Context-Grounded Conceptual Design of an Environmentally Sustainable Hotel in Shiraz, Iran: Biomimicry, Voronoi Geometry, and Solar Energy Generation

This study presents a context-grounded conceptual design for an environmentally sustainable hotel in Shiraz, Iran, integrating three complementary strategies: a biomimicry-inspired responsive façade, a Voronoi-based façade and landscape design, and solar energy generation. Inspired by the adaptive behavior of morning glory flowers, the responsive façade is designed to adjust dynamically to environmental conditions with the aim of improving daylight utilization and thermal performance. Voronoi patterns are incorporated into the façade and landscape with the design intent of enhancing natural light distribution, airflow, structural efficiency, and aesthetic quality. In addition, photovoltaic panels installed on the hotel and parking roofs provide renewable energy to improve building sustainability. The façade and landscape geometry are developed parametrically in Rhinoceros 3D with Grasshopper, and the rooftop photovoltaic system is simulated using site-specific climate data for the project location. The System Advisor Model (SAM) simulations indicate that the proposed solar system can generate approximately 4,281,172 kWh of electricity annually, corresponding to approximately 9,889,507 lb (4486 t) of avoided CO2 relative to the cited U.S. coal generation benchmark. The integration of biomimicry, computational design, and renewable energy demonstrates an integrated conceptual approach to environmentally sustainable hotel architecture, with quantified solar energy generation and emissions reduction potential, and design-intent strategies for daylighting, thermal comfort, and occupant well-being that warrant further validation. This work presents an integrated design framework, not a validated or constructed building. Consistent with this scope, the term sustainability is used here in its environmental sense; the economic and social pillars are not assessed, and the study does not claim that Voronoi geometry is necessary for, or superior to, more regular and repetitive façade alternatives, a question that would require a controlled comparative study. The proposed design illustrates how nature-inspired strategies and advanced digital design methods can be combined to create innovative, resilient, and environmentally responsible buildings, providing a context-specific design proposition for future sustainable hospitality research.