What on Earth is Biophilic Design?

Did you know that the average person spends more than 90% of their time indoors? Humans are not designed to be exclusively inside creatures. Due to this gradual shift in evolution, many professionals and individuals consider how their inside space impacts them as a whole. Which has lead to many new design approaches that focus on the well-being of the inhabitants, which is what Biophilic design is all about.

Biophilic design is a unique style that attempts to connect a building’s inhabitants closer to nature. It is well proven that exposure to the natural world has powerful mental health benefits in our daily lives. This is a design style that is growing in popularity! More and more individuals actively seek a home or workspace that is sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, and functional.

So what can you expect to see within Biophilic Design?

The biophilic design intends to merge the natural and the built worlds, offering various natural experiences for the inhabitants. Here are the foundations of this design style and what you can expect to see in these spaces:

• Natural Light. Do you know those horrible fluorescent yellow lights, the ones that belong in run-down hospitals in a zombie apocalypse movie? Yeah- you certainly won’t see any of those here! Natural light for the win!! In some cases, there will undoubtedly be other lighting options used to supplement the natural light sources.

• Presence of water. Now we don’t all live next to breathtaking waterfalls and babbling brooks. But you will likely see the presence of water in some capacity within a biophilic space. That could mean a rain-wall, a mini-moat, or a rock fountain. Here are a few AMAZING examples to get your creative juices flowing. 

• Non-rhythmic sensory stimuli. Think of birds chirping, branches crashing, wind chimes tinkling in the breeze and in some cases flowing water. The intention is for the stimuli to have no pattern and be unpredictable. Allowing those who experience it to live in each moment and experience that moment deeply.

• Incorporation of the natural landscape. This can sometimes mean an “odd” or non-traditional shape or structure of a space. That is intentional and often because the designer has chosen to work with the natural landscape as much as possible, rather than excavating, flattening and smoothing to create a blank canvas. Other more accessible ways to incorporate greenery and natural life could be inside trees, a living wall, numerous plants. This presence has an uplifting effect on us, and it is also a living being within our space that we are then responsible for feeding, watering and caring for.

• Pure ventilation. The incorporation of plants and greenery helps elevate the air quality, giving us that much-needed clean, healthy 02. Pure ventilation is also achieved by ensuring multiple open walls allow a cross breeze and natural ventilation system. The quality of the air we take in is not always something people consider, but it is actually very important to our overall health. Some of the standards of indoor air quality would shock you!

Are you sold on Biophilic design? What is your favourite component?