Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the fields of design and planning become increasingly common. At the same time fears related to the threats of technocentrism and disconnectedness from nature towards applications of AI in managing and shaping our living environments are rising. The concept of biophilic design holds the potential for bridging the gap between urban population and nature and avoiding technocentrism in urban life and planning. Thus, the need arises to connect biophilic design and planning and the applications of AI in urbanism. Consequently, this research presents the review, discussion and experiment of potential applications of AI (mainly focusing on generative AI) in biophilic urbanism and nature-based solutions in cities.

Understanding and quantifying the stability defined as the adaptive capacity of spatial form of urban systems, how urban form supports multifunctionality, accessibility and resilience, is vital for sustainable planning. Existing methods often neglect the interplay of spatial complexity and human movement in urban environments. This study introduces a transferable simulation model integrating entropy measures with a new graph-based centrality metric to evaluate urban stability as a composite of structural coherence and diversity. Using GIS data, the model simulates movement by calculating centrality for street segments and entropy across four metrics, weighted by building area, population density, greenery and water. Results were aggregated within a 400 m hexagonal grid and a 1000 m radius, enabling fine-grained yet scalable stability assessment. Applied to Lithuanian cities, the model highlighted clear patterns: historically evolved, multifunctional cores achieved high stability, while monofunctional, fragmented or modernist areas showed lower values. Some smaller towns exhibited stability comparable to larger cities, revealing overlooked spatial qualities. The approach relies on globally available datasets (e.g., OpenStreetMap, Copernicus, census grids), thus it is adaptable to diverse contexts. The proposed index offers a tool for analyzing existing structures and comparing scenarios, supporting international agendas such as the 15-Minute City, Transit-Oriented Development and UN Sustainable Development Goal 11.

The contemporary built environment, the primary human habitat, contributes significantly to global environmental challenges, such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Consequently, there is an increasing focus on reconnecting urbanism with nature through biomimicry, an approach that draws inspiration from natural systems to design sustainable, self-sufficient, and resilient urban environments. This research explores the hypothesis that natural system principles are inherently present in many contemporary urban development theories, even if not immediately visible, and can support the creation of sustainable urban spaces. By analyzing theories such as new urbanism, smart growth, the 15-minute city, and others, this paper seeks to determine their alignment with biomimicry principles. The research employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches, combining theoretical analysis of natural systems and urban theories with the search for possibilities to apply simulative modelling to assess the specific applicability of biomimetic approaches. The findings of the research highlight that several urban models and theories, including New Urbanism and Alexander’s pattern language, can support biomimicry application, thus allowing us to speak about the inherited urban biomimicry as a phenomenon and look for inspiration not only in nature but also in the urban structures of the past. The conducted analysis also reveals that if the degree of expression of urban biomimicry principles in cities is analyzed, then it is not enough to use qualitative models – quantitative models should be employed for this purpose. The possibility of using Space Syntax-based simulative modelling for the analysis of inherited biomimicry in urban structures is discussed and demonstrated.

The emerging application of AI-based tools in creative practices encourages analysing how these tools could be integrated into ecological architectural design. This research was aimed at identifying the possibilities of applying AI-based tools and approaches for shape-finding in the field of biophilic architectural design. The research encompasses review and analysis of literature, the experiment of shape-finding using AI-based tool VQGAN+CLIP, and the evaluation of generated images according to the system of biophilic design criteria adapted for the purpose of image evaluation. The experiment of shape finding demonstrated that the use of keywords describing the characteristics of natural systems and the VQGAN+CLIP code allow generating unexpected, interesting forms which correspond to some biophilic characteristics. Such forms can be the start of a further creative search for the architect.

In response to current urban sustainability challenges, biomimicry emerges as a promising approach for creating resilient contextually adapted urban environments. This research explores urban biomimicry through qualitative descriptive analysis and conceptual mapping, identifying the main typologies based on organism, habitat, ecosystem, and abstract natural principles. It further examines urban biomimicry approaches by their degree of bio-integration (from inspiration to ecological integration) and implementation strategies (top-down versus bottom-up), while considering their implications for local ecological and cultural contexts as well as aesthetic expression. Additionally, a graph-based analysis identifies conceptual relationships between biomimicry and New Urbanism (NU), revealing integrative concepts essential for interdisciplinary nature-inspired sustainable urban development.

This research explores the integration of biomimicry and architectural/urban genotype concepts to model psychologically acceptable environments. Drawing on foundational psychological theories—Gestalt, Attention Restoration, Prospect-Refuge, and Environmental Psychology—this study examines the private–public interface at the various urban resolutions, encompassing land plots, buildings, and urban structures. Biomimicry serves as a unifying framework, linking these theories with principles derived from natural systems to create sustainable and psychologically beneficial designs. The methodology incorporates simulative modeling, employing space syntax and isovist analysis to quantify key spatial features such as proximity, complexity, and refuge. This study evaluates traditional historical architectures from diverse cultural contexts, such as Islamic medina, Medieval European town, and modernist urbanism, to identify patterns of spatial organization that balance human psychological needs and ecological sustainability. Findings highlight the fractal and hierarchical nature of spatial structures and the importance of integrating human-scale, culturally relevant designs into modern urban planning. By establishing a replicable framework, this research aims to bridge theoretical and practical gaps in environmental psychology, biomimicry, and urban design, paving the way for resilient and adaptive environments that harmonize ecological and human well-being.

Biomimicry studies natural systems and attempts to use the gained knowledge and understanding to solve human problems. Can biomimicry, if applied in urban planning, help to make our cities more sustainable or, precisely, more friendly for walkable and 15-minute city models?


Various researchers identify the following features of natural systems as form fits function, catalysis of cooperation, local contextuality, continuity of development, diversity, integrity, redundancy, decentralization, multifunctionality, and less energy consumption (e.g. TOD if the energy needed for transportation is considered), hierarchy, fractality, etc.


The presented research has two objectives:

analyze the possibility of describing and evaluating the degree of expression of the features of natural systems in urban spatial structures to use them for comparison, benchmarking, or creation of a biomimicry index; 

evaluate if cities with more strongly expressed biomimicry features could be considered more walkable and close to the 15-minute city concept.


To give answers to the above-presented questions Riga, Vilnius, and Tallinn were investigated. They represent both certain similarities and differences in terms of history, urban planning, political context, size, etc.  A simulative mathematical graph model was used as the main tool to describe and analyze complex urban structures based on spatial configurations. Various graph centralities were employed to describe and compare the expression of natural systems’ features in the selected cities. OSM data was used to overlap graph models with such information as the density of inhabitants, concentrations of various points of interest in order to evaluate walkability and 15-minute city friendliness.


The research results could be seen as an important step for better understanding  of informal principles of biomimicry that can help transform urban areas.

Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė
Aurelija Daugėlaitė
Gediminas Viliūnas 

Biophilic design approach aims at creating favorable conditions for humans in various types of anthropogenic environments, while at the same time restoring broken human–nature connection. The biophilic design guidelines and principles are general and flexible and allow wide array of architectural expressions. In order to better understand the architectural expression possibilities provided by biophilic design approach, the existing classifications of biophilic architecture and biophilic design examples were analyzed with the aim to develop the classification that would reflect the links between a building’s architectural expression and biophilic qualities. Three categories of biophilic architecture were distinguished in the developed classification: mimetic, applied, and organic. The distinguished categories were illustrated with the characteristic building examples and the evaluation of biophilic qualities and human-nature collaboration potential of these example buildings was carried out using comprehensive system of criteria. The analysis has demonstrated that all three distinguished categories—mimetic, applied, organic—allow for the creation of biophilic environments and hold the potential for human–nature collaboration, although organic biophilic design would be currently considered as the least developed, although most promising category.

Anastasiia Kiuppier
Gediminas Viliūnas
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė

Biodiversity is often an afterthought in city planning and development; however, as cities densify or expand, the need to protect urban nature and enhance biodiversity becomes more urgent. Residential building renovation becomes increasingly important urban development sector in the context of reaching sustainability goals and implementing European Green Deel. Consequently, the relevance of biodiversity conservation during and after the building renovation process becomes increasingly high. The focus this research is biodiversity in urban residential areas built up-with Soviet modernistic apartment buildings and the possibilities of biodiversity conservation and enhancement in buildings renovation process considering ecological, social, and aesthetic aspects. The methods of research include literature analysis, observations on site and pilot sociological survey. The results of the research confirmthe importance and potential of integrating biodiversity considerations into planning, renovation practices, and policies to create sustainable and livable neighborhoods. Pilot sociological survey revealed the positive attitudes of surveyed Kaunas residents towards urban biodiversity. The observation on site in Eiguliai, Gričiupis, and Dainava neighborhoods demonstrates positive improvements in terms of building aesthetics and signs of residents’ interaction with nature; however, there were also areas thatlacked sufficient public space amenities and showed limited diversity in plant species. The observations highlight the need for further attention to enhancing livability and biodiversity aspects in the neighborhoods, alongside the ongoing renovation projects.

Gediminas Viliūnas
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė

Research Objective – following a review of scientific literature databases and examples of sustainable architecture, and after systematizing the evolution and issues of sustainable architecture globally as well as the situation in Lithuania, to seek alternative solutions for today's sustainable architecture state through the progress and regress of each decade starting from the 1980s. The study is implemented in two stages: first, a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative literature analysis is conducted alongside an analysis of the progress and regress in the field of sustainable architecture for each decade from the perspectives of expression, technology, and materials, based on implemented examples of sustainable architecture; in the second stage, an analysis and assessment of current global issues in sustainable architecture and the situation in Lithuania are performed.

Human and Nature Safety 2022

Gediminas Viliūnas
Aurelija Daugėlaitė
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė

Biophilia hypothesis - human innate emotional affiliation with nature and the necessity of access to nature for healthy human physical and psychological development - encourages integrating the qualities of natural environment into designed spaces and artificial environments. The biophilic design that had evolved out of the biophilia hypothesis is considered as a viable approach for designing healing environments. The aim of the research was to analyze selected buildings of diverse functions through the lens of biophilic design using the set of biophilic design criteria and to trace biophilic qualities positively affecting humans in the architecture of the analyzed examples.

Kulautuva is a unique town with strong ties to the Nemunas River. The materiality that dominates the town plays an extremely important role in the design of the pier located by the river.