Nature’s Blueprint: The Transformative Impact of Biophilic Design
By Alexi Freeman
Since the dawn of time, humans have been hardwired to crave a reciprocal connection with nature, thriving in chlorophyll-rich environments populated by sun-fuelled plants. Yet in the blink of an eye – a mere two and a half centuries since the first industrial revolution and all the progress that came with it – much of our actual jungles have been transformed into concrete jungles.
Biophilia – a concept championing our interconnection with nature coined by biologist Edward Wilson in 1984 – emerged as a response to this detachment, recognising our innate need to reconnect with our roots.
A study published in BJPsych International found humans are less mentally distressed, suffer reduced anxiety and depression and have healthier cortisol profiles when regularly exposed to more living greenery, highlighting that “greenspace can play a pivotal role in population-level mental health.”
However, with the United Nations forecasting that almost 70% of the global population will inhabit cities by 2050, the challenge looms large: how do we sustain our natural connections amidst increasingly concretised habitats? Is it simply a matter of rewilding existing cities and better-integrating greenspaces into new ones?
Engaging with biophilic design principles offers the solution – offering myriad benefits, including heightened memory retention (up to 20%), stress reduction, faster recovery from illnesses, improved sleep, carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, disaster-resilient communities and purer air.
In 2019, Oslo took a monumental step towards nature reconnection, banning private motorised vehicles from its city centre – freeing up 700 parking spaces to transform into walking zones, cycling routes and greenspaces. Now dubbed the greenest city globally, Oslo boasts a remarkable 68% greenspace – Melbourne would do well to take a leaf out of their book, currently lagging at 9%.
Enter Joost Bakker, avant-garde activist and biophilic advocate who collaborated with Breathe to create Greenhouse – a self-sustaining dwelling demonstrating the potential to offer shelter, food production, energy generation and zero waste.
The structure exemplifies off-grid living and sustainable practices, incorporating sustainable materials, promoting biodiversity and addressing food security and environmental degradation, aggregating in one of Australia's most innovative sustainability experiments. Greenhouse's mission was to provide a blueprint for rewilding urban areas into biodiverse spaces.
Chinese landscape architect Kongjian Yu also embodies biophilic principles in his innovative porous cities concept, mitigating the impacts of flooding. Inspired by ancient Chinese wisdom treasuring water and formative encounters with floodwaters, Yu's oeuvre was motivated by observations of the water-based willows that slowed down the currents and saved him from drowning as a child.
From Beijing to Bangkok, Yu's landscaping, affectionately referred to as 'Sponge Cities', addresses challenges posed by radical agricultural modernisation in China during the 1980s. Through this period, traditional, meandering irrigation systems following the contours of the land were replaced with linear ditches and industrial reservoirs that left some fields dry and others flooded.
With over 98% of Chinese cities prone to flooding, Yu's "nature-based harmonious living" philosophy manifests in plant-based projects designed to capture and recycle excess stormwater, an adaptable system potentially safeguarding a projected 800 million people facing a 50cm rise in water levels by 2050. In 2023, Yu was honoured with the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize for projects that "inspire decision-makers worldwide."
Proximity to outdoor greenspaces is undeniably crucial, but bringing the outdoors in is equally compelling. Biophilic principles can transform interior projects in myriad ways, including landscaping plants into atriums, vertical and rooftop gardens, cocooning interior spaces in life.
Whether it's the globally ubiquitous Monstera deliciosa or the iconic Apple Park in California – if there are humans around, there is almost certainly going to be a plant or 40,000 in the case of Amazon’s oasis-like office Spheres in Seattle – aimed at integrating nature back into the fabric of our interior lives.
Immersing ourselves in living greenery embodies the added benefit of evapotranspiration – a process involving water transfer to the atmosphere through soil evaporation and plant transpiration. This process cools us down, mitigating the need for air-conditioning and reducing emissions – a valuable solution on a planet forecast to get hotter.
Yet, biophilic design encapsulates more than surrounding ourselves with cortisol-lowering and climate-controlling plants. Evidence-based studies reveal that artificial lighting wreaks havoc on our circadian rhythms. Biophilic architecture prioritises natural light that syncs with our circadian rhythms, regulating mood and physiological changes throughout the day, including hormone release for sleep and happiness.
The Royal Children’s Hospital – a world-leading example of biophilic architecture – is immersed in the leafy setting of Royal Park. Designed by Bates Smart to “improve the experience of patients, visitors and staff by providing strong visual and physical connections to the surrounding landscape”, its star-shaped footprint prioritises natural light, fresh air and connection with nature.
Constructed with recycled and volatile organic compound-free materials, all patient rooms offer views of Royal Park, courtyards, or gardens and roof-mounted louvres enable optimal airflow, maximising the therapeutic benefits of nature access for healing.
Also fitted with a swathe of solar panels and efficient water collection for treatment and reuse, its thoughtful design demonstrates environmental stewardship – appropriate for a building dedicated to care.
Whether your dwelling resembles the lush Hanging Gardens of Babylon or echoes the lifeless, grey desolation of the lunar landscape, take a moment to reflect on how embracing biophilic principles can enhance your life and – in the visionary sentiment of iconic designer and environmental activist Buckminster Fuller – contribute to the collective consciousness of Spaceship Earth.
Feeling daunted? Start small. Update petrochemical homewares with natural alternatives, nurture intimate and edible green havens or merely invite nature in by opening blinds and windows to increase natural light and ventilation.
Embrace the diverse ways biophilic principles can enrich your life and the hivemind of those you share planetary space with.