2.2.3THEPRACTICEOFBIOPHILIC DESIGN

The Practice of Biophilic Design pulls from the prior writings of Wilson and Kellert in its definition of biophilia, which it states is “the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature that even in the modern world continues to be critical to people’s physical and mental health and well-being” and explains that the idea originates in human evolution, where for the majority of our history, we developed as a response to nature and its forces. 36 This paper, the joint work of scientist and professor Stephen R. Kellert and architect Elizabeth F. Calabrese, creates a case for biophilic design and its application by breaking down the topic, exploring its principles and benefits, and providing examples for general implementation across a variety of circumstances. Kellert and Calabrese describe the intention of biophilic design as seeking to create good habitat for people as a biological organism in the modern built environment that advances people’s health, fitness, and well-being and note that it further seeks to sustain the productivity, functioning, and resilience of natural systems over time. They then outline basic principles for the effective practice of biophilic design as requiring repeated and sustained engagement with nature; focusing on human adaptations to the natural world that over evolutionary time have advanced people’s health, fitness, and well-being; encouraging an emotional attachment to particular settings and places; promoting positive interactions between people and nature that encourage an expanded sense of relationship and responsibility for the humans and natural communities; and encouraging mutual reinforcing, interconnected, and integrated architectural solutions. They follow this up by explaining successful application should result in physical, mental, and behavioral benefits, such as lower blood pressure, less stress and anxiety, and enhanced attention and concentration. 37 Finally, they discuss the application of biophilic design in terms of attributes, which can be divided up between direct experience of nature, indirect experience of nature, and experience of space and place. The direct experience of nature category addresses actual contact with environmental features in the built environment and includes light, air, water, plants, animals, weather, natural landscapes and ecosystems, and fire. The indirect experience of nature category applies to contact with the representation or image of nature from its original condition or exposure to particular patterns and processes characteristic of the natural world, and includes attributes such as images of nature, natural materials, natural colors, simulating natural light and air, naturalistic forms and shapes, evoking nature, information richness, age and change over time, natural geometries, and biomimicry. The experience of space and place category addresses spatial features characteristic of the natural environment that have advanced human health and well-being and include attributes like prospect and refuge, organized complexity, integration of parts to wholes, transitional spaces, mobility and wayfinding, and cultural and ecological attachment to place. 38 They conclude the paper with the notion that the practicing of successful biophilic design is important and advantageous because of the motivation it incites to be good stewards and sustain natural environments, but also acknowledge that the successful application relies solely on humans recognizing that nature is the basis for a healthy, productive and meaningful existence.39