What is Biophilic Design and Why is it So Good for Us?
A connection to nature is essential for our wellbeing: so goes a philosophy that’s got architects and designers talking
The term “biophilia” – meaning “love of life”, from the Greek bio, “life”, and philia, “love” – was coined in the 1980s by an American biologist, EO Wilson, who postulated that contact with nature is essential for human wellbeing. Now evolved into an architectural trend, biophilic design is committed to re-establishing links with nature in order to create healthy environments for life and work.
What are the pillars of biophilic design?
According to the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design study, carried out by environmental consultancy Terrapin Bright Green, the pillars of biophilic design can be defined as Nature in the Space (through views, air currents, and the presence of water and light, among other factors), Natural Analogues (materials, forms, complexity and order), and the Nature of the Space (feelings of risk, sense of refuge, and panorama).
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According to the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design study, carried out by environmental consultancy Terrapin Bright Green, the pillars of biophilic design can be defined as Nature in the Space (through views, air currents, and the presence of water and light, among other factors), Natural Analogues (materials, forms, complexity and order), and the Nature of the Space (feelings of risk, sense of refuge, and panorama).
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What are the advantages of biophilic design?
“The international Human Spaces Report on biophilia and workspaces – carried out in 2015 by Professor Sir Cary Cooper and Interface based on a sample of 7,600 office workers from 16 different countries – showed that a biophilic design increases the wellbeing of workers as well as their levels of productivity and creativity,” Béranger says.
Last year, Oliver Heath, one of the world’s leading experts in biophilic design and an advisor to Interface, told Spanish newspaper El País that “in essence, biophilic design helps reduce stress and recharge energy. In the end, it’s a matter of quality of life. It’s obvious that it can’t be good to work in a small space that’s poorly lit and disconnected from the outside,” he said.
But why does a well-designed space that brings us into contact with nature make us feel better? According to architect Claudia Bonollo of Monamour Natural Design, “Our mood and our capacity for communication are influenced by a combination of physical, mental and sensory factors. Therefore, an environment that involves all the senses makes us happier and more receptive,” she says.
“The international Human Spaces Report on biophilia and workspaces – carried out in 2015 by Professor Sir Cary Cooper and Interface based on a sample of 7,600 office workers from 16 different countries – showed that a biophilic design increases the wellbeing of workers as well as their levels of productivity and creativity,” Béranger says.
Last year, Oliver Heath, one of the world’s leading experts in biophilic design and an advisor to Interface, told Spanish newspaper El País that “in essence, biophilic design helps reduce stress and recharge energy. In the end, it’s a matter of quality of life. It’s obvious that it can’t be good to work in a small space that’s poorly lit and disconnected from the outside,” he said.
But why does a well-designed space that brings us into contact with nature make us feel better? According to architect Claudia Bonollo of Monamour Natural Design, “Our mood and our capacity for communication are influenced by a combination of physical, mental and sensory factors. Therefore, an environment that involves all the senses makes us happier and more receptive,” she says.
What are the applications of biophilic design?
- Workspaces This has been the most common application to date. The goal is to improve the productivity and welfare of employees. Some companies have already put it into practice: in Spain, for instance, the offices of firms such as BBVA, Telefónica and Sanitas have incorporated biophilic design elements, such as green spaces.
- Homes The idea is to make homes healthier for the benefit of our daily lives.
How can your home meet biophilic requirements?
Choose natural and local materials, typical of the surroundings, such as wood, wool, leather or stone, to feel more connected to and in harmony with the natural environment.
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Choose natural and local materials, typical of the surroundings, such as wood, wool, leather or stone, to feel more connected to and in harmony with the natural environment.
Search for design professionals near you to help with your own home renovation.
- Incorporate windows that look out onto natural features. “Windows are the main interface between the home and nature,” Béranger says.
- Use colours inspired by nature. For example, adopt the colour palette of a sunset, with its shades of orange, or the green and brown hues of a forest in autumn.
- Introduce furniture and items with more natural shapes and patterns, as opposed to the straight angles and lines that characterise most homes and are aimed at optimising space. For example, have an oval coffee table, a curved armchair or an organically shaped bath.
- Create outdoor spaces that dissolve the boundaries between inside and outside. For example, having a small patio or terrace with native plants that grow (and die or go dormant) according to the season improves our biological connection to seasonal changes. In addition, put some plants inside. “They improve acoustic comfort by boosting the room’s noise absorption,” Bonollo says.
Floor from the Human Connections collection by Interface.
Incorporate references to nature. “You can introduce water sounds or music, natural scents – such as flowers or wet earth – and stimulating elements with movement, like a waterfall,” Béranger says.
It’s also possible to incorporate indirect references to nature, such as textile floors evoking the feeling of ocean waves or soil covered with leaves.
Incorporate references to nature. “You can introduce water sounds or music, natural scents – such as flowers or wet earth – and stimulating elements with movement, like a waterfall,” Béranger says.
It’s also possible to incorporate indirect references to nature, such as textile floors evoking the feeling of ocean waves or soil covered with leaves.
- Fit lighting that imitates nature. If you have no natural light, you can make intelligent use of artificial light to create illuminated, diffused or darkened environments, mimicking what is seen in nature.
- … and, of course, let air flow. You can do something as simple as opening a window and letting in some fresh air or opening the curtains to let in natural light.
Tell us…
Do you have elements of biophilic design in your own home? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments.
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“In such an urbanised world, there are more and more advocates for the creation of positive spaces – that is, environments that integrate human beings and nature, in which it’s possible to work, live, enjoy life and interact,” says Odile Béranger, concept designer for Interface Spain and Portugal, a modular flooring manufacturer that is committed to sustainability and biophilic design.
One example is the Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) skyscraper in Milan, pictured here. This innovative residential project was designed by the architectural firm, Stefano Boeri Architetti. Officially completed in 2014, it includes vegetation as an integral part of the structure.