Biophilic Design

Sustainable Design asks the question: What impact do we have on the Environment?

Biophilic Design replies; What impact does the Environment have on us?

Biomimicry responds; What can we learn from the Environment to make an impact?

Connection to Nature // Natural not artificial // Restore Environmental Damage

Biophilic Design is an innovative design process that connects the built environment to the natural environment, enhancing the experience of wellness and optimum performance. Biophilia is the theory of an innate need that humans have for connection with life and life’s processes that stems from our species’ immersion in the natural environment for the greater part of our history. In order to survive and thrive, our ancestors needed to be attuned to the local environment and cycles of the natural world. It is not surprising that the presence of water reduces stress, increases feelings of tranquillity and lowers heart rate and blood pressure, as water is fundamental to survival.

Throughout human history, we have been looking to nature for inspiration on how to create functioning spaces that are comfortable to inhabit. We see how ancient cultures referenced patterns reflected in the natural environment to construct and decorate their spaces of living and worship. We find these ancient sites use a common theme repeated in creative and numerous ways giving the effect of consistency yet maintaining diversity throughout the building or landscape. Like how the same leaf repeated hundreds of thousands of times in a forest can create an array of shapes, colours, textures, sounds and smells. Or how the termite mounds in the African savannah maintain constant temperature regardless of the temperatures outside, which are closely related to the mud-brick huts of the early humans.

The biophilic design promotes a multi-sensory engagement with nature that is attuned to place. Cast your awareness back to how we used to design zoos, we now know that animals are much happier and healthier if they’re in an environment that is familiar to their natural habitat. By recognising that we are also part of the animal kingdom, human habitats should be designed to maximise our health and wellbeing. Successful biophilic design connects us to our human nature, stimulating all 5 senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and sound we have a full experience of our environment; observing the rich dynamic layers of natural systems, integrated with natural materials that reference the natural forms and patterns found in the local area. All of which allude to the experience of a psychological dance of excitement and curiosity that celebrates what existed before human development.

Intuitively when applying Biophilic principles to a building we are applying good practice of architecture. These principles follow the basic guidelines of natural lighting, the relationship between indoors and outdoors, natural airflow, efficient usage of energy and water, connection to place and consequently creating a space of wellbeing. Biophilic design enhances the design pallet in multiple ways to approach a solution to recognising our need to be connected with nature. Nature teaches us there is no lack of creative ways that life finds a way to thrive. As designers and users of the built environment, can we begin to view and experience buildings as living organisms. Buildings that have a sense of health, thrive on connection, move and change with the seasons and act as a functioning host for a variety of different purposes. Buildings that are part of a living diverse ecosystem, serve the benefit of every life form.

Application of Biophilia

Biophilic design is not a simple tack-on green wall or including indoor plants in an interior. It probes much deeper to bring you as the participant of nature, not just a spectator. How the connection to place, climate, culture and relationship to the bigger environment can be established.

• Start with an understanding of what already exists and functions in the local environment.
• Plan the interaction between the building and the environment. How can the proposed project not merely minimise the impact on the local environment but improve and restore the diversity of life found in the area?
• What materials, philosophy and influence are available and established within the local environment.
• Design interactions between humans and nature both through internal and external experiences. Ability to connect the majority of occupants to nature directly!
• Operations and functioning; Does the biophilic solution fulfil the needs of maintaining and/or restoring ecological biodiversity and promote a sense of wellbeing in a practical way?
• When the life of the building comes to an end; Does the established ecosystem continue to live? Ways include re-purposing parts or allowing a natural breaking down of materials to return to the earth without polluting the environment.

In Biophilic practice, we automatically begin to reduce the number of resources that cost the Earth throughout the entire life of the building. Sourcing local materials have a lower embodied energy and cost. By building with what has thrived in this environment, we can have confidence in the performance of the materials.

In effect, it is a continuation of the community developed between land, plants and animals. With the re-introduction of native environments that were present before human development, we begin to have a regenerative impact on the design. As designers, if we create the space, it has been proven to us that nature will take care of the rest.

Fit for Place

Biophilic architecture to place is a celebration of the local environment. When we use materials that are raw, organic and locally sourced we begin to find structures that are an immediate reflection of the place that which they find themselves. Being rooted in place gives a sense of stability and connection. For example, the pine forests in British Columbia, give the opportunity for buildings to utilize pine timber as the feature material.

Biophilic Design reminds us of our inclusive connection to the environment. Today we can see the destructive ignorance of buildings that have no place in the environment. We have been conditioned to not pay attention to things we cannot see. What we wash down the sink will end up in the creeks, rivers and oceans. What we throw away in the garbage bin goes to landfills, there is a trail of cause and effect that we as humans are not separate from or above. Biophilic design aims to bring awareness to how we interact with nature and the immediate impact we have.

A biophilic school show fish in the bottom of their sinks to explain experientially to the students that what goes down the sink will end up with the fish.

If it is not beautiful it is not efficient in a holistic effect. Biophilic buildings are beautiful, and things that are beautiful last and are worth keeping. All of which requires the knowledge and understanding of our place in the environment to survive with nature.

Frank Loyd Wright puts it nicely “Eye to see, Heart to feel, Boldness to follow nature.”

Biomimetic Design

Biomimicry or Biomimetic design is learning from nature as a source of inspiration for the design. Through the imitation of models, systems and elements of nature to solve complex human issues in architecture. For example at the Living Future Symposium 2018 in Melbourne, Tim Angus from Grimshaw Architects presented a case study of how shark skin was used to solve an issue regarding cross ventilation on a single-faced façade to a high-density building. They discovered that the sharkskin was naturally shaped to allow the water to hug the skin of the shark, giving it a self-propelling momentum as it quietly glided through the water with little to no effort. A model was created to show air would act in a similar way, hugging the replicated shark skin, which proved to achieve cross-ventilation across a single-faced façade to every unit.
We are surrounded by intelligent design. There is so much we can learn from nature’s graceful, efficient, and beautiful design solutions. Biomimetic philosophy is interlinked with creativity and wisdom interpreting natural formations and strategies to inspire solutions to support all life.
“Biomimicry is learning from nature, while biophilia is our need to be connected to nature” Jane Toner
Biomimetic design set out to identify and solve the following challenges:

• How does nature optimise light?
• How does nature thermoregulate?
• How does nature collect, store, filter and distribute water?
• How does nature exchange information?