We are inspired by the natural world. It has been a constant occurrence throughout James’ body of work thus far, and one that has allowed for the colour, texture, shape, sounds, plant structure and anatomy found in the natural environment to seep into and inform seminal investigations throughout his career. Biomimicry is the simulation of the models, systems and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. It is then fitting, that biomimicry has been utilised to influence the speculation and investigation into Funnel Theory.

The aim of Funnel Theory is to create a new visual language and communication platform, based in the inherent beauty within nature’s own geometric forms. Substantiated by the Atrax robustus, commonly known as the Sydney Funnel Web Spider, Funnel Theory proposes the opportunity to discover an ever returning and highly conductive web network that does not store data, but rather, it continually keeps data alive by circulating it through the structure.

This proposal is explored through the triangulation of the natural world’s physical structures. The spider’s “funnel” web became the raw material to develop a unique visual language, consisting of elements (line, shape, direction, size, mass and value) and principles (balance, repetition, contrast, harmony, unity & conductivity) of design which form the building blocks to help create this concept of data as language.

The exploration of the concept of data as language has manifested into the repetition of polygons from the triangulation of natural forms, like the pentagon and nonagon, offering the potential to keep data alive as these repetitive structures circulate and continually return data through the funnel structures. It is through the development of Funnel Theory and the utilisation of these repetitive structures that we have developed our own methods and systems of computing machinery intelligence (CMI), of which have proved highly successful.