ARCHITECTURAL COLLABORATIVE

Summer blog series by Rachel Huff, entering freshman in the UGA College of Environment & Design and participant in Arcollab’s Foundations in Design after school program

Of the three main attributes of biophilic design, the experience of space and place is the most conceptual. This attribute focuses more on creating feeling in a space rather than using physical components to express nature. When you are in a space you want it to have a stimulating atmosphere and an easy to process layout. Transitional spaces, cultural embellishments, as well as the use of organized complexity are all tools used to create that type of environment.

Transitional spaces like hallways and entryways allow for each individual space to have a clear boundary without having to completely section off the space with a wall. Think about the entrance to your house, usually there is some type of room or hall that is visually separate from other areas like a den or a kitchen. This helps to create a feeling of order when you walk into a house because rather than immediately walking into a living room you are greeted with a space that can transition you into the house. One of the challenges in modern residential architecture is to create a feeling of comfort in generally more open floor plans. Entry areas and transition spaces between rooms can be designed to help convey this feeling, along with the use of biophilic materials and windows like I talked about in the previous blog posts.

People tend to feel more comfortable when surrounded by elements from their cultures. You can bring in cultural aspects to a space through decor. Having antique furniture, religious symbolism, or cultural art collections in a space can go a long way to making the space more pleasant to be in.

Complexity can often get confused with the idea of clutter. While too much complexity in a space could make that space look cluttered, a tasteful amount will provide a pleasing stimulus to anyone experiencing the space. You can harness organized complexity by using a variety of complementary materials for interior design finishes. Complexity can also be used when designing the layout for a space, rather than having everything in its own designated section, merging the sections can create not only a more complex looking space but also add a pleasing unity to the space.

Using transitional spaces, cultural embellishments, and organized complexity will go a long way in achieving a positive experience of place and space in the built environment, and will enhance the other aspects of biophilic design.

In my past three posts I have gone over the three main attributes of biophilic design. Now that we have a basic understanding of biophilic design and the attributes that go with it, in the next post I will be discussing the benefits of using biophilic design.

Summer blog series by Rachel Huff, entering freshman in the UGA College of Environment & Design and participant in Arcollab’s Foundations in Design after school program

As I wrote in the last post, there are three main attributes of Biophilic Design: direct experience of nature, indirect experience of nature, and experience of space and place. In this post I will go over the second of these three attributes – the indirect experience of nature.

The indirect experience of nature refers to anything that contributes to bringing the imagery of nature into a space. There are many ways to achieve this, including: adding artwork of nature, using natural materials, or even simulating natural lighting.

One of the most common ways to indirectly bring the outside in is through artwork. Adding images of nature can serve as almost a false window into the outside world. It also provides a creative aspect to a space, which helps to make a space feel more bright and cheery, and, in some documented cases in hospitals, even more beneficial for healing. 

Using natural materials in your space is another sure fire way to make a space feel closer to nature. Natural colored wooden furniture may contribute more of a natural feel than metal furniture. Along the same line, using natural colors can have the same effect. Having touches of forest green in a space does much more to make the space feel natural than using neon green.

In my opinion one of the most interesting ways to harness this attribute of biophilic design is by showing the age and passage of time in a space. Humans tend to feel more comfortable in buildings that are older. What seems better to you, a historical downtown or a downtown full of new development and highrises? While modern architecture can be very visually enjoyable when done well, it is also important to rehabilitate and maintain aspects of older architecture so as to continue to provide the feeling of history in a space. 

Simulating natural lighting is also a great way to create the feeling of nature in an indoor setting. While natural lighting is preferred, sometimes it is not an option, especially in bigger spaces. Because of this, sometimes simulating natural lighting isn’t always an option. Using light bulbs that replicate natural lighting is one easy option, and you can also place your lights strategically so as to mimic the appearance of natural light coming into a room.

Another way to indirectly bring the experience of nature into a space is by using natural shapes and forms. Rather than having everything in your space follow perfect geometric lines, spaces can be designed and arranged to follow a more natural flow. Having curvature in your wall can achieve this, as well as adding furniture that has organic and unique shapes.

Creating a direct connection with nature is not the only way to bring aspects of the natural world into a space. Sometimes creating an indirect connection is not only the easier option, but the better option too, although ideally you have the opportunity to take both approaches. When creating a space it is important to remember that you don’t necessarily need a direct contact with nature to follow biophilic design principles. This will become even more apparent in my next post where I will delve into the last attribute of biophilic design: experience of space and place.

Summer blog series by Rachel Huff, entering freshman in the UGA College of Environment & Design and participant in Arcollab’s Foundations in Design after school program

As I mentioned in my last post, there are three attributes of biophilic design: direct experience of nature, indirect experience of nature, and experience of space and place. Today I will be delving into the basics of the first attribute I listed, the direct experience of nature.

As the name suggests this attribute includes anything that incorporates nature directly into a space. Windows, plants, water features, and fireplaces are all examples of the direct experience of nature.

Since sight is the main sense used when we interact with the outside world, the direct experience of nature is one of the most effective attributes in biophilic design. Being surrounded by natural lighting and plants is a sure fire way to have people feel the positive effects that experiencing nature in a space can provide.

Lighting is a big component of the direct experience of nature. It provides an easy way to allow the natural world to affect an inside space. For example if it is sunny outside there will be more light in your space, but if it is cloudy outside there will be less light. This simple connection created when using natural lighting goes a long way to bring a space closer to nature. 

One of the most commonly considered aspects of biophilic design is the incorporation of plants in a space. Adding foliage into a space can instantly increase the direct experience of nature in that space, although it is important to note that one potted plant in the corner of a room will not be enough to provide the benefits of biophilic design. To have a positive effect on a space many plants will be needed. This aspect of the direct experience of nature can be harder to incorporate into spaces than other aspects depending on how green your thumb is, and it requires active maintenance.

Water features are another great way to enhance the direct experience of nature in a space. This could be as simple as adding a fountain or a pond, or you might be lucky enough to build next to a natural body of water. Since we need water to survive, it makes sense that water is very calming to us. People commonly use the sound of running water to fall asleep to and find the natural flow of water very meditative. Because of this, adding a water fountain to a space is a great way to directly bring nature indoors. 

Fire is also a commonly used aspect of biophilic design. Although fire can be a source of agitation it can also be harnessed to serve as something that can make a space very warm and homey.

The direct experience of nature in a space is a great way to improve your mental and physical health. Wouldn’t you much rather work in a space filled with windows, plants, running water, and a cozy fireplace than a closed off cubical?

I hope you enjoyed this post about the direct experience of nature as an attribute of biophilic design. In the next post I will highlight the indirect experience of nature and will describe how this is used in biophilic design to bring a space closer to nature.

Original artwork by Rachel Huff

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

ATHENS, Georgia, February 2, 2024 – Architectural Collaborative, an award-winning architecture firm noted for both its striking modern designs as well as a leader in historic preservation in the State, today announced that it has become the first architecture firm in the State of Georgia to become certified as a B Corporation®.

Since its founding, Architectural Collaborative, or “Arcollab,” has embraced a commitment to sustainable design best practices. While architecture firms can design certified buildings under programs such as LEED, EarthCraft, and PassivHaus, being certified as a B Corp is a public commitment to the way in which Arcollab operates their business as a whole. Architectural Collaborative is also registered in the State of Georgia as a benefit company, with formal commitments in its by-laws that incorporate positive social and environmental impact considerations into the charter of the business.

“As business owners, we think about how our business contributes to the well-being of our community,” commented Gabe Comstock, one of Arcollab’s three founding principals. “This recognition as a B Corporation is one additional way to publicly demonstrate our commitment to internalizing the ideals we value and seek to embody as a design firm.”

About B Corporations

Certified B Corporations meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, and aspire to use the power of markets to address social and environmental concerns. Arcollab strives to create shared value with the communities and clients they serve, using design as a means to enhance community well-being and using business as a force for good.

Arcollab is proud to be the sixth certified B Corporation in Athens, one of the first 30 certified B Corporations in Georgia and joins a network of 2,176 B Corp companies in the US and Canada and 6,470 across 89 countries and 161 industries. Together, B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

B Corp certification is conferred by the non-profit B Lab, which evaluates companies based on standards of transparency, accountability, and performance across five categories: governance, environment, customers, workers, and community.

Design Conventions at Arcollab

“In design, sustainability relates to energy use, water use, materials use, waste management, and other environmental footprint impacts. We also consider the safety, health, and well-being of those who live, work, play, study, recreate, meditate, and congregate in the spaces we design. We consider how the buildings themselves interact with the surrounding landscape and how the structures we design facilitate people interacting with light, shadow, and the natural environment,” said Arcollab Principal Lori Bork Newcomer. “We integrate these concepts into all our projects whether or not the project owners seek to pursue some sort of green building certification.

It’s simply best practice design.” Principal Joe Smith, Arcollab’s historic preservation expert, added “We also appreciate the importance of cultural heritage and sense of place that buildings have in shaping people’s relationships to the places where they live, and we are both humbly honored and proud to contribute award-winning design to projects which help to rehabilitate and preserve these places.”

Together, Arcollab’s principals have worked on over 80 historic rehabilitations across the State of Georgia, including Savannah’s City Hall, and have been involved in assessments, preservation planning, and rehabilitation design for a number of historic and culturally significant African American schools and buildings across the State. Their design work has won numerous awards from AIA Atlanta, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Athens, Historic Augusta, and the Madison Historic Preservation Commission.

About Arcollab

 Architectural Collaborative LLC is a multi-disciplinary firm, with practice areas including all types of new construction, interior design, historic preservation, existing building conditions evaluation, master planning, and preservation planning. The Arcollab leadership team brings more than 75 years of combined professional experience in project types ranging from single-family residential to large-scale commercial work. Arcollab’s design team is fluent in the architectural detailing of styles ranging from historic and neo-traditional to cutting-edge modern design. Arcollab’s principal architects lead the creative design process driven by the thoughtful articulation of light, form, and materials in order to create inspired spaces that reflect a sense of place of the communities in which they are located. From the overall massing of building forms to the careful assembly of construction details, Arcollab’s team combines a strong understanding of construction systems, attention to clients’ needs and budget, and an artistic sensibility.

For more information about Arcollab, email us at studio@arcollab.net or call 706.355.3010.

Athens, Ga., April 26, 2023 — On Saturday, April 22, 2023, our Oconee Schoolhouse project received the 2023 Excellence in Rehabilitation Award from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. This award recognizes projects that make compatible use of a building through repair, alterations, or additions while preserving features of the property that convey its historic value. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Arcollab’s work has been recognized by the Georgia Trust as some of the most outstanding preservation and rehabilitation design projects completed in the State of Georgia.

We commend Grahl Construction for their vision and commitment to the Athens community to invest in this project, and their extraordinary care to carry out the rehabilitation work on this building which now houses their main office.

Athens, Ga., February 15, 2023 — Arcollab has been given the 2023 Best of Houzz Design Award, an honor we’ve now received for four years running and for 9 of the past 11 years. We appreciate all of our residential clients who share their dreams with us and allow us to help translate those dreams into dream homes.