"Termite mounds are not the inert tombstones they appear to be. They are stationary cows. They are a vacuum cleaner removing the natural debris of the ecosystem. They are the pithead of a miniature mine that brings nutrients to the surface. They are an incubation chamber. They are a dependable larder to insectivores. They are a secure home to a large number of vertebrates and invertebrates. Indeed it would be difficult to overstate their importance. They are the lifeblood of the system.”
-- R. Braithwaite, 1990.
In certain regions of Africa, Australia, & South America, mound-building termites create monumental structures that can reach up to 30 feet (9m) tall & contain up to 3 million individual termites. These are complex habitats that host a number of zones for differing functions. For instance, the actual termite dwelling, or nest, is often subterranean-- the towering mound we see above ground hosts a series of tunnels & conduits that are used for ventilation.
Being a senior in architecture, with a minor in sustainability, my interests lie amongst the realm of ecologically integrative architecture, net-zero buildings, adaptive reuse, and the employment of natural & passive strategies in architecture. Thus, seeing the presence of passive cooling & air filtration via orientation and the presence of air shafts in the mounds of certain termites is a phenomenon that I am very compelled by. I believe that the practice of architecture should reminisce on and look to natural systems as a precedent for the building systems within human architecture; the self-organizing system apparent in termite colonies serves as a wonderful model & study for this ideology.
Proposal
I am proposing to create an interactive panorama of the habitat of one specific species of termite, yet to be completely decided upon. The project update following this blog post will begin to delve deeper into a few different types of organisms that qualify as "mound-building". Today, I will introduce one potential species for my primary study.
In northern Australia, the Amitermes meridionalis, also known as the “compass” or “magnetic” termite, builds large, elaborate habitats from particles of dirt, clay, & chewed wood, all cemented together with saliva and fecal matter. The compass termite was given this moniker as their mounds are deliberately oriented in relation to the north-south axis of the sun to encourage thermoregulation, or interior climate control.
Process
As aforementioned, I am proposing to create a study of a termite mound, via an interactive 360 degree panorama of the different zones within the mound. This will be executed by means of constructing a 3D model in SketchUp, based on an amalgam of the resources I am able to derive this information from. Subsequently, the model will be rendered in Enscape (a SketchUp plug-in) & this is the software that will assist in obtaining & compiling the model into a deliverable that can be panoramically traversed by users.