Biophilia is the innate need to be in contact with nature. The term “biophilia” was coined by Erich Fromm in the 1960s. He used it to describe humans’ natural drive towards self-preservation, which is exhibited through our connection with nature and living organisms. In the late 1970’s American biologist Edward O Wilson extended biophilic meaning as he saw it as a perfect word for what we experience when surrounded by life – or more specifically, rich pleasure that comes from being around nature, plants and animals.

Biophilia has been shown to promote mental health benefits such as stress relief, improved moods, increased self-esteem and feelings of vitality.

For centuries, designers have been exploring how they can bring people closer to nature through design. They do this by incorporating natural materials or the ecosystem into their designs in order to draw attention and emphasize that connection with the environment – a field known as Biophilic Design is being used increasingly more often for its ability to increase human health and productivity while connecting them intimately with nature.

So, what is Biophilic Design? It’s a set of principles that encourage humans to use natural elements in their surroundings for healing and well-being. Biophilic Design can be applied to both interior and exterior spaces. For example, adding plants into the office not only provides an aesthetic value but also improves air quality while reducing stress levels by releasing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide.

A book by Stephen Kellert and Alan Meiners on Biophilia Design, is an insightful guide on its meaning. One of the most important aspects in designing spaces with people’s needs at heart is to keep nature close-by so that it can produce calming effects on the body and mind. With this knowledge architects have created buildings like hospitals which are, in many cases infused with natural light from plants or waterfalls rather than fluorescent lights.

The book, offers some insight into what makes places feel good (or not). For example, they share research about how architecture affects our moods because different environments elicit emotions such as creativity or stress – sometimes even without us knowing why we’re feeling those things!

Amazon Spheres / NBBJ

The Spheres, Seattle is a model of Biophilic Design and architecture. The glass dome provides natural light to the 40,000 plants from 30 different countries that fill its space inside the building. Employees can escape city life without needing to leave by working in an environment with trees or water rivers with no shortage of nature around them.

Biophilia can be found in all types of environments and include water and animals, as well as breezes, sounds, scents and other natural elements. Other examples of Biophilia design includes indoor gardens, green roofs and Vertical Green Walls.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if you are an artist or scientist; a gardener or engineer. Biophilia is for all of us and has to be applied in every aspect of life in order to reap the benefits that come from nature! What would your world look like with biophilic design?

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