Throughout history, many of the greats architectural designers, theorists, scientists researchers, design and architecture professionals have worked for decades to define aspects of the nature that affect our satisfaction with an environment built.
This goal is being translated into a “new trend” that more and more followers, design biophilic . You want to know more? we are going to tell you many interesting things…
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In a generic way, we could define the design biophilic in incorporating elements of nature into spaces urban or interior to evoke nature with the goal of helping people feel better and connect again with the space-
A way to effectively improve mental health and well-being of individuals and society, both in spaces individual or closed, as in open.
And all this introducing nature into the architectural spaces … How is it achieved? That in does it contribute? What does it entail to apply biophilic design? Lots of doubts that we want to outline.
The incorporation of natural elements in the construction; plants, water, animals, air or breezes, sounds, odors , etc. It is achieved based on three points main:
| Nature in the space | Analogies natural | Nature of the space |
| Visual connection with nature | Biomorphic shapes and patterns | Perspective |
| Non-visual connection with nature | Material connection with nature | Shelter |
| Non-rhythmic sensory stimulation | Complexity and order | Mystery |
| Variability of temperature and drafts | Risk or danger | |
| Presence of water | ||
| Diffuse and dynamic light | ||
| Connection with natural systems | ||
According to a study carried out by Alba Beltre Ortega. This, provokes sensory experiences with the built environment and its natural elements that we can distinguish in three scenarios:
| Indirect experience | Direct experience | Experience of space and place |
| Light | Images of nature | Perspective and refuge |
| Air | Natural materials | Organized complexity |
| Water | Natural colors | Integration of the parts |
| Plants | Mobility and orientation | Transition spaces |
| Animals | Cultural and ecological attachment to the place | Mobility |
| Ecosystems and natural landscapes | Naturalistic shapes | |
| Climate | Evocation of nature | |
| Fire | Wealth of information | |
| Awareness of the passing of time | ||
| Natural geometries | ||
| Biomimicry | ||
| Air and natural light simulation | ||
Imagine what you could achieve by applying this technique in architecture! Well, let's see where we start...
The basis of biophilic patterns and design guidelines, although there is a lot of history behind it, it is consider that they are contributed by Stephen Kellert, to help us to be able to understand what it takes to apply the design biophilic.
Each of the fourteen patterns focuses on reducing of stress, cognitive performance, improvement of emotions and the state of mind and the human body:
We can see the previous scheme from the PDF 14 patterns of the biophysical design from HERE. Every time you enter a space, an influx of information about him is delivered to your brain through the senses. How is the space? what sounds come from him? What does it smell like? Is it hot or cold, wet or dry?…
Human beings are a kind of sensors in the body complete, and our sensors are absorbing information from the environment where we are, helping us to understand the places to which we let's go These key points are intended to improve the health and wellness in a built environment .
There is a very useful outline of how to apply the techniques of biophilic design in the interior design sector or the architecture that will be very useful for us and, in addition, the information is raised according to the economic budget that let's have. Creating a space biophilic :
As the previous schematic is very long, we can find it in this document on positive spaces HERE (From page 24). A highly recommended document for its well-designed outline and easy to apply.
We provide five case studies where the design biophilia in architecture has had an impact positive for users of both buildings or spaces open.
In this case, the images are part of a project of a hospital that today is a benchmark in health for children ( The Royal Children’s Hospital by Bates Smart – Melbourne. Australia) and in the application of the biophilic concepts to improve the well-being of sick .
The conclusions obtained by different studies are clear, the patients who are located in the rooms with views to nature or wide are recovered with greater brevity, obtaining a lower “bed rate” than the occupants of other rooms.
Woodsbagot design studio regularly practices biophilic design techniques in their offices . An example are offices with an excellent design from National Australia Bank (NAB)
A case study of an office building administrative staff at the University of Oregon indicated that the biophilic architecture directly affects the rate of absenteeism of office workers, in this case it is concluded by 10 percent .
One of the most emblematic examples we can identify In New York. THE PARK High Line , a train line converted into an area open for visitors with more than 300 species of perennial plants, herbs, shrubs, and trees.
More than four million people visit each year. The biophilic architecture in spaces public services that is adapted to urbanism as well can help lower urban air temperatures and improve the island effect in urban areas.
In reality there is little quality information in Spanish
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