Research

1. The role of aesthetics in building sustainability assessment
SPATIUM Issue No 45, June 2021

Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė
Gediminas Viliūnas 
Aurelija Daugėlaitė

This theoretical study examines the role of aesthetics in the assessment frameworks of sustainable architecture. The article is organized into two main sections: a general literature review and the results. The results section encompasses an analysis of the place of aesthetic quality in the understanding of sustainable architecture, and an overview and discussion of the general sustainable building assessment frameworks and the main sustainable buildings certification systems (LEED, BREEAM, WELL, Living Building Challenge), identifying the existing and potential place of cultural sustainability and aesthetics in them. Finally, four architectural theories holding the potential for balancing human and environmental criteria in the assessment of sustainable architecture are presented. These theories are: sustainability aesthetics, genius loci, biophilia, and a regenerative approach. The conclusion was made that these approaches hold the potential for the breakthrough of aesthetic quality and uniqueness of sustainable architecture.

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1. Potential applications of AI in biophilic urbanism and nature-based solutions in cities

New design ideas.. Baku : Jomard Publishing. 2024, vol. 8, iss. 3, p. 490-512

Kęstutis Zaleckis
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė
Gediminas Viliūnas 

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.

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1. Invisible Inheritable Urban Biomimicry: How to Re-discover and Evaluate It
RTU Press
Architecture and Urban Planning Volume 21 (2025): Issue 1 (January 2025)

Kęstutis Zaleckis
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė
Gediminas Viliūnas 

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.

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2. Shape-finding in Biophilic Architecture: Application of AI-based Tool RTU Press
Architecture and Urban Planning Volume 18 (2022): Issue 1 (January 2022)

Gediminas Viliūnas
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė

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.

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1. Simulative Modeling of Psychologically Acceptable Architectural and Urban Environments Combining Biomimicry Approach and Concept of Architectural/Urban Genotype as Unifying Theories
Urban Sci. 2025, 9(3), 75

Kęstutis Zaleckis
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė
Gediminas Viliūnas 

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.

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1. Mathematical Graph Based Urban Simulations as a Tool for Biomimicry Urbanism?
Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture,
Vol. 8.2 , S1 2024
2024

Kęstutis Zaleckis
Indrė Gražulevičiūtė-Vileniškė
Gediminas Viliūnas


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.

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1. Classification of Biophilic Buildings as Sustainable Environments
Buildings 2022, 12(10), 1542

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.
























Design

Hotel complex 
Two Brothers
2020

The environment is essential to high-quality architecture. After examining the area, it became clear that the Carmelite church is the essential center of the area.

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Kindergarten complex 

Absorbation
2019

Children are the most curious creatures who crave knowledge and strive to achieve their goals like no one else. Let's activate these qualities through form and function.








Concept of the installation
Fantasy game
2025

playing with fantasy, testing it
- a manifestation of our limitations.








Church
Church of the Blessed Sacrament
2023

Interpretation of history by restoring the object's damaged form through modernity






Pier Complex
Kulautuva Pier
2021

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.


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Furniture systems
Renders of custom-made furniture
2018 - xxxx

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Recreational system in Šilainiai, Kaunas
Kristina Marcinkutė, Gediminas Viliūnas
Urban Planning
2023

Proposals for solving urban problems in the Šilainiai district, Kaunas, Lithuania.


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Mound
Biophilic architecture as a tool to influence environments
TBA
































Artist Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Gediminas Viliūnas
gediminasviliunas@yahoo.com
Instagram
Linkedin
Research Gate
Currently researching the elements of emotional influence, analyzing human emotions and combining this with creative activity – seeking answers to questions through forms of artistic expression, using it as a universal means of reaching wider audiences that are not always oriented towards specific sciences. One of my long-term goals is to adapt my research to the field of costume design.

Researcher Topics Biomimetic (biomimicry) solutions for increasing the harmony, aesthetic appeal, and inclusion of architectural objects and urban structures. Research on biophilic architecture and urban planning.

Objective based on the analysis of natural structures that have developed over a long period of time and function successfully, to formulate and test biomimetic principles in simulation models to solve problems of sustainability, visual appeal, and inclusion of urban structures and architectural object



How do I look when I'm resting by Diana Nakrevič




Education
Kaunas Juozas Naujalis Music Gymnasium
Doublebass / Grand Piano
Secondary Education
2006 - 2018

Kaunas University of Technology
Architecture
Master of Architecture
2018 - 2023

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
Industrial Design
Master of Engineering 
2023 - xxxx

Vilnius Academy of Arts 
Architecture
PhD of Arts
2023 - xxxx


Employment Factory interior studio
Architectural Assistant
2018 - 2019

AuriGawor architecture studio
Junior Architect
2018 - 2019

Kaunas University of Technology
Junior Librarian
2019 - 2020

NEB Research Centre
Junior Researcher
2024 - xxxx


InternshipKančas architecture studio
2021 


Skills
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign 
Adobe Photoshop 
Autodesk 3ds Max 
Autodesk AutoCAD
Chaos Corona Renderer 
CiteSpace 
Clarivate Web of Science 
Microsoft Office 
QGIS 
Scopus (Elsevier) 
Space Syntax 
Trimble SketchUp


Exhibitions
(upcoming) xxx, TBA
xxxx,
Titanikas
2025


Conferences
Human and Nature Safety
Vytautas Magnus University
2021

Scientific students conference 
Research Council of Lithuania
2022

Naũjos architektūros istorijos tyrimų perspektyvos: studentų konferencija
Vilnius University
2025


AwardsSmart City VI nomination won
"Most expressive architect's ambition"
2020

Scholarship established by Statybų vizija
2021

Scholarship established by Giedrius Kuprevičius
2021

Smart City VII municipal prize 
"Kulautuva and Kačerginė Transport Project"
2021

Smart City VIII third place
“Raseiniai city district improvement project”
2022

Scholarship of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Antanas Smetona
2022

Participation in Graduate Show in collaboration with Gucci
2023

Kaunas University of Technology 
talent scholarship
2020 - 2023

Kaunas University of Technology targeted - incentive scholarship
2018-2023


Press
Biophilic design – a combination of nature and technology that improves human well-being
by 15min.lt
2022           







Last Updated 25.09.05


© Gediminas Viliūnas 2025