IMAGE SOURCE Cecilia Bannow

Michael Pawlyn Keynote Speaker

  • A World Leading Thinker in Sustainable Design
  • Thought Leader in Biomimicry
  • Part of the Core Team that Designed the Eden Project

Michael Pawlyn's Biography

Michael Pawlyn is an architect and design innovator who takes cues from nature to make new, sustainable environments. He has been described as an expert in regenerative design and biomimicry.

Michael established his firm, Exploration Architecture, in 2007 to focus on high performance buildings and solutions for the circular economy. The company has developed a ground-breaking office project, an ultra-low energy data centre, a zero waste textiles factory and progressive solutions for green cities.

Prior to setting up Exploration, he worked with Grimshaw for ten years and was central to the team that designed the Eden Project. He is regularly booked as a keynote speaker on innovation and his TED talk has had over 2 million views.

Michael jointly initiated the widely acclaimed Sahara Forest Project; the latest version of which was opened by the King of Jordan in 2017. In 2019 he co-initiated ‘Architects Declare a Climate & Biodiversity Emergency’ which has spread internationally with over 7,000 companies signed up to addressing the planetary crisis.

Since 2018, he has been increasingly providing advice to national governments and large companies on transformative change. His book ‘Biomimicry in Architecture‘ has been RIBA Publications’ best-selling title. His book, titled ‘Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency‘, co-authored with Sarah Ichioka, was published by Triarchy Press in December 2021.

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Michael Pawlyn's Speaking Topics

  • • From sustainable to regenerative – the next essential shift for business.

  • • Biologically inspired innovation.

  • • Rising to the challenge of the planetary emergency.

  • • How change happens and how to transform our agency.

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Videos of Michael Pawlyn

TEDtalk: Using Nature's Genius in Architecture (2010)
TEDtalk: Using Nature's Genius in Architecture (2010)
Biomimicry - A Regenerative Paradigm | Michael Pawlyn | Energy Disruptors UNITE | EDU2019
Biomimicry - A Regenerative Paradigm | Michael Pawlyn | Energy Disruptors UNITE | EDU2019
How Railway Engineers Learnt Efficiency from Nature | Michael Pawlyn | Summit 2014
How Railway Engineers Learnt Efficiency from Nature | Michael Pawlyn | Summit 2014
Biomimetic innovation (2014)
Biomimetic innovation (2014)

Books by Michael Pawlyn

Biomimicry in Architecture
Flourish
Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency

Comments & Testimonials

One of the finest talks I've ever seen on nature and design.
Amory Lovins, Chairman and Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute
We just wanted to send a quick note to thank you again so much for your brilliant address at yesterday’s Heat Conference. I’ve heard nothing but praise for your presentation – it was so good to hear new ideas from someone outside of our sector. It really helped to energise the whole day: some have even said it was the best Heat Conference we’ve had!
Rachael Mills, SE 2 Limited
I thought it was the best session of the conference. You were calm, rational, evidential and forceful. Thank you for taking up the challenge so well.
Mike Hussey, President of the BCO and Director, Land Securities
Michael was excellent. There was lots of glowing verbal feedback on him with a lot of questions at the end. Personally, I really love the positive and practical approach to sustainability that he promotes and the sheer beauty of nature which he expresses through his excellent slides. Very well done.
Helen McGing, Citywire
Michael was fantastic! The audience absolutely loved his lecture. Couldn’t have been a better way to launch the series.
Colleen McLaughlin Natural History Museum of Utah

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