Biophilic Design: Unleash the power of nature within your space

Well it is also one of the biggest interior design trends in these years. So let’s see what biophilic design is & how the term got originate.

Biophilic design dates back to the early 1980s, when the biologist Edward O. Wilson outlined his philosophy of biophilia. He considered that humans have an innate, biological affinity for the natural world. Biophilia means ‘love of nature’.

Biophilic design takes this idea one step further. According to the 2001 National Human Activity Pattern Survey, humans today spend 90% of our time indoors, and it’s necessary to bring the outdoors in and create indoor environments that can refer nature in both obvious and subtle ways.

Biophilic design is based around the inclusion of nature in the built environment. It can create the harmony between indoor & outdoor space. Ahead of this it is not just the inclusion of plants and all natural things; but Biophilic Design has an underlying philosophy. It focuses on creating a calming space by visual connection with the nature while improving wellbeing, health and productivity.

In one research conducted in 2019, researchers found that children in Denmark who had been exposed to more greenery had 55% less mental health problems later in life, compared to those who weren’t exposed to nature. Other research has shown that plants can reduce stress, help with focus, and even increase immunity.
Another finding on this is; we spend a lot of time at work in intense focus, which leads to mental fatigue. Spending even a few seconds ripping your eyes from your screen to stare at a desk plant could help give your mind a break and restore your ability to focus on work. This has led companies like Google, Etsy, and many more to embrace biophilic design as a means of making employees happier,
more creative, and harder working.

Living walls in tech company offices are so common that they’ve become a design cliché. Furniture companies now a days has started designing office tables and desks with planters built in.
Thus Biophilic design approach is influencing from homes to offices & it’s also been particularly effective in the design of healthcare facilities.

A few examples from medical facility buildings who opted this design type includes the pediatrics ward
of a hospital in Washington; which has a healing garden where patients and their families can relax.
An oncology center in Anaheim, California, is oriented in such a way that patients will always have views of a Zen garden outside. Studies have shown that having access to nature can help patients heal faster.

There are major 6 types of elements and the attributes that fall within biophilic design. And these are,

• Environmental features.

• Natural shapes and forms.

• Natural patterns and processes.

• Light and space.

• Place-based relationships.

• Evolved human-nature relationships.

Now let’s look at those one by one in detail.

If we talk about Environmental features simply put, the biophilic design element of environmental features relates to characteristics of the natural world found in the built environment. People are naturally drawn to features of the natural environment such as plants, animals, and natural materials. A sense of
connection to nature can also be created with colours, water, and sunlight, while well-ventilated spaces promote well-being. Buildings that work in harmony with the surrounding nature, for example, ivy-covered walls or buildings that complement local geological features, also tend to be well received.

The second important element is natural shapes and forms. The element of natural shapes and forms includes representations and simulations of the natural world on buildings, both internally and externally. This can include shapes, forms and patterns found in vegetation, trees and leaves, and motifs of animals and the structures they create such as hives and webs.

Spaces that simulate natural features or imitate the flowing, organic forms of nature rather than sticking to the straight edges and right angles typically found in modern architecture are also preferred. These are designs that mimic local geology or even those that “accidentally” resemble living forms.

The third major element of biophilic design is natural patterns and processes. Distinct from shapes and forms, this element focuses on how incorporating properties found in nature enhances our built environment. For example, variations in light or sounds, changes in the qualities of materials over time, central focal points, spaces and passageways with clear boundaries, and a sense of pattern. People also prefer to have a perception of wholeness or completeness in places that are made up of several distinct parts.

The fourth major element is Light and space. The use of light and space is a crucial element of biophilic design, and there are many ways they can be incorporated into a space. Both natural and filtered daylight can provide benefits. Meanwhile, space can be used to create a sense of openness, diversity, harmony, and a link between indoor and outdoor environments, and to define surrounding shapes and areas.

Then the fifth element Place-based relationships refers to, a connection of culture with ecosystem. People have a strong sense of connection with certain places as they provide a sense of safety and control – this explains why we get homesick or miss places where we feel good. Our connection to places can relate to geographical and historical features, local ecosystems, cultural elements and materials, as well as
landscapes. Having an emotional connection with a place gives people a protective sense of control over it.

Lastly if we talk about Evolved human-nature relationships then, while all of the elements we’ve described reflect the human connection with our natural environment, this one is focused on fundamental aspects of our relationship with nature and how they can be reflected in the built environment. This can include a sense of safety and protection, a balance of variety with regularity, fostering curiosity and exploration and provoking a sense of accomplishment and mastery over our environment. Our attachment and attraction to nature can be tapped into through biophilic design.