Six Application of Biophilic Design for Your Home

The recent popularity of biophilic design has shown in modern buildings. These are not merely decorations: biophilic design actually affects the human body and mind positively by evoking the love of nature humans yearn for. The application of biophilic design can take many forms, ranging from putting actual natural elements to redefining the relationship between humans and nature.

There are six application of biophilic design that can be used for your home.

6 Application of Biophilic Design

1. Environmental features

An easy and surefire way to apply biophilic design to your home is by putting actual natural elements inside your home. Usually, this design is applied by putting live plants and running water in your home’s vicinity.

Putting those live elements in homes reduce stress and improve comfort for the home’s occupants.

2. Natural shapes and forms

If using actual elements is too much of a hassle for you, you can pick items that have designs imitating shapes and forms available in nature. 

Natural shapes and forms differ from manmade shapes, as they are usually more abstract and curve-like, different from the straight and right angles of manmade shapes. 

Artificial elements that mimic nature, such as artificial wood floorings, leaf-like designs, or artificial water sounds, can substitute for the actual elements.

3. Application of Biophilic Design with Natural Pattern

More subtle, yet perceivable natural elements are imitated in the space. Patterns and processes in nature can bring subtle changes to the human body and mind. An example of this is the golden ratio that often occurs in plants and animals.

4. Light and space

Nature contains an abundance of light and space that modern homes often miss. This application of biophilic design emphasizes spaciousness and natural light.

5. Place-based relationships

Some sets of natural elements can evoke a sense of familiarity with specific spaces. Putting these elements simultaneously affects how you perceive your home.

6. Evolved human-nature relationships

For a long time, humans and nature are intimately connected. It is the modern world that separates “man” and “nature”. The biophilic design application redefines the relationship between humans and nature, blurring the “modern” separation between the two by putting interactive natural elements.

References:

https://theconstructor.org/architecture/principles-of-biophilic-design/564602/

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/11/4/148/htm

https://shepleybulfinch.com/evolving-our-connection-with-nature-six-biophilic-design-applications/

https://www.haworth.com/na/en/spark/articles/2020/biophilic-design.html

https://thermory.com/blog-and-news/the-six-elements-of-biophilic-design/