Biophilic design
Biophilic design is an approach that aims to enhance the connection between humans and the natural world within built environments. This design philosophy incorporates natural materials like wood and stone, organic shapes, and elements of nature such as plants and water features to foster wellbeing. The theory of biophilia suggests that humans possess an innate tendency to connect with nature, a trait that has evolved over time. As urbanization has led people to spend the majority of their time indoors, biophilic design advocates for integrating natural elements into spaces like homes, offices, and urban parks to promote health and productivity.
Key aspects of effective biophilic design include creating interconnected environments that facilitate regular engagement with nature, fostering emotional connections to spaces, and enhancing feelings of belonging. Research supports the benefits of biophilic design, indicating that exposure to nature can reduce stress, aid recovery from illness, and boost creativity. Elements such as natural light, water features, and even nature-inspired patterns can significantly improve user experiences by appealing to multiple senses. While authentic natural elements are ideal, artificial features can also contribute positively to environmental wellbeing.
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Biophilic design
Biophilic design is design that seeks to connect humans in their modern built environments with the natural world. Elements of biophilic design include the use of natural materials such as wood and stone, incorporation of design features including curves, and harmonious integration of elements of nature such as plant life.
Only relatively recently have humans created their own structures, rather than responded or adapted to the natural world. Researchers believe this need is necessary to humans’ wellbeing. To this end, biophilic design seeks to bring elements of nature into indoor spaces, such as workplaces, as well as incorporate nature in cities (for example, in development of public urban parks). Biophilic design elements are not simply of or related to nature; they are those that foster feelings of wellbeing. They must contribute to humans’ inborn leanings that have contributed to species survival and success.
Background
Biophilic design is based on the theory of biophilia. This theory hypothesizes that over the course of human evolution, humans developed a biological tendency to connect with nature. To early humans, this natural habitat included forests, mountainsides, and other natural elements. In modern times, in part due to urbanization and other shifts, humans spend 90 percent of their time in the built environment. For optimum wellbeing, humans should be connecting to nature, so for the built environment to be of most benefit, it should incorporate elements of nature intuitively. This means natural elements should be built into the structures.
Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm is credited with coining the term biophilia, which appears in his 1973 The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness. Biologist Edward O. Wilson wrote Biophilia in 1984, suggesting that the human tendency to favor nature and other forms of life is at least partially genetic. As evidence, Wilson and others have noted the universal tendency of cultures throughout history to revere the spirituality of animals and to appreciate the beauty of nature, for example in art. Another example that supports this idea comes from biophobia studies, which measure responses people have to natural objects that trigger fear, such as snakes. Humans evolved with the threat of predators and poisonous plants and animals, and research shows they have an innate fear of creatures that can be dangerous to them. The fear and fight-or-flight response are the result of evolution and are triggered by cues in the natural world.
With the advance of technology, most notably beginning in the nineteenth century, humans have become more removed from everyday interactions with nature. Most humans live enclosed in unnatural constructions, such as homes, office buildings, factories, cars, and trains. Studies have found, however, that even two hours a week spent interacting with nature leads to better health and improved satisfaction in adults.
Overview
Biophilic design is a hallmark of the space overall, and requires more than the inclusion of a single element of nature. A planter containing greenery in a public building is an element of nature, but unless it is related to the environment overall, in a way that promotes human wellbeing, it is not biophilic design.
Biophilic design is effective when five conditions are met:
- It develops to enhance human connections to the natural world that are based on evolution, and promote human wellbeing and productivity.
- The engagement with nature occurs often and regularly; it is not isolated or random.
- The elements within the structure or setting make up an interconnected whole.
- Biophilic design helps humans develop fondness for settings. This includes emotional connections to places. This boosts human desire to care for the setting.
- Biophilic design increases feelings of belonging and connection between people and their environment.
A great deal of modern design lacks biophilic elements. This includes office buildings, hospitals, homes, and other settings that lack adequate natural light and natural materials, views of nature, vegetation, and natural ventilation. Some experts compare such structures to old-fashioned zoo enclosures, where animals existed in barren concrete boxes; such unnatural animal environments are no longer permitted under animal care and management best practices, because they are detrimental to animal health and wellbeing. Human environment experts say that people respond to barren environments in much the same way, with poor health and productivity.
Biophilic design can be applied in multiple ways, through direct and indirect experience of nature. Direct experience includes air, animals, light, natural landscapes, plants, water, and weather. Examples of indirect experience of nature include use of natural materials and natural colors, using images of nature and evoking nature, using naturalistic shapes and forms, and simulating natural air and light. Specifically, indirect experience might include floral designs in masonry or metalwork.
Research shows that biophilic design is highly beneficial to humans. Natural or nature-mimicking design reduces stress, helps people recover from sickness more quickly, and improves creativity. In work spaces, this translates to financial benefits such as workers using fewer sick days.
Patterns found in nature can provide many benefits, because the human brain makes a connection between the obviously non-living materials and nature. For example, the Fibonacci sequence is often found in nature, such as in spirals of shells or the arrangement of leaves or branches on plants. The sequence is a series of numbers, with the next number the result of adding the previous two. The Fibonacci Sequence begins 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and continues. Use of biomimicry such as patterns and fractals is an important element of biophilic design.
Light is crucial to biophilic design and human function. Natural light is good for humans. Changes in natural light throughout the day help people remain on the natural twenty-four hour circadian rhythm. While natural light is beneficial, artificial light that changes throughout the day to copy the natural rhythm of light is also helpful.
Humans generally feel better when water is present. Water features soothe the mind and can lower blood pressure and heart rate. Water in the environment has also been found to improve memory.
The flow of air improves human focus and performance. Creating airflow indoors has been found to improve student performance in some studies, helping students stay awake and on task.
Biophilic design is most successful when it appeals to several senses. Seeing, smelling, and hearing nature together provides greater feelings of wellbeing, for example. Feeling airflow, hearing water, and smelling plants are other sensations that could be combined to benefit people in a setting.
While genuine nature is best, artificial features also increase human wellbeing. This includes natural paintings, for example, or the use of patterns from nature. Even in settings where natural light and other elements cannot be added to a space, the artificial elements can improve the user experience.
Bibliography
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“5 Tips to Incorporate Natural Elements into Your Workplace.” Ellicott Development, 23 Oct. 2019, www.ellicottdevelopment.com/5-tips-to-incorporate-natural-elements-into-your-workplace/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
Gloede, Katie. “7 Ways to Enhance Indoor Environments with Biophilic Design.” Architect, 17 Feb. 2015, www.architectmagazine.com/technology/7-ways-to-enhance-indoor-environments-with-biophilic-design‗o. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
“How You Can Apply the Principles of Biophilic Design to Your Office Space.” Plant Solutions, plantsolutions.com/how-you-can-apply-the-principles-of-biophilic-design-to-your-office-space/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
Kellert, Stephen R. “What Is and Is Not Biophilic Design?” Metropolis, 26 Oct. 2015, www.metropolismag.com/architecture/what-is-and-is-not-biophilic-design/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2020.
Kellert, Stephen R. and Elizabeth F. Calabrese. “The Practice of Biophilic Design.” Biophilic Design, www.biophilic-design.com/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
“Seven Principles of Biophilic Design.” Sage Glass, 16 Aug. 2016, www.sageglass.com/en/article/seven-principles-biophilic-design. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.
Pochepan, Jeff. “How to Bring the Outdoors into the Workplace.” Inc., 19 May 2017, www.inc.com/jeff-pochepan/the-impact-of-bringing-the-outdoors-into-the-workplace.html. Accessed 31 Mar. 2020.