Wellness: Biophilia
Building on our previous article WELLNESS IN DESIGN, we are exploring what is Biophilia and how it impacts design.
Humans have an innate need for nature in our lives, and satisfying this desire has many benefits to our mental, social, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. By recognizing that human have evolved over time because of our interaction and reaction to nature and by featuring this in design allows us to tap into and nurture the most ancient and subconscious parts of our brains. Biophilia or Biophilic design is the process and application of nature and natural orders into design that can boost and support wellness for its occupants.
There are variety of ways to introduce and create Biophilia in design, but a few avenues to explore should be through the use or light, incorporating natural materials, and referencing organic shapes. In fact, most ways biophilia is incorporated into design are affected by time. By having aspects that change over time, we develop a better relationship with them compared to static or stagnant designs.
Plants, wood, stone, and other natural elements are great building blocks as they have inherent features. The haptic features of rough rocks, grainy wood, and smooth plants all evoke a sensory response that is beneficial to us, these materials also have an immediately recognizable scent that can provide an olfactory response in our brains promoting calmness.
Environmental factors such as light and air will solidify many of these elements especially when used in conjunction. Letting natural light in will allow the illumination and character of a space naturally changes in brightness and color throughout the day while also tapping into our circadian rhythms as well. By also allowing natural air to ventilate can immensely improve physical health and disposition as well.
How you develop a design using this material is just as important as the materials themselves. Where a consolidated and focused experience may be overwhelming, a well thought out and thorough application of Biophilia will resonate deeper with its users and occupants. As you create your space you should continually try to reintroduce these materials wherever possible to create a unified design which is described as a sense ‘interconnectedness’. This interconnectedness is a driving factor that allows the benefits of Biophilia to really set into our minds and bodies.
As you move forward in design, try to root your ideas of Biophilia and keep an eye out for ways to develop it in every aspect. Also, keep a look out in the future as we will cover how lighting plays a role in your wellness. If you are preparing for a new project and would like to further discuss how we can implement Biophilia into your design, please contact us. We look forward to working with you!