Justine Zoe Croker

This dissertation presents The design of The Biosynergy Research Facility, an architectural Thesis that reimagines the role of the built environment in advancing healthcare and Biomedical innovation. Rather than positioning architecture as a neutral container, the project explores its potential as an active participant in processes of healing, discovery, and knowledge creation.

The facility is conceived as a “living laboratory,” integrating architecture, medicine, material science, and digital technology. Through Biomimetic systems, responsive façades, and adaptive spatial logics, The design demonstrates how architectural form and materiality can generate knowledge while accommodating interdisciplinary collaboration. Situated within Johannesburg's medical landscape, The project draws from its proximity to major research and clinical institutions, grounding the speculative in a real context of healthcare and innovation. Ultimately, this dissertation argues for a transformative role of architecture—one that engages Biosynergy, Biomimicry, and Bionics to imagine new futures for research environments.