I. INTRODUCTION

Biophilic design is a topic that is currently becoming popular in the design profession but is notably underemphasized in its application in the residential sphere. It is often praised for its benefits to human well-being and its importance to the future of design, but in practice, it is lacking in the spaces we would most expect it to be – the ones where we spend the most time. People are spending increasingly more time in their homes as of recent years, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting surge of remote work positions, so it only makes sense to focus such a beneficial practice within this sphere. 1 In order to truly understand the oversight in this field, it is first important to understand the fundamentals of biophilic design, such as what it is and what it means in the architectural profession. Questions, such as how this practice differs from sustainability, what makes it a design “practice” and not just the addition of landscape elements, and what its actual benefits are, are crucial first steps to understanding this topic and its significance. Biophilic design is commonly described as a practice that facilitates a connection between humans and nature through the built environment, but what does this really mean?

Biophilia, a term that has been around for less than 60 years, refers to the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature due to the evolutionary connection between humans and the natural environment. 2 Biophilic design, then, refers to any design approach or element that works to facilitate this connection between humans and aspects of the natural environment that were influential in evolutionary development. It is not just focused on landscape and plants, but also encompasses daylighting strategies, ventilation strategies, incorporation of water and natural materials, and so much more. Biophilic design is thought to be important because the connection it provides with nature provides a multitude of health and wellness benefits for human beings, including physical, mental, and behavioral. It is thought to increase our immunity, boost natural circadian rhythms, regulate temperatures, and inspire relaxation and tranquility for human inhabitants as a result of this inherent connection to nature first described by Edward O. Wilson in his book Biophilia. 3

Due to the praise this design strategy receives for potential wellness benefits, its most notable use has been focused on large-scale architectural works or office buildings as a way to improve the lifestyle of humans at work. The application of biophilic design is severely lacking, however, in the place where people spend the vast majority of their life: their home. Residential applications for biophilic design practices can provide the widespread benefit of the human-nature connection in a place where people often spend most of their time, but implementation at this level is not often prioritized and leaves most homes distinctly “non-biophilic.”

The goal of this thesis is to examine the lack of biophilic design practice at the residential scale and provide ways in which biophilic design can be implemented in the home, across a range of different locations and climate zones. Biophilic design is achievable in every home, in different applications, and knowledge for implementation should be made accessible to all people, so that they may also have the opportunity to benefit from the environment around us. The following paper will address core questions surrounding the topic of biophilic design and its application in residential settings, including how biophilic design stands alone as a design strategy, what its benefits are and how it promotes wellness, what its relationship is with the residential environment and why this is important, and why an emphasis on biophilic design is not currently seen in the residential sphere. Additionally, it will address how biophilic design can be implemented at the residential scale and how this may differ from other applications, along with demonstrating some of the limitations and advantages of this design practice based on climate and location. Through the compilation of this research and an exploration of the central precedents in literature and built work, this thesis and subsequent design project will work to provide an analysis and public resource for the application of biophilic design in the residential setting and seek to prove the thesis statement: biophilic residential design can be achieved and implemented in almost any home, regardless of economic status, location and climatic conditions, and dwelling type.

With the intention being to investigate the limited use of biophilic design on the residential scale and put forward a solution as to how this strategy can become accessible to the residential environment to provide widespread benefit, this thesis will dig deeper into the roots of biophilic design and its relationship to the human being. Additionally, it will explore the specific benefits this practice provides to its human inhabitants and why it is important for health and wellness. Specifically, this thesis looks to address the following questions:

● How does biophilic design stand on its own as a design strategy?

● What are the benefits of biophilic design and how do these strategies promote wellness?

● What is the relationship between biophilic design and the residential environment and why is it important?

● Why is an emphasis on biophilic design not currently seen in the residential sphere?

● In what ways can biophilic design be implemented, specifically in residential environments?

● How can this knowledge become accessible so that more people can feel the benefit resulting from this design approach?

Throughout the following document, with the breakdown of the subject of biophilic design and its significance to the residential sphere, along with the accompanying design project, this thesis hopes to provide answers to these inquiries and any additional questions regarding biophilic design or its residential application that may come up along the way.