The Three Pillars of Biophilic Design
Biophilia is a current buzzword in the world of well-being and workplace design. Planteria Group has written a White Paper on the subject, and there are lots of excellent in-depth pieces of work backed by research if you want to discover all aspects of this fascinating topic.
This blog article serves as a bite-sized look at one of the aspects of Biophilia…. the different types of Biophilic Models that exist.
What is Biophilia?
Before we begin to explore the three different pillars, let’s first consider the meaning and definition of biophilia. Biophilia is defined as ‘an innate love for the natural world, supposed to be felt universally by humankind’.
Put simply, it is centred on the positive feelings that we as humans experience when surrounded by nature. There is endless discussion to be had on the subject of biophilia, but these three pillars serve as a foundational underpinning of the key principles.
What are the Benefits?
The benefits of biophilia are backed up by a number of scientific findings and studies. For example an experiment conducted by the Chelsea Flower Show found that allowing staff to make design decisions in a workspace enhanced with office plants resulted in the following outcomes:
- 47% increase in wellbeing
- 45% increase in creativity
- 38% increase in productivity
As well as helping to foster a more creative and productive environment, biophilia can also aid mental wellbeing: an increasingly important consideration for many modern employers. The Mental Health Foundation reported that 45% of people found that visiting green spaces helped them to cope, while Harvard research claims that spending between 20 and 30 minutes in an outdoor setting interacting with nature can reduce stress hormone levels.
1. Nature In Space
This refers to adding natural elements into the built environment. This is perhaps the easiest and cheapest way to introduce Biophilia to the workplace or living space and gives people instant access to all the feelgood associations of biophilia. It can be as simple as introducing a potted plant to your desk, or as elaborate as a bespoke scheme by a professional designer. Ultimately, any level of biophilia within a space should help to evoke benefits.
However, it doesn’t stop there: links to the natural world can also include the presence of animals. For example fish tanks, office dogs and pets. Equally, views to nature from the inside of the building, natural light, and direct access to nature like courtyards, gardens and roof terraces planted with greenery, also fall into this category. These direct connections to nature have the strongest impact on us as humans.
As well as visual connections to nature, non-visual connections can also have a powerful impact. For example, the sound of flowing water. This can easily be achieved by introducing a water fountain within a space. Touch is another sensory influence that can be explored through biophilia. Introducing natural textures such as wood and stone within a space can have a similarly powerful impact and enrich the space.
Airflow is another important consideration. Introducing natural airflow (which can be as simple as opening a window) is a simple way of inviting the outdoors in.
2. Natural Analogues
This concept refers to man-made elements that mimic nature. Artificial plants, preserved moss walls, representational artwork, patterns and architecture that evoke nature are all examples of natural analogues. Furniture with organic rather than geometric shapes. Woodgrain and building materials mimicking shells and leaves used in interior of exterior decoration are all excellent illustrations of the use of natural analogues.
The shape of design elements is another important consideration. Use of organic shapes can give a space a relaxed, natural feel that channels the benefits of biophilia in an indirect way. These influences can be obvious or more discrete, such as the shape of furniture or even a stone feature wall.
When designing a space, it is important for the mix of textures to feel cohesive and harmonious. Getting the balance right allows a stimulation of the sense without overwhelming or creating a space that feels chaotic or disorganised. Try sticking to a small number of materials and featuring them across different areas of your space to pull it together.
3. Nature of the Space
This concept refers to the physiological way in which space planning and architectural design affect our human responses and feelings. As a species we have evolved over millennia and our success is partially due to our ability to connect with nature.
We are intuitively drawn to environments that will serve us and allow us to thrive or, entice us to explore. For this reason we find a Savannah landscape, with broad vistas of rolling pastures and a source of water such as lakes or a view of the sea to be the most attractive view.
We also find views involving mystery or even risk and peril as exciting, this explains our love of skyscrapers, and multilevel views such as mezzanines, atriums and spiral staircase as intriguing. Architects have capitalised on our innate affinity for these types of environments in their building designs.
Gaining more knowledge and insight into this subject is helping decision makers in the world of workplace management, design and build for happier and healthier businesses of the future.
Conclusion
The three pillars of Biophilic Design work in an interrelated way. It is not necessary to choose between them. Instead, all three pillars can have an influential role in the design of an interior space. Remember to consider a multi-sensory approach and think about the inclusion of natural materials and their textures, airflow and even the introduction of natural sounds.
As well as indirect aspects, simply introducing greenery into a space is often the easiest way to harness the benefits of biophilia. While this can be easily achieved yourself on a minor level, if you are looking to transform a space and put biophilia at the very heart of it, consider contacting our expert team at enquiries@planteriagroup.com
Sources and Suggested Reading
The Economics of Biophilia – Why Designing with Nature in Mind Makes Financial Sense. 2012 Terrapin Bright Green LLC
https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/the-economics-of-biophilia/
Biophilia (1984) New Ed by EO Wilson (ISBN: 9780674074422)
Human Spaces: http://humanspaces.com/
Planteria Group Biophilia white paper:
https://www.planteriagroup.com/blog/biophilia-white-paper-/29
Kellert et al., 2008
Biederman & Vessel, 2006
https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/
Edward O Wilson – “Biophilia”
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