Vol. 3, n. 5 (2010) - Observing Nature, edited by Anna Maria Manferdini

For centuries Nature has represented an inspiration in fields and disciplines, ranging from those related to scientific research up to the artistic ones. As a consequence, this connection has supported a long debate upon the relationship between Art and Science. In recent decades, thanks to the availability of new sophisticated tools and methods of investigation, the interests towards Nature and its observation has been renewed and has suggested applications in different fields. The study of Nature, of its forms, functions and principles that rule the evolution and the balance between living creatures and the external environment suggests experimentations in fields such as, for example, Architecture and Design of anthropised environment, which are actually called to provide answers to the problem of the relationship between man and the natural environment.