate beauty and lightness, symbolize transformation and renewal. The design of the sculptures, with their layered, iridescent wings, was intended to evoke the lightness and fragility of the real thing. Much like the fleeting, graceful flight of a butterfly, the installation encouraged viewers to pause and appreciate the transient beauty of nature.

4. Sustainability: Learning from Nature’s Ecosystems

Nature, and particularly animals, provide not only inspiration but also a model for sustainable design. In the wild, nothing goes to waste, and every form serves a function. At Lazerian, we strive to adopt this mindset in our projects. Our birdhouse installations in Glossop, for example, drew inspiration from local bird species and their habitats, while also incorporating sustainable materials and eco-conscious design practices.

By observing the natural world, we learn how to create designs that are both functional and environmentally responsible. Whether we are building large-scale sculptures or interactive installations, sustainability is always at the forefront of our creative process, just as it is in the ecosystems we admire.

Animals offer a boundless source of inspiration, both in terms of their physical structures and the symbolism they carry. At Lazerian, we see the animal kingdom as a masterclass in design, where form and function coexist in perfect harmony. Through projects like Gerald, Man’s Best Disassembled Friend, the Overworked Bee, Paper Cod, and our butterfly and polar bear sculptures, we pay homage to the creatures that inspire us and invite others to explore the intersection of nature, art, and design. By drawing from the beauty and ingenuity of the natural world, we not only create visually captivating works but also foster a deeper connection to the environment and the creatures that inhabit it.