Biophilic design: how nature transforms your spaces

Biophilia, the term coined by biologist Edward O. Wilson to describe humanity's innate connection to nature, has practical implications that interior design and architecture have been increasingly incorporating. The basic principle is simple: human beings evolved in natural environments and their neurological and psychological systems respond positively to the stimuli those environments provide. Replicating those stimuli in built spaces has measurable effects on well-being and performance.

The most cited studies in this field come from hospital and workplace settings. Research in hospitals showed that patients with views of green spaces from their rooms recovered faster, needed fewer analgesics and expressed less anxiety than patients in rooms with views of walls or interior spaces. In offices, the presence of plants, natural light and visual access to the outdoors was associated with reductions in work stress and improvements in concentration measured by objective productivity indices.

The elements of biophilic design go beyond putting plants in a corner. They include maximising natural light through windows and skylights, using materials with textures and colours derived from nature, incorporating moving water, natural ventilation, the use of wood and stone instead of synthetic materials, and creating views towards gardens or landscapes. In urban environments where access to real nature is limited, even the representation of nature in images, textures and scents produces measurable positive effects — though smaller than those from direct contact.