Biophilic Design

Hello and welcome to my blog.  My name is Rachel Huff.  I will be a freshman Landscape Architecture student at the University of Georgia this Fall and am interning this summer with Arcollab.  My passion for architecture developed when I participated in a year long after school program at Hilsman Middle School, Foundations in Design Development, funded by a grant obtained by Arcollab.  I am excited about the possibilities of a career that combines my love of science and art.

In this summer blog series I will be exploring the concept of biophilic design and research ways it is being used in both architecture and landscape architecture. Biophilic design is the concept of making spaces more connected to nature. This connection can be made through many different mediums whether it’s adding more windows to a space, incorporating artworks that depict natural scenes, or using natural materials in the space. 

The incorporation of biophilic design into a space doesn’t only add to the aesthetics of the space, it also can provide benefits to mental and physical health. It is in human nature to desire a connection with nature so providing that connection through design is very important. 

It may be easy to assume that biophilic design is some advanced concept that only appears in modern architecture, but biophilic design can be found almost everywhere. Think about your home; it is very likely that you have at least one window in almost every room. Imagine your home without those windows; how would your mood change without access to a view of the natural world? 

Although the concept of biophilic design has been around for a long time, the modern age has seen a huge increase in the use of this practice. Instead of just having windows or house plants to connect to the outside world, architects today are using new and innovative ways to bring nature into indoor spaces. With the rapid urbanization we are now experiencing, it is very important to our personal well being and that of the environment to incorporate biophilic design when creating spaces.

Biophilic design has three main attributes. In my next couple of entries, I’ll be exploring these attributes: direct experience of nature, indirect experience of nature, and experience of space and place.

Original artwork by Rachel Huff