In conclusion – Biophilic Design in situ

Not surprisingly, research has shown that it’s best for our brains and our bodies if we layer multiple biophilic experiences together, so we’re hearing nature and seeing natural materials, and feeling the tickle of a breeze through an open window, for example.

A biophilically designed space should be right for the place on the planet where it is.  A house in Santa Fe New Mexico in the US and one outside London should be true to their environs and use natural materials and forms, for example, found outside their doors, not worlds away.  Any space where people wake up and ask themselves “Where am I, in London, or Paris, or Alexandria (or somewhere else)?” is a place that has failed biophilically.

In a separate article, we’ve talked about designing for mental refreshment; that article is here.  Not surprisingly, there’s lots of overlap between mental revitalization and designing biophilically—for instance, indoor green leafy plants play a role in both.

The neuroscience evidence is consistent and powerful:  biophilic design has been linked to positive effects on human beings’ emotional, cognitive, and physical wellbeing.

A recommended reference:

Stephen Kellert.  2012.  Birthright:  People and Nature in the Modern World. Yale University Press:  New Haven, CT.