For many years, solutions drawn from nature have been applied in various fields of science, and today knowledge of biology is also a source of inspiration for creative work. In the field of architecture, processes observed in nature are transferred to design, offering new perspectives and tools, and influencing work methods. Biological sciences permeate the design field under ‘bio’ terms such as biomimetics, biomimicry, bionics, biophilia and biomorphism, which together represent the broader issue of bio-innovation. Although there are precise defi nitions and classifi cations of these ‘bio’ concepts in the technical sciences, translating them directly into the design arts remains a challenge due to the need to simultaneously consider aesthetic, functional and technological aspects. This results in an inadequate understanding and arrangement of these terms in the field of architecture. This article is an attempt to precisely define and differentiate the concepts used in ‘bio’ architecture, with a view to identifying particular streams in biology-inspired design. The first part of the article analyses the definitions found in the literature and puts them in order. The second part presents an analysis of four designs drawing from different biological disciplines such as neuroscience, mycology, biochemistry and botany.