Biophilia Design

​I spent the first part of my life not being an outdoorsy girl, it wasn’t until I started focusing on my health and wellbeing that I started to become aware of my desire and joy of the outdoors. There was a specific moment when I was trail running that I broke down crying in the middle of the forest, overwhelmed with a grief that it took me till I was 50 to find the immense joy of being physically active in the middle of nature! I felt truly alive for the first time.
Biophilia makes us happier and healthier by increasing our connection with the natural world.  We’re all talking more about Wellness Design in the built environment and Biophilia is an important part of that. There are MANY health benefits!

• Decreased stress, enhanced creativity, and accelerated recovery from illness, increase memory, lowered blood pressure, lowered heart rate, airflow stimulation has been found to keep people awake, naturally improving focus and performance. Decreased inflammation, increased immune system

​Biophilia is a desire or innate craving to connect to nature and the world of living things.  The study and implementation of Biophilia is NOT new! For many years the design and home industry has embraced the trend of outdoor living spaces and we’ve long talked about “bringing the outdoors in”.  Now we have the appropriate language and resources to truly implement this sense of connection with nature within our homes.  I have come to utilize the Chinese Earth elements, modified for our purposes, which resonated with me.
​Air Water Earth Metal Wood Fire, and I added Rhythm and Organic Shapes

1. Windows with views, operable windows, and skylights for fresh air

1. Water/Spa Therapy, Epsom floats, Steam showers, sauna, hot/cold water therapy, fountains
2. Plants that purify the air and increase oxygen in our homes, wood that grounds and stabilizes our heart rates, living metal finishes that connect us to nature, stone and other elements of the earth that texturally or visually remind us of nature
3. Thermal comfort, candle and fire light, Hygge/coziness, light, circadian rhythm, Chroma therapy, filtered diffused lighting, light shining through elements casting shadows
4. Rhythm meaning cycles of the day and changes in the seasons. Balances our circadian rhythms.  Lighting that randomly passes through the room at different times of the day and seasons.
5. Organic shapes mimicking imperfections in nature, random patterns, soft edges.

TIP:
NASA’s Clean Air Study states the Snake Plant is so effective in producing oxygen that if you were locked in a sealed room with no airflow, you could survive with only 6-8 plants in it!
I’ll post more in the coming weeks with specific examples of spaces and products that will allow you to bring that health and well-being inside your own homes.
Happy Fall!  Paula

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