Sourced from the Seattle Medium
Have you ever dreamed of having a sanctuary where you could focus on your work and embrace your inner creativity? If your answer is “yes,” you may want to look into biophilic design.
This design technique taps into one of our deepest and most ancient yearnings as humans. It helps us discover an inner peace by forging natural connections to plants.
“Biophilia” is defined by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) as the “innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living beings.” More simply: it’s a fancy word for nature-lover. The term itself derives from the Greek words for “life” and “love,” which creates the translation: “love of life.”
Biophilic design transforms this concept into art using natural materials, patterns, and colors found in nature (e.g., bamboo, natural light, indoor plants, rattan, etc.). Urban environments are often prime locations for biophilic design. Even so, this design technique is ubiquitous.
Biophilic design isn’t just a trend; it’s a way of life. According to research conducted by the Healthy Building Program at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, biophilic design can help to improve your vital cognitive functions, reduce stress, and ease anxiety. Biophilic design is good for the environment too! This 2021 study shows that living wall systems (a wall or vertical structure covered in greenery) reduce heat loss and double as power shades against direct sunlight. (A win-win for cold winters and hot, muggy summers.)
Additionally, biophilic design is an investment. According to The Economics of Biophilia: Why Designing with Nature in Mind Makes Financial Sense, a report created by the sustainability consulting firm Terrapin Bright Green, biophilic design has saved money through reduced energy costs and greater employee satisfaction (fewer turnover costs). Biophilic design has also increased profits for many business owners, thanks to increased worker productivity.
The massive Meadow at the Old Chicago Post Office brings innumerable environmental, social, and economic benefits, while giving one of the largest buildings in the country a second chance at life.
When designing a living roof for a particular kind of habitat for wildlife, it is important to know that some forms of wildlife (i.e., specialists) are dependent upon a specific species of grass for its development while generalists can be served by multiple species of grasses.
This deep dive into the design of a sustainable industrial facility in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) developed through the leadership of Peter Jakob, Founder of Jakob Systems, demonstrates the remarkable performance capabilities of green facades.
Dr. Stephan Brenneisen, the father of green roof and biodiversity research discusses how to design green roofs for biodiversity, green roof policy in Basel Switzerland and his future plans.
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