Have you ever noticed how your mood changes when you walk through a forest, look at the sea, or simply contemplate a tree from the window? That feeling of calm and fullness is not accidental: our body and mind are designed to respond positively to nature. Biophilic design is born from this ancestral truth and seeks to bring back those natural stimuli to the places where we live and work.
What is biophilia?
In the 1960s, psychologist Erich Fromm defined biophilia as “an innate tendency to focus on life and life-like processes” (Fromm, 1964). Decades later, biologist Edward O. Wilson elaborated on this idea, describing biophilia as “the need to affiliate with other forms of life” (Wilson, 1984).
In other words, we need nature to feel good. However, we spend nearly 95% of our time in built spaces (Valentine, 2023), which often generate distress—the negative stress that weakens our immune system—instead of eustress, that positive stress that activates us when something interests us.
Biophilic design seeks to reconcile this paradox, creating built environments that restore the vitality we find in nature.
Why do we need it?
For 99.9% of our evolution, human beings have lived in natural environments. Our biological architecture—from the nervous system to our senses—is optimized to interact with air, water, vegetation, organic textures, and open landscapes. We are not designed to feel fulfilled among gray walls, traffic noise, and a lack of natural light.
Scientific research supports this:
- Roger Ulrich (1984) demonstrated that patients with views of nature recovered faster from surgeries and had lower blood pressure and heart rate.
- Judith Heerwagen and Gordon Orians developed the Savannah Hypothesis, which explains our preference for landscapes with water, shadows, and clear horizons.
- The Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989) indicates that nature helps to restore attention and concentration after demanding cognitive tasks.
Positive impacts of biophilic design
When we incorporate natural elements into our daily lives, the benefits are comprehensive:
🌱 Physical: stress reduction, improved sleep, strengthened immune system, faster recovery, and even reduction of asthma and allergies.
🌱 Cognitive: increased concentration, creativity, motivation, and performance in executive tasks.
🌱 Emotional: increased happiness, emotional regulation, and reduction of anxiety and depression.
🌱 Social: promotion of meaningful interactions and prosocial behavior.
Biophilic strategies and patterns
Bill Browning (Terrapin Bright Green) has identified 14 patterns of biophilic design +1 that we can apply in architecture and interior design (Browning et al., 2014). They are organized into three main groups:
- Nature in the space – direct experiences: water, plants, natural light, fresh air.
- Natural analogs – indirect representations: organic materials, shapes inspired by nature, earth tones.
- Nature of the space – spatial experiences: open views, cozy shelters, sense of perspective.
Towards an architecture that cares for us
Although it may be thought that biophilic design is a trend, the reality is that it is a return to what we are. Creating spaces that integrate nature is investing in our health, creativity, and happiness. It is not about filling everything with plants, but about designing atmospheres that evoke life and remind us, every day, that we are still part of it.
As Chleo Valentine writes in her latest paper: “the future of architecture will be biophilic or it will not be” (Valentine, 2023). And perhaps she is right: recovering our connection with nature is also recovering our own well-being.
References (Oxford format)
- Browning, W.D., Ryan, C.O. & Clancy, J.O., 2014. 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design. New York: Terrapin Bright Green.
- Fromm, E., 1964. The Heart of Man. New York: Harper & Row.
- Kaplan, R. & Kaplan, S., 1989. The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Ulrich, R.S., 1984. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224(4647), pp.420–421.
- Valentine, C., 2023. Biophilic Futures: Designing for Human-Nature Connection. The Venetian Letter.
- Wilson, E.O., 1984. Biophilia: The Human Bond with Other Species. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.