August 09, 2023|By Marco Gastoldi
The Benefits of Biophilic Design
Biophilic design celebrates people as a biological organism, acknowledging the mind-body systems as indicators of health and well-being. It observes user perception and processing of the experience — from frequency and duration, to socio-cultural norms, to past experiences and expectations. Above all, biophilic design nurtures a love of place.
Sadly, too much of our contemporary design seems to be oblivious to this intrinsic knowledge. Deep down, we are aware that our bond with nature is vital: when asked about our favourite places for vacation, most of us will describe some place outdoors; we use the term ‘recreation’ and forget that recreation is about re-creating, or restoring ourselves. Bringing this into the built environment is critical, considering that we now spend 90% of our time indoors.
Recent findings around the research into the benefits of biophilic design include:
- A Human Spaces research report showed that biophilic design can improve productivity by 6% and creativity by up to 15%.
- Vegetated spaces can improve an individual’s self-esteem and mood, while the presence of water can have a relaxing effect. Evidence shows that these benefits can occur in as little as 5 to 20 minutes.
- The ecological valence theory suggests that we prefer nature-resembling colours such as green and blue. However, it is important to note that not all natural environments are ‘green,’ and so design choices should be tailored to the local ecosystem. For example, desert species and terrain can be equally important in supporting a biophilic connection to place.
- In 2019, CBRE estimated that tenants in New York were paying a 14% premium for floors with terraces. More recently, in the University of Oxford’s research from 2022, it was calculated that an office with outdoor space in London commanded a 5-10% rent premium.
By 2050, 70% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities. With this shift, the need for our designs to (re)connect people to nature becomes ever more important.
Patterns and Strategies for Thoughtful Experiences
Natural inspirations can be traced in the most ancient human creations, from the stylised animals typical of the Neolithic Göbekli Tepe, to the acanthus leaves adorning Greek temples, to the leafy filigrees of Rococo design. Inspiration from nature was largely experimented in the French Art Nouveau designs of the late 19th Century, simultaneous to the biomorphic forms of Antonio Gaudi’s shapes. In the Sagrada Familia, for example, the interior columns of the nave imitate the shape of a tree and its branches. In Chicago, the Prairie style “married buildings to the ground”: the interiors of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses achieved a dynamic balance between prospect views and intimate spaces, using natural decorative elements such as the texture of brick and stone wood grains, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces.
