In my ongoing chats with interior designers and architects we’ve been learning about introducing natural elements into the built environment and the positive benefits that go along with that—from increasing our potential to heal, to lowering stress, and enhancing our creativity and productivity. While Biophilic Design is an evidence-based interior design ethos capable of improving our mental health, its principles have been engrained in the human psyche for millennia.
Surely, at some point in your life, you’ve walked into an indoor space that immediately makes you feel happy and relaxed, even if you can’t explain why? Personally speaking, this happens to me all too often. I have always been very much impacted by my surroundings. When a space makes me feel good, I take note, and I visit again and again. And when it doesn’t, I don’t.
As I wandered around the market at Blooming Hill Farm, located in Blooming Grove, NY, I realized the space is a prime example of this. The market is a place I find myself returning to quite often, and not just to admire the rolling landscape it is situated on, shop for local, organic produce, or to delight my taste buds with the farm fresh fare.
I return again and again, because the space makes me feel good.
Situated in a rustic barn, the market has a familiar, calming effect, even in winter when the decor shifts to reflect the dormant season. The design of the space feels familiar and uplifting because much of it originates from the natural world, and hasn't been processed. Having admired the rustic decor for some time, I decided it was time to connect with the woman behind it, and learn more.
As it turns out, Nadine Imbriaco—the unofficial Biophilic Designer at Blooming Hill Farm—began decorating the market with natural elements found around the farm, rather unintentionally. From time to time she would encounter natural elements that piqued her interest, and she would bring them back to the barn. Little by little she started to decorate with them, and it snowballed from there.
Eventually, her walks became an integral part of her week, that brought her so much joy. Over the years she found herself particularly drawn to things that were made of other things, such as nests and beehives, as well as circular objects.
While the market has a noticeable shift throughout the seasons, Nadine pointed out that she is constantly changing things from week-to-week. In fact, while visiting with her, Nadine was working on a fabulous new piece—a large, vertical nest made of grapevines, which I’d really like to try to recreate myself.
With the market situated in an unheated barn, Nadine explained that she can’t leave a lot of potted plants over winter, otherwise they’ll perish. But that’s not a problem for Nadine, who tends to prefer the dormant stage of a plant’s life cycle as opposed to full bloom. There is something about that that really speaks to me as well.
So when things outside change, it reflects what is brought into the market. In summer there are usually a lot more cut flowers around, as opposed to more sticks, twigs, and white birch in the cooler months.
While Nadine hadn't heard of Biophilic Design when we connected, she has certainly been incorporating elements of it throughout the market for some time—through the use of natural materials, such as grapevines, branches, pine cones, and other flora found around the farm, and in the process she has created a warm and inviting space I return to over and over again.
When I asked her if she has any suggestions for anyone interested in bringing the outdoors in, she recommended going for frequent walks and see what speaks to you. Sometimes she holds onto things for quite a while before she finds the appropriate time and place for it.
If you ever plan to be in the area I highly recommend popping by the market to see Nadine's beautiful creations for yourself. The produce is all organic and grown in the Black Dirt Region in Pine Island, New York.
They are open Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and reservations are needed weekend brunch or dinners, Wednesday through Sunday.
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In the fourth episode of the Biophilic Design Series, I chat with Oliver Heath.
Oliver is the Founder of Oliver Heath Design, which is a "research-led sustainable architecture and interior design practice focused on improving health and well being in the built environment. They specialize in creating more productive, happier and healthier spaces to live and work in, by improving the human connections to nature."
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Have a Listen Above (~35 min) or Read the Transcript Below:
Intro: Hello, Joanna Lentini here. Welcome to the fourth episode of my Biophilic Design Series, where I chat with interior designers and architects about the importance and art of bringing the outdoors in. This is a passion project of mine, and I thank you for listening. Being an outdoor photographer, I know the power of nature to calm the mind and balance the soul.
Through my photography, I hope to recreate those feelings indoors. But there are many other ways that we can bring nature in. Through this series I'd like to share with you what I have learned about the evidence-based concept of Biophilic Design, along with the perspectives of those in the design industry.
Biophilic Design is all about designing nature into the built environment. The term Biophilia was first coined by Erik Fromm as "a passionate love of life and all that is alive." In the 1970s, it was expanded on by naturalist E.O. Wilson as the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Innate meaning it's hereditary and ultimately part of human nature.
While Biophilic Design complements Green Design, it's its own concept. Green Design focuses on improving the sustainability of a home. It looks at how a structure uses its resources, while Biophilic Design focuses on the well-being of its occupants through the inclusion of natural elements, some of which can actually improve the Green Design of a building.
We are already spending roughly 90% of our time indoors these days and are more stressed than ever. According to the World Health Organization, our stress has increased as we've become more urbanized, and it's considered to be a health epidemic responsible for a significant amount of costs. It's been well documented that we respond better to stress in a natural environment, hence the need for design that responds to our human needs.
By the middle of the century, we could see 66% of the developed world living in urban areas and more disconnected from nature than ever before. As someone who spends a lot of time in nature, I can tell you I feel the negative effects of having to be indoors pretty quickly from anxiety, depression and issues with focusing. I hope through this series we can both learn and implement a few things in our day to day lives and lives and become happier and healthier in the process.
I'm so excited to introduce you to my next guest, Oliver Heath...
Oliver is the founder of Oliver Heath Design Ltd., an architectural and interior design practice based in Brighton, England. His design studio focuses on delivering health and wellbeing in the built environment through evidence-based, human centered design. He works to stimulate the adoption of happier, healthier places to live and work through his projects as a designer, writer and TV presenter.
Since 1998, Oliver has presented on numerous television channels for shows such as the BBC's Changing Rooms and DIY SOS, he frequently acts as a media spokesperson for the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change, one of the globe's leading sustainability charities, WRAP, and the Energy Saving Trust.
Some of his design clients include champions of sustainable business practice, including Interface, Booking.com, Bloomberg, Dulux, Unilever, B&Q, Bio Regional and ING Real Estate. And he's designed products for the likes of John Lewis, Pilkington, Glass and Earthborn Paints. Oliver is a qualified Domestic Energy and Green Deal Assessor and is passionate about sustainable design.
If all of that wasn't impressive enough, Oliver's the author of three books, most recently Urban Eco Chic, which sold over thirty thousand copies in six languages, and he regularly writes for The Guardian, Grand Designs Magazine and House Beautiful. He's presented over three hundred Royal Institute of British Architects, CPD seminars and workshops on the subject of Biophilic Design to architects, designers and building stakeholders.
Oliver is a Biophilic Design ambassador with Interface Flooring and also partner in the new exhibition Planted, which promotes sustainable design, urban greening, and wellbeing with an aim to reconnect our cities with nature. His human-centered Biophilic Design approach seeks to reduce stress by strengthening the human connection with nature to improve health and wellbeing in the many spaces we live and work.
Ok, well, welcome. Oliver, it's so great of you to take a few moments to chat with me about bringing nature into our homes and workspaces through the principles of Biophilic Design. It's a topic that I've become really fascinated with over this last year, and I'm honored to have a chance to speak with you about it. To kick things off, would you mind sharing a bit about your personal journey into Biophilic Design, what it is that you do, and why designing nature into the built environment is so important to our physical and mental well-being?
Oliver Heath: I guess my journey into Biophilic Design started as a child, I grew up in Brighton, England, which is located right next to the sea, so I grew up splashing around in the sea and running around in the countryside, climbing trees. As I got older, my love of the sea grew. I became a scuba diver at the age of 14 and was diving on wrecks on the English Channel, which is very cold and murky and terrifying, and then became a wind surfing instructor when I was about 18.
And then I went on to study architecture, and in a way, looking back, many of the things that I loved doing kind of blended with that kind of fascination with the built environment. So rather than just going, you know, buildings are here to protect us from the natural world, it's actually well I love what goes on out there and how it makes me feel. And a lot of the built environment, why don't we soften some of those boundaries and start to allow some of that kind of wonderful effect of nature into our lives and see what happens. I studied architecture and then I kind of set up my own design practice when I was about twenty eight, twenty nine, because I started doing work on TV and decided to kind of make sustainable design kind of a key part of what I was doing.
So a lot of my work was what we call carbon centered, which is about how we reduce the impact of buildings on the natural environment. And then I sort of realized that actually it wasn't really motivating people. A lot of people weren't really engaged with the ideas of sustainable buildings. And so between 1998 and 2010, I was kind of constantly trying to preach this message about making sustainable buildings and homes and why it's important in the business case. But it was kind of falling on deaf ears.
And then I realized that actually when we take a more human-centered approach and look at how we can create buildings that support people's physical and mental well-being, we're really talking about the same sorts of things: how we create buildings that are warmer and healthier and less drafty, better air quality. And actually if we took this more human-centered aspect the reasoning behind it was that actually everybody wants to be happier and healthier and everyone is going, well, of course we want that, why wouldn't we want to be healthier? I don't want you to poison me with what you do. OK, well, you know, it seems to be a much more motivational approach.
So from that point on, I took this more human-centered approach and discovered the work of Stephen Kellert. He was one of the godfathers of Biophilic Design and became fascinated with this idea that nature plays a kind of fundamental role in our health and wellbeing and has a profound effect on us. And, you know, I realized that much of my own journey through the natural world and through the built environment was embedded within this.
And I just found this subject area that completely makes sense. Why would I why would I design in any other way than by recognizing the value that nature holds to us and what it can bring to the built environment. But equally, how buildings can respect nature and biodiversity. And the results actually kind of amazing.
You know, I think what what's interesting is that whilst people are kind of quite polarised by different sort of styles of design, whether you mention classical design or neo-gothic or modernism and postmodernism or any of those kind of multitude of design styles, actually everybody has had a positive experience of nature at some point.
So if you use that nature connection as a fundamental basis, then you've got this really wide-ranging, sort of value, that everybody connects to nature and, you know, sort of a very sort of universal design ethos. And essentially Biophilic Design tries to draw a connection between one's own personal experiences of nature and tries to elicit a similar emotive response in the built environment.
So whereas a lot of buildings can be very stark and geometric and cold and unappealing, actually Biophilic Design tries to make people feel immediately relaxed and at home and to feel familiar in their surroundings and in a way suggests that actually nature can survive in the space, then perhaps so can you. Maybe more than just survive, it can thrive and flourish. And perhaps that's what every space should make us feel.
Joanna Lentini: Absolutely, I completely agree with that. I didn't realize you were a scuba diver. I'm not quite sure if you you caught that, but I am an underwater photographer.
Oliver Heath: I saw that, actually, I really haven't been scuba diving for some years because the water off Brighton is pretty cold. I mean, it's not quite frozen, but it's not very hospitable for diving. The visibility is about, you know, sometimes it's about half a meter like two feet, but it can occasionally get to about 10 or 12 feet at best. So it's not fantastic scuba diving, in my opinion, having dived in other places around the world.
Joanna Lentini: Yeah, but from what I understand, the coast is lined with wrecks, some pretty ancient. So, yeah, I'd love to get scuba diving with you one day. That would be fun.
As an outdoor photographer, I am always trying to to convey the importance of the natural world to both our mental and physical health and hopefully in the process inspire others to protect it. So the concept of Biophilic Design really struck a chord with me because we can't always be outside.
Biophilic Design allows us to bring the positive effects that we feel from the natural world into the home, and I think that that's really important, especially now. For somebody like me, I suffer from ADHD and I can tell immediately when I need to get outside, it's it's, you know I start to get cranky. And, you know, I've spent too much time in front of the computer editing images or writing or working on something. And it's just, you know, it's immediate, like, OK, time, it's time to get outside.
But in one of your talks with, you know, Schneider Electric, you mentioned how the choices that designers make have far reaching effects on our mental and physical health. You know, that historically, there's been this focus on visuals that express something about your status, your wealth, your power. Right? Rather than how a place actually makes you feel. And that that outward approach, as you said, has shifted to a more holistic way of approaching the design of our homes and workspaces.
So you know, as I look back throughout the years, at some level, I've been subconsciously incorporating parts of Biophilic Design into my home and workspace all along, and I'm sure many people already do so and don't realize it. Would you agree with that?
Oliver Heath: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I spent the last seven years traveling around the world teaching architects about design and in a way a lot of them go, well, these are things that we already know, that make buildings feel better and improve occupant experience.
We know that natural light and fresh air and the visual benefits of nature have all improved the experience for people. It's just that they didn't necessarily know the overarching term of Biophilic Design, what we call the patterns that underpin it, or even actually the research that makes it so compelling. And when you look at the research, it's amazing.
You know, by bringing elements of nature into the built environment, you can improve productivity, creativity, and engagement in the workplace. You can enhance the speed of learning in schools, improve attendance and test results. In hospitals you can improve the rates of recuperation by 10 percent. And actually recuperating in natural light can make people feel less pain and take less pain medication. Across the board in all sorts of different building typologies, the experience of buildings can be improved and the outcomes improved and actually the negative costs of buildings can be reduced. So in a way, it's just this most sort of incredible design ethos that is unlike anything else that we've had before.
We keep thinking back about all those other design styles that we've got. Never before have we really had this evidence base, to demonstrate its real value and what we call the return on investment. Because when a client invests in what I do as a designer, they're spending money, going well, tell me what I should do and what benefit it's going to bring.
I think for a lot of people, and I think throughout our history, design has been used as this very extrinsic message.
What I mean by that is that people use design to express power and wealth and identity. Think about, you know, the grand classical order, the power associated with that, and the materiality, you know, the level of decoration and what that has meant between different levels of society.
And, for me, you know, it's always made me feel a little bit, uncomfortable.
When I discovered this idea about Biophilic Design that was much less about what you tell the world about yourself, and much more how it makes you feel. I thought, well, this makes so much sense. I feel much more comfortable with this idea, that the skills that I have can improve people's lives.
And so you know, we approach every project with that idea. What are the sorts of activities that are being undertaken and how do we want people to be feeling when they're doing that. And you mentioned some ADHD and the fact that, like many other people, you know, we all become tired and our cognitive focus starts to wane and we get distracted by noises and people and conversations and constant notifications from our phones and radio phone calls and all that kind of stuff.
You know when our concentration starts to wane, we're not as productive. So the idea then is how do we get people to stand in front of their workspaces, to just sit and focus, to be mindful, to be concentrating, to recognize that as human beings we do get tired and when we get tired, our concentration, focus tends to dissipate so that we kind of retain that sense of focus.
And that's a lot of what we can bring as Biophilic designers to all sorts of different activities in buildings, whether it's just sitting and working or having conversations. How do we get people to get better or just recognize that as human beings they become tired and create faster ways to getting back to being at their best and quickly.
Joanna Lentini: For folks listening at home, I guess, who want to make more conscious steps towards bringing nature into the home, what are a few easily implemented, yet really profound ways to alter the feel of a space?
Oliver Heath: Well, I think it's important to understand the kind of key principles behind Biophilic Design, and then it kind of becomes a little bit more obvious.
So there are three core aspects to Biophilic Design.
The first is what we call direct connections to nature. So this is what happens when we bring real plants, trees, natural light, views onto plants and greenery—we think about the different senses that we can employ, and also the subtle changes that we see throughout the year.
And then we have what we call the indirect connections to nature. And this is how we mimic or evoke a feeling of nature in a space using natural materials, colors, textures, patterns and even technology. And that plays a role.
And the third one is about recognizing that as human beings, it's important that we have spaces that are exciting, stimulating and energizing because we want to be invigorated by some spaces. But equally, we also need to have spaces that are calming, relaxing and restorative to get us back to being at our best, to recuperate.
So within these ideas, there are different ways of looking at it. We have what's called the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design, which was developed by Terrapin Bright Green in the United States. And the 14 patterns are in a way a neuroscientific approach, that sort of senses when you spend time in nature, it makes you feel good. It helps you to reduce stress, to aid recuperation, makes you feel more positive, open, and optimistic. That's how we bring those elements of nature into the built environment.
So, you know, you could start to think about maximizing your views out. So positioning desks next to windows maximizes natural light. It offers the great potential for views looking at, yeah, when you have lots of natural light, of course, it makes the space more exciting and more dynamic across the day as the earth kind of moves around the sun and also, of course, natural light is good for plants. Plants need natural light.
So bringing plants into spaces are really good. Plants are these most amazing things, they can they can remove toxins from our spaces, things like volatile organic compounds, formaldehydes, PM10's and 2.5's, which are particulates in the air from from cars. and combustion. They can modify temperature and modify humidity, plus they are these lovely leafy green things with what we call Biophilic fractal patterns, and they add a sort of natural pattern and texture and richness, that's not necessarily some socially, culturally or financially orientated, it's just a sort of very familiar, comforting level of pattern that introduces a kind of life into the space. So, you know, why it's important for plants is really important.
And then some of the other things that you can do when we look at what we call the indirect connections to nature. You know, we know that color plays a really important role in our choices. And we use an idea called Ecological Valance Theory when we choose colors.
And there are lots of theories about color out there. And some of them tend to get a little bit sort of spiritual. Whilst being a nature lover, I'm not necessarily into spirituality, but this makes sense to me. So ecological valance theory suggests that we react very well to colors that we've previously had positive experiences of. We've all had different experiences of color in all sorts of ways—cultural, social, geographic, whatever. But actually the one thing that unites nearly all of us is that we've all had positive experiences of nature. So what the ecological valance theory suggests is that if we use colors that we had positive experiences of in nature, it can elicit a similar emotional response inside our homes.
So the suggestion is that the cool, sort of calm shades of blue remind us of pools of water, a very calming and very relaxing. Whereas fresh greens are more energizing and creative, they remind us of the fresh shoots of spring. Warm yellows remind us of the summer sunshine, and ripe summer crops—they are very welcoming and sociable colors. Whereas shots of orange and maybe red are more stimulating and energizing. I'm not suggesting that you will paint a whole space bright red, so its really energizing—that would just be overwhelming and very unlike any way that we find colour in nature.
Think about it in nature and the proportions that we find it in. And you imagine little shots of red in berries or fruit or apples and trees and how stimulating that might be in our desire to go and experience picking them. Or the warmth of yellow and how fantastic that feels first thing in the morning, or even you know, the kind of lush green fields, so think about the proportion and scale and then find ways to bring it in, depending on how you want people to feel in a space.
So you might use sort of shades of blue in a space where you want to relax, maybe a bedroom or a lounge space. Yellows might be better for social space, like a dining room or a kitchen, where shots of red and orange might be good in a workspace.
And then what else can you do? Some fantastic research around the use of timber. So amazingly, using timber and buildings actually has the ability to reduce heart rates and blood pressure levels. So there have been numerous studies from around the world in Scandinavian countries, Austria and also I think Australia that have demonstrated again and again that the use of timber buildings actually improves occupant experience.
But in one study in schools showed that the use of timber in classrooms actually have the ability to reduce student heart rates by seven thousand six hundred beats per day. So the amazing thing is, is our choice of materials and colours can actually have a physiological effect on us and make us feel more calm, more relaxed and as a result, put us in a better state of body and mind to deliver on the intended task.
So actually lots of things we can do, as well as the simple idea that we need spaces that are energizing and exciting. So, you know, if you're going to work, what is it that's going to help you to feel energized and focused? Maybe a view, position your desk next to a window with a view looking out. And if you're going to relax, how do you best relax? Well, maybe have a chair with something that you can look at.
Maybe think about some gentle movement, ripples on a pool of water, the leaves moving on a tree, or gently moving grasses, are what we call nonrhythmic sensory stimuli. And that's just a very gentle, subtle movement that we see in nature that's very non-threatening, very calming. It's a little bit like watching fish in a fish time. It just kind of gently relaxes and restores us.
So think about how you can have longer views out, that rest the eye muscles, that give you what we call a soft fascination in nature. You know, that very gentle movement that we see is quite difficult, actually, to recreate in manmade devices. But actually we see all the time in nature and its very calming and relaxing.
Joanna Lentini: When we talk about Biophilic Design, we talk about all of the senses. Can you talk a bit about taste and how that is a part of it. Does this speak to eating well, organically? Can you elaborate on that a bit?
Oliver Heath: Yeah. One of the one of the kind of patterns of design is is about the senses. And we believe that the role of the senses have is sort of fundamental to our relationship to buildings, because, of course, for hundreds of thousands of years, we relied on all our senses to survive, thrive, and flourish.
We relied on a sense of sight to spot prey or predators. We relied on our hearing to equally hear predators or to hear the sound of water. We relied on a sense of touch for orientation or movement, and now we tend to live much more sort of sterile environments that forget all of that, and put the sense of sight and the visual sense at the forefront of how we value design.
But actually all those other senses have an enormous ability to impact and improve occupant experience. So we try to think of all the ways that we can engage people in the senses to to improve that experience.
So one of the simple things that we do under normal circumstances in the office here is the way we talk about the power of soup. And it's a really simple thing. A couple years ago we bought a soup machine, and what would normally happen when people were here, this is kind of mid-morning, we'd talk about, you know, what soup we're going to make today and we'd all make a choice and someone would nip out to the shop around the corner and buy some fresh vegetables chop up the vegetables, throw them in the soup machine, and a half an hour later we would have sort of, you know, a fresh pot of hot soup.
And then we'd all start work at one o'clock, sit around the table, cut some bread and just have half an hour of eating fresh, hot, wholesome soup. And it would be a chance to stop to gather around something that was a meaningful, mindful moment to eat fresh food, to check in with each other, and to talk, and meet.
And so in a way, Biophilic Design doesn't necessarily just need to be about a sort of neuro-scientific approach and what does it do to us individually. It could be also about the sort of socio psychological approach of how you can use elements to bring people together. So in this case, the use of food is sort of a therapeutic opportunity just simply to stop work. And that sort of ceasing in work is a recuperative moment, plus then you're feeding yourself. So you've got sort of physiologically, you know, restoring your body's energy levels or nutritional levels.
And I think importantly for us, it was also a chance to just stop and think about all the things that existed outside of work and maybe, you know, what are you watching on TV? What are you reading? Did you see this thing in the news?
We've got people of all different ages in my company, so it's also a lovely chance to stop and hear other people's views and perspectives. And it's a great leveller, just sitting down at a table and eating and using that as a sort of therapeutic center for it. So there is that.
And then, you know, increasingly we're sort of becoming more interested in the microbiome and the role that plays in our physical, and mental wellbeing, and how eating not just sort of probiotics, which are sort of sort of feed the microbiome, but also the sort of prebiotics as well, and the role that plays in good physical and mental wellbeing. And these these are areas that it's just started to come more widely discussed.
Joanna Lentini: That's interesting. Thanks for for clarifying that. I've always wondered about that. And I've never really kind of been able to figure that out. So I just assumed that it had something to do with the connection and you know the health benefits of eating wholesome, organic food.
Oliver Heath: Yeah. I mean, there's more and more evidence that discusses the sort of relationship between the brain-gut axis and the role that your microbiome plays in your decision making and mental wellbeing.
Joanna Lentini: So over the last year and a half you've developed a new course on Biophilic Design—and it's not just for designers. I'm really curious about it. For anyone that's interested, could you maybe share a bit about your reason for developing it, as well as some of the concepts that you touch on? And what somebody could expect to get out of it...
Oliver Heath: Yeah. So we've recently launched what's called Biophilic Design in The Home, which is an online course. There are three levels to it. This is sort of one hour introduction to it, and there is a twenty-four hour long course, which is really quite intensive. And then there's another one where you have an interactive two hour session directly with me.
So there are three levels.
And basically over the last seven years, a lot of the work and the research that we've uncovered, it's all been about Biophilic Design in commercial settings, spaces where you can measure the benefits of introducing nature into spaces—to productivity and creativity. So there's all this research because in these areas you can literally measure things like wellbeing or absenteeism, but it's much more difficult to measure some of that stuff in the home.
So we felt that there was a real opportunity to take some of the research and knowledge that we've uncovered in commercial settings and start to apply that in the domestic setting. We started working on this about 18 months ago, and then by chance, the Covid pandemic came along and suddenly everybody was locked in at home. And we recognized that people were stuck at home and had not really understood that their own wellbeing in the built environment wasn't just the responsibility of their employers, but also their own personal responsibility.
So people were asking us, well, what can we do? How can we bring these ideas into the home to improve our lives when we're locked down and not going out so much? So the course is a really extensive sort of dive into Biophilic Design and essentially tell us what are the problems out there and why should we be thinking about the issues of stress and urbanization and the impact that technology have or what we call urban jetlag. It also sort of starts to look at the kind of history in the background of Biophilic Design.
Not just where do the ideas come from in terms of Stephen Kellert and all the developments around the early years of Biophilic Design, but also the kind of prehistoric quality, and how in a way Biophilic Design is essentially through genetic inheritance that we have and how we relate that to the built environment.
So we're looking at the whole picture of Biophilic Design and then we kind of help people understand what what we call the core principles, as I've mentioned earlier, and then the 14 patterns. So not just to sort of say these are the fourteen patterns, but it's also how do we apply these ideas into the home.
And it's not as if, you know where we're going to say, you know, this is every single way of translating it. But, we try to make it as creative as possible, and we say, look, here's a framework that you can use. It's not an aesthetic prescription. And so we encourage people to try and develop their own way of interpreting this framework.
So we use things like Pinterest boards and creative tests to engage people with the idea. So it's not just sort of listen to our ideas, it's also engage with us and put it into practice. So there's lots of little sort of tests and ways of engaging with it in different ways. And then at the end there are other tests about how you might apply it to a live project.
Joanna Lentini: Love it! It's perfect timing for the course.
Oliver Heath: Well, unfortunately, it is. It's been a very weird time and now we look back and go actually, that there is a lot of value in this. And recognizing the fact that for many people, the four walls that they surround themselves are having a, you know, a very deep impact on their physical, mental well-being.
And so a lot of the course does try and engage people and how do they develop the existing architecture they find themselves in to bring elements of nature in. And the easy, quick wins and some of the more complicated things. So there's lots of different levels and budget ways of bringing these ideas in. And so we've tried to make the course applicable, not just if you rent your own home, but also if you own it or you are doing up your home.
Joanna Lentini: Interesting. Over the last year, year and a half, I have become really interested in rewilding our landscapes from our backyards to more rural settings. And so I guess, do you touch at all, does Biophilic Design touch at all, on the spaces just outside of our homes?
Oliver Heath: Absolutely. I mean, we try and think holistically about the whole space and your personal access to that. So it's not just your home. It is also about the way your home faces onto the street, but also any area that your home occupies, like space to the side or obviously your garden and how you can use that to enhance a sense of relaxation and recuperation and how we relate to that sense of rewilding and biodiversity.
Because, of course, the more that we can encourage fauna and flora into our gardens, then it's not just good for us because we've got something to look at and to engage with. But also, of course, it's good for the natural world because we're giving them habitats and support. So we really try and get people to think about this sort of very delicate interconnection and recognize that actually human health and well-being is directly connected to the health and well-being of the wider environment.
And in a way, it's a stepping stone. It's a catalyst.
If you can care for a plant on your desk, or the nature in your garden, whether that's the plants or the birds and the insects and the bees, then you're more likely to care for a local park. And if you care for a local park, then you might care for a local beach or a local national park or maybe perhaps even the wider natural environment.
So in a way, that's that's the idea. Just starts with the smallest of interactions with nature. Care for this, and there's a good chance you're going to start to care for our wider natural environment—the environment that, of course, our health and well-being and our future so, so closely relies upon.
Joanna Lentini: So beautifully said. You know, everything that you talk about, it's just it really hits home with me and I appreciate it. I know we're running out of time, but I really wanted to ask you before we wrap things up, are there any particular elements or experiences from the natural world (I know you kind of touched on in the beginning, you know, growing up, spending a lot of time outdoors) but are there any any specific experiences or elements that really inspire your work and that you're drawn to over and over again in your designs?
Oliver Heath: It's a good question. I mean, you know, as I mentioned at the beginning, a lot of my early life was spent enjoying being outside and climbing trees and digging holes and looking at worms and things like that, something that I try to continue in my life, not necessarily looking worms, but making the most of my time outside.
So, you know, I really love to go camping. So just being outside and having that opportunity for a really deep nature immersion where you are kind of surrounded by nature 24 hours a day.
And we often talk about this idea of a nature diet triangle. It's a really simple idea that follows the sort of diet triangle. At the top of the diet triangle pyramid in a way are the sort of very rich foods that maybe have a very high carbon intensity. And what we suggest is that we think about a nature diet triangle, in as much as, at the top of the pyramid, are those deep nature immersions we might just have on an occasional basis. So maybe you go camping once or twice a year, maybe you go on holiday, and you spend more time outside.
But beneath that are also, you know, the monthly interactions, that time when you go, OK, well, I'm just going to get out and go hiking and I'm going to spend a day going hiking once a month. But then equally, what do you do on a weekly basis? You know, the weekends do you get out and you go to the park?
I've got dogs. So, you know, I tend to go running down on the beach and it's just this most fantastic, if occasionally little bit painful, kind of moment where I spend time running on the beach, with my dog, and he can go swimming.
And then equally on a daily basis, how much nature interaction do you get? So we try to get people to think about you know on that daily basis, how do you interact with nature? What constitutes a healthy portion and how often do you need to interact with it? So don't think about it on a kind of yearly basis in a way that allows you to scale it up and realize that it's not just about taking the occasional holiday, but also how you interact with it on a daily basis and the interaction with plants and in nature.
Maybe it's just birdsong or appreciating a sunrise first thing in the morning or tending to plants or other elements of nature, just feeling rainfall on your skin. All those little moments are just opportunities to engage with the natural world, to relax, to recuperate, to in a way have a mindful moment that puts you right here, right now.
Not worrying about an email, social media failings, or any of those sort of stresses and strains that we all feel. But nature brings us that opportunity just to engage with ourselves and the world around us for a moment. And we've got to kind of make sure that we have that throughout all our weeks, our days, and weeks, months and years.
Joanna Lentini: Thank you so much, Oliver. I want to really just thank you for chatting with me today. It's it's been so incredibly good to connect! For anybody that is interested in learning more about your work or how to connect with you, could you share your details?
Oliver Heath: Yeah, we've got a website, which is OliverHeath.com. On there, you can find out more about Biophilic Design. We've got lots of resources that you can download for free about Biophilic Design, our online course is also available from that site.
As well as that, we're also on all of the social media channels: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn as: Oliver Heath, or Oliver Heath Design. So lots of ways getting in contact and finding out more!
Joanna Lentini: Sounds great. Thank you so much! Really appreciate it.
Oliver Heath: It's been a total pleasure.
]]>
In the third episode of my Biophilic Design Series I chat with
Geila Daughtrey, the Founder and Creative Director
at Rockett Studio in Singapore
Have a Listen Above (~20 min) or Read the Partial Transcript of Episode Three:
Intro: Hello, Joanna Lentini here. Welcome to the third episode of my Biophilic Design series, where I chat with interior designers and architects about the importance and art of bringing the outdoors in.
This is a passion project of mine.
I have been fascinated with the natural world since a young age. When I first came across Biophilic Design I was immediately excited and spent a lot of time researching it.
As a nature photographer, I strive to bring the outdoors in through my fine art photographs, but there are so many more ways we can do so. And so, I'd like to share with you what I have learned about biophilic design along with the perspectives of those in the design industry.
So Biophilic design is all about designing nature back into the built environment. The term Biophilia was first coined by Erick Fromm as a passionate love of life and all that is alive. It is the wish to further growth, whether in a person, a plant, an idea or a social group. And later it was expanded on in the 1970s by Harvard naturalist E.O. Wilson as the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Innate meaning it's hereditary and ultimately part of human nature.
While Biophilic Design complements Green Design, it is it's own concept. Green design focuses on improving the sustainability of a building or home. It looks at how a structure uses its resources, while Biophilic Design focuses on the well-being of its occupants through the inclusion of natural elements, some of which can actually improve the green design of a building.
We are already spending roughly 90% of our time indoors these days and are more stressed than ever. According to the World Health Organization, our stress has increased as we have become more urbanized, and it's actually considered to be a health epidemic responsible for a significant amount of costs.
It's been well documented that we respond better to stress in a natural environment, hence the need for design that responds to our human needs. By the middle of the century, we could see 66% of the developed world living in urban areas and more disconnected from nature than ever before.
As someone who spends a lot of time in nature, I can tell you I feel the negative effects of having to be indoors from anxiety, depression and issues with focusing. I hope through this series we can both learn and implement a few things into our day to day spaces and become happier and healthier in the process...
So let's get started with my third guest, Geila Daughtrey, the Founder of Rockett Studio in Singapore...
JL: Hi Geila, welcome. It’s so great of you to take a few minutes to chat with me about Biophilic Design. It’s a fascinating topic and I really appreciate your input on the subject.
So, Geila and I met almost a decade ago in Singapore. Geila’s husband, Ed, worked with my husband John at Credit Suisse, and Geila and Ed helped in making us feel very much at home in Singapore. During our time there, Geila was transitioning from working for someone else to going off on her own to create Rockett, which is now an award-winning design studio.
So much has happened since my husband and I left Singapore. Geila went on to be recognized for her outstanding contribution to the interior design industry by Hong Kong’s premier architecture and design magazine, Perspective, and she was awarded Gold at the Singapore Design Awards, which honours outstanding designers from across the world, and is considered the leading design award in Southeast Asia.
Many congrats on all of your successes, Geila. You’ve been busy!
So to kick things off, would you mind sharing with listeners what led you into interior design, some of the types of clients you work with, and how has it been operating during a pandemic?
GD: First of all, thank you for having me!
I actually started out doing set design for feature films after studying Interior design at university, but after a few years in film I began to realise that I really missed the ‘problem solving’ side of interior design and how people use a space and feel in a space.
By that I mean designing a space so that it functions well, rather than just being concerned with how a space looks - or for the camera. So eventually I made the decision to switch back to designing ‘real’ interiors.
I started Rockett 6 years ago now, and we focus on commercial projects. We specialise in designing restaurants, which I love, as they require a lot of problem solving! We are essentially designing a working machine - there are a lot of moving parts.
But with our focus being on the F&B industry, our business has been hit this year - which has been stressful. I really feel for restaurant owners and the hospitality industry in general right now. But I am hopeful all this will pass.
JL: I can imagine it’s been stressful when the majority of your clients are restaurants. I recently started reminiscing about some of my favorite restaurants in Singapore, and got to wondering how they were doing. And so I went to Instagram and looked up a few of them, but one in particular that I was really worried about, is P.S. Cafe — surely we have been there together, no?
It was definitely my favorite restaurant in Singapore. It had this way of making you feel like you were in this elegant, yet wild space. The number of massive plant and flower arrangements they had were like eye candy to me. And I loved their use of fresh herbs in the cocktails that they made. Those things always put a smile on my face, and of course the delicious food. And I spent quite a bit of time there because the space made me feel happy.
I'm wondering how have restaurants adapted to this new normal? With the pretty steady climate I’d imagine many have shifted to outdoor seating, yes?
GD: The better eateries are killing it right now! There have of course sadly been casualties, but Singapore is a foodie nation as you know (we apparently have more restaurants than New York City) and there has been a strong community spirit to help out the independent restaurants - from mom-and-pop-owned local street food stalls, to Michelin starred fine dining restaurants.
When our Circuit Breaker (what Singaporeans are calling the pandemic lockdown) measures came into place and dining in was restricted, a community page was quickly set up on facebook to connect independent restaurants with independent drivers with little work, so that people could order takeaways directly and avoid paying the significant platform fees many of the food delivery platforms charge.
This also meant restaurants were able to deliver island wide for the first time (the food delivery platforms stick to local to minimise travel costs and times), which opened up a customer base they hadn’t had access to before.
We still have restrictions in place now that restaurants are open again - seating spread out and early-closing times etc - but many of our clients are finding business is good - people seem to be spending similar to how they were pre-covid, but just in a shorter amount of time - they are trying to cram in the same amount of ‘fun’ before they are kicked out and sent home at 10pm!
Singaporeans and expats love to travel too, and as we are still unable to, people seem to be spending that travel money on eating out….
We are just waiting for that spending to trickle down into new investments! Whilst existing restaurants are doing well, I think the overall industry is still a little nervous to invest in new projects at the moment….
JL: That’s totally understandable in such uncertain times. So, as you probably know, Biophilic Design has been labelled by some as one of the hottest new trends in design. I’m not one for trends, and do hope this concept has some longevity, because the research is there.
The whole concept of Biophilic Design is to bring the outdoors in, right. Because as a species we are happier and highly productive in spaces that evoke similar feelings we have when in nature.
I feel like Singapore is already ahead of the curve, in fact maybe even setting the standard when it comes to biophilic urbanism. The city boasts this beautiful balance between nature and civilization that the rest of the world should try to emulate. I know much of the built environment is quite green in terms of sustainability, but can you talk to me about how you work with clients to bring the outdoors in, and how much of a demand there is for it?
GD: I love singapore for that very reason. You can be in the middle of the CBD (Central Business District) and still see greenery - even wildlife! And it's really cool that the long term vision for singapore is for it to grow from a ‘garden city’ into ‘a city within a garden’.
Urban farming is getting very popular here, and many of our restaurant clients are wanting live ‘green walls’ within their restaurants, so that they can harvest salad leaves and herbs etc for their dishes.
We are currently working on a members club and our client is really keen to utilize their roof top for a vegetable garden which we are excited about. We have even convinced them to incorporate beehives - fingers crossed!
JL: That's super exciting! I remember I had my very first garden while living in Singapore. The complex we lived in rented out garden plots and while I really loved it, it was short lived once I found out they were spraying for mozzies, but I just moved what I could to the balcony, which made it much more accessible and observable. I also remember around that same time, I made my very first terrarium over in Hort Park. I was definitely inspired by the lush, green landscape of Singapore. And it was really the first time I started to consciously try to bring nature in.
I also remember the first time I came across a restaurant growing its own food was in the Maldives. I had been invited out to the Six Senses Resort for some talks on underwater photography and as I was bicycling around the small island I rode past the raised garden beds. The Six Senses Resorts are all about sustainability, and that was just one exciting example of their commitment.
How important do you think it is that we encourage people to incorporate elements from the natural world into their indoor spaces, and what are some of the different elements of biophilic design that you really like to work with?
GD: That's very cool - I didn't know you had attempted your own balcony garden here! I’d love to try that, only we don’t have a balcony! (You can even get government grants to do that now too).
We live right opposite the Botanical Gardens - so I may not have a balcony, but I do feel like I have a huge back garden! I try to go every day — it's my chance to reset.
I think it's really important people incorporate elements from the natural world into their indoor spaces, especially now we are all at home more. It can reduce stress, enhance creativity, and improve our general well-being. It can even improve healing - patients in hospital are said to have a fast recovery if they can see trees from their window.
But as you know it’s not just about adding plants to your home - it's about enhancing your space through the use of materials, textures, sound, lighting, even scent too create a sense of calm and ease. Of course plants help, but you can also enhance your space with water features and natural air-flow or breezes. Artworks or photography depicting nature can also help.
Natural materials can be expensive, and ultimately our clients are running a business so we have to be mindful of their bottom line, but we always encourage the use of natural sustainable materials wherever possible - at the very least, to always use them on the touch points that a guest interacts with - things like the door handles on the main entrance for example. That first physical interaction with a brand can subconsciously set the expectations for the entire experience they are about to have.
So it’s really important.
JL: I can totally appreciate staying within budget... from what I have researched though introducing biophilic elements can greatly reduce costs in the long run. From less employees calling out sick, to calmer customers perhaps waiting for a table to name a couple.
In fact I just came across a three month study of a hospital waiting room, which showed that those spaces with nature images show a significant reduction in restless behavior, more socialization occurs, and ironically it also helps reduce noise levels.
So while many of us are still working from home, and are in desperate need of more productive and inspiring spaces might you have any advice for someone who is interested in bringing a bit of nature into their home or work space? Where might they begin besides the more obvious elements like plants?
GD: Let as much natural light in and get those windows open! You really can’t beat fresh air. If that's not possible then scent can have a big impact - fresh cut flowers or even a natural candle with a natural wood or alpine smell can really help. Or sprigs of fresh greenery.
We always try to encourage our clients to include feature floral displays in our restaurants. As you mentioned earlier, PS Cafe in Singapore does this so well! It’s worth a visit to one of their restaurants just to see the flowers!
Try to use natural sustainable fabrics like flax linens and hemp - that's another good one. They can bring in a lovely soft, relaxed and natural look. And they just get better with age.
Living in Asia, I have become fascinated by the similarities between biophilic design and the ancient practice of Feng Shui - Both schools of thought understand the benefits of connecting with nature, and how natural ecosystems can benefit our wellbeing and mental health.
Many of their practices overlap - and they have the same goal - they just use different language to describe their processes, methods and outcomes.
JL: Ah, yes, there are many similarities to Feng Shui. In fact, my husband pointed that out to me when I first started exploring Biophilic Design.
Okay, so I have one last question for you...what, if anything in the natural world inspires you?
GD: As I mentioned I have to get out into nature everyday. Be that in the pristine Botanical Gardens or somewhere a little more rugged like one of Singapore’s Nature Reserves. I’ll jog, walk, do yoga or meditate, but I feel ‘out of sorts’ if I don't do it daily - even if it's just for 10 minutes.
It's funny because I intentionally go to get away from work and clear my mind, but it's always where I ended up being my most creative and I'll come back full of ideas.
Interestly all this face-mask-wearing has made me realise that I never paid any attention to the smells of the vegetation before on my walks. I completely took it for granted. Now I try to make a point of noticing everything (when no one is around and I can take my mask off that is!).
I also really love the sound of english summer bird song! Seriously you can't beat it. I'll quite often play you-tube videos in the office as background music when I am super stressed or feeling a little homesick. Try it!
JL: Ah, I love that! I sometimes take the sounds of birds for granted living in the countryside. But it is amazing how much sound really impacts our well-being. My partner always tells me I have spidey senses, particularly when it comes to noise. And one thing that really impacts me living on a lake is the constant boat traffic during the warmer months.
It definitely affects me more than the average person. And I do have a bit of ADHD, but I remember reading something somewhere that if you are in the middle of reading or writing something, and there is an unpleasant noise distraction, your productivity drops by something like 65%!
Well, I think we are just about out of time…. thank you so much for chatting with me about Biophilic Design — it’s been fun. I really appreciate your input on the topic.
For anyone interested in learning more about Rockett Studio please check out their website at www.rockett.com.sg or reach out to Geila Daughtrey directly at gelia@rockett.com.sg. And be sure to follow Rockett Studio on Instagram.
How Pleasant Sounds Promote and Annoying Sounds Impede Health: A Cognitive Approach
]]>
Partial Transcript of Episode Two:
Hello, Joanna Lentini here. Welcome to the second episode of my Biophilic Design series, where I chat with interior designers and architects about the importance and art of bringing the outdoors in.
This is a passion project of mine.
I have been fascinated with the natural world since a young age. When I first came across Biophilic Design I was immediately excited and spent a lot of time researching it.
As a nature photographer, I strive to bring the outdoors in through my fine art photographs, but there are so many more ways we can do so. And so, I'd like to share with you what I have learned about biophilic design along with the perspectives of those in the design industry.
So Biophilic design is all about designing nature back into the built environment. The term Biophilia was first coined by Erick Fromm as a passionate love of life and all that is alive. It is the wish to further growth, whether in a person, a plant, an idea or a social group. And later it was expanded on in the 1970s by Harvard naturalist E.O. Wilson as the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms. Innate meaning it's hereditary and ultimately part of human nature.
While Biophilic Design complements Green Design, it is it's own concept. Green design focuses on improving the sustainability of a building or home. It looks at how a structure uses its resources, while Biophilic Design focuses on the well-being of its occupants through the inclusion of natural elements, some of which can actually improve the green design of a building.
We are already spending roughly 90% of our time indoors these days and are more stressed than ever. According to the World Health Organization, our stress has increased as we have become more urbanized, and it's actually considered to be a health epidemic responsible for a significant amount of costs.
It's been well documented that we respond better to stress in a natural environment, hence the need for design that responds to our human needs. By the middle of the century, we could see 66% of the developed world living in urban areas and more disconnected from nature than ever before.
As someone who spends a lot of time in nature, I can tell you I feel the negative effects of having to be indoors from anxiety, depression and issues with focusing. I hope through this series we can both learn and implement a few things into our day to day spaces and become happier and healthier in the process...
So let's get started with my second guest, Kimmi Lee, of KiiPA Architecture.
Alright, well, welcome Kimmi. It's so great of you to take a few minutes to chat with me about Biophilic design. I really appreciate your input on the subject.
So Kimmi Lee was born in Hong Kong and studied architecture in the UK. She spends her time living and working between England and Poland and has worked for practices in China, the UK and Poland leading projects in the residential design and urban design sectors. Kimmi founded her studio. KiiPA in 2018, and she provides a full range of architectural services with a focus on residential, new build and refurbishment projects on urban and rural sites.
Kimmi was actually one of the first people I met when I moved to Wroclaw, Poland in 2013. We connected through the International Friends of Wroclaw and have remained friends since. Kimmi helped me find my way in a strange land, and she introduced me to so many great people, many of whom I'm still friends with today.
Of course, a lot has happened since my husband and I left Poland in 2015, so to kick things off, would you mind sharing what you've been up to, the sort of clients you work with and how it has been operating during a pandemic?
[00:03:21]
Kimmi Lee: Hello Joanna...
Like in many other industries it has been an uncertain time in the construction industry. In the studio, we mainly work on residential projects with private clients. Since February this year, many projects have been postponed and only slowly has the building work resume on site. Despite such unfortunate delays, downtime was actually valuable as it allowed both our clients and us to take a breath and rethink our habitats, and the way we live.
Joanna Lentini: Hmm. I know the feeling and I totally agree about the benefits of downtime. It's definitely been an interesting time because for the first time in over a decade, I've been forced to sit still and it's been nice and a lot of ways perhaps if I hadn't already done a good amount of travelling, I'd be a bit more restless. But I'm not sure.
Over the last eight months, I've had to photograph the magic in my own backyard for a change, and it's been a valuable journey. I've also had this growing interest in this movement to rewild our homes and backyards. And I suppose the pandemic has provided me the time to explore these things on a deeper level. In fact, it's what led me to create this series.
So, you know, in a lot of ways, our species has always been aware of the benefits of nature, whether it's in the home or not. But over the last century, we've definitely found ourselves diverging drastically from the natural world. So concepts like Biophilic design, landscape rewilding and just spending time in nature are finally beginning to gain traction. You know, science has proven what many of us really have already known.
So I'm wondering, as we both in different on different continents, can you tell me what the interest is in Biophilic Design in Europe? Are you seeing more of an interest from clients, especially now?
[00:05:20]
Kimmi Lee: The pandemic has kept many of us homebound, having worked in different countries and cities on different continents I will say the topic of bringing nature into the home has always been brought up in conversation with clients. This has especially been the case during these recent difficult times when we all have been spending a lot more time at home and then realizing that we are likely going to spend a lot more time there and learning to be closer to nature has become more relevant than ever. And Biophilic Design has been a very popular topic in architectural design recently and it addresses the relationship between nature and manmade buildings.
In Europe, in general, we work with a lot of historic buildings. To me the weathering of the building material and the adaptation of the building through time always tell us a story... as if the building is alive instead of just man-made artifacts. This inspires us to design buildings as Living Architecture that evolves like an element in a natural environment.
Another interesting thing in Europe is I find we often live in medium density communities in residential areas. Most likely it will be a mixture of seven story high tenement building with three storey high Georgian and then Victorian terrace houses and then also detached houses in the community. And homes are often built without any gardens or outdoor spaces.
We see lots of examples of Biophilic design that you work on at an urban scale, which often organized by the local community and city council to bring nature into the community in the form of community roof gardens, urban farming, and allotments.
This way of integration, of greenery, light, water and other natural elements help to reconnect people with nature and create a more healthier building environment.
Joanna Lentini: That's so great to hear that people are actively pursuing the creation of natural spaces in their communities.
[00:08:10]
Kimmi Lee: Yes, I see a lot of initiative, I think especially doing this Covid time when you stay at home and then you've also been encouraged to just be going out locally. And as you know, in Europe, we tend to living in a denser environment. And so there's a lot of initiative by the local community, which is a good thing to see as well, that you get to know your neighbours, which previously living in London for most of my life, you often don't know your neighbours. And but I think now we take a step back and then try to really think about in our environment and then get to know our local community, which is a very nice way, a silver lining, I suppose, for this pandemic.
[00:09:19]
Joanna Lentini: Yeah, absolutely. Couldn't agree more. So I have been doing a lot of reading about biomimicry, and I just I love the concept of it in architecture and design. I'll never forget this trip to South Africa a few years back where I observed African weaver birds creating these beautiful round, hanging nests, which I have no doubt inspired many designs. And I'm sure you're quite familiar with biomimicry... As an architect, I was just wondering has there ever been some particular thing in nature that has stuck with you and inspired your own designs?
Kimmi Lee: Biomimicry in architecture, in general is practice of designing buildings that simulate the process that occurs in nature, and we are particularly interested in architecture that imitates how nature acts. There are many interesting examples out there. For instance, some recent new design of wind turbine blades that mimic humpback whale fins.
Small bumps are incorporated along the leading edge of the turbine blades, it improves the turbines aerodynamic performance and reduces noises. And this is quite amazing. I attach a link here that you can have a look at images.
Another fascinating example I think you'll like this one is the invention of bio cement that is inspired by the formation of coral reefs in the marine environment. So aggregate is combined with bacteria and aqueous solution to grow the calcium carbonate which binds the material together. And this new form of making cement requires a lot lower energy and much lower carbon emission input, comparing to the traditional method.
The interesting things we find in biomimicry, what's on ecosystem level, so we're really interested in creating design that has components working together. Like different elements work together in natural environments.
[00:12:06]
In one competition entry (images below) we submitted in Poland, we designed a plug-in hub building system and it was inspired by a beehive, a hexagonal beehive. It has a multifunctional inner core, and on the outside, it has individual hexagonal shaped capsule units which can plug into this core.
Each hub has these ecological systems, including solar power, generator, rainwater harvesting system and ventilation system. Each of these can be arranged in various ways, so you just plug in as many units as you need to and this adaptable design allows the building to change over time. It responds to different conditions and demands. And they are designed to integrate with the existing wild green landscape, and parks and gardens, and they can also transplant into a various different locations.
So we see this this design, this plug-in hub system become part of an ecosystem that is in harmony with the nature. There is this constant exchange and interaction between the living and the buildings and nature. So to us, it is very fascinating to think that the answer to lots of our design questions like durability, sustainability and efficiency can actually be found in nature, the surrounding the natural world.
Open hub urban design — an Architectural Urban design competition entry with a plug-in hub building system concept
[00:14:06]
Joanna Lentini: That is so cool. Very cool. Alright, so can you tell me how you incorporate elements from the natural world into building design?
Kimmi Lee: As an architect, Biophilic Design is to introduce nature to architecture and make us rethink our habitat. To us it's not just about the form or the shape, although it could be a poetic way to incorporate nature to design. It is about how nature becomes an integrated part of architecture.
Biophilic design works on different levels in our design process. First of all, there are a number of ways that we can bring in elements of nature directly into the fabric of the buildings. For example, one of her projects, J House (below), we designed a steel frame building with full height glazing all around the external façade.The building was set in the woodlands, which blurs the transparent facade — the boundary between the inside and the outside. The building is not just in the woodlands anymore, but becomes part of woodlands.
J House (above + below) — produced while working for Pcko
Another project is the Maoshan House (below) — which are mountain holiday homes in China — where we bring the exterior into the interior by incorporating the local red birch tree trunks, columns and local stone into the interiors. It is more of a phonetic architecture where you can bring the exterior into the interior.
In another example, C House (below) in London, which is set in a more urban setting, we installed a living roof to a flat roof, and then living walls to the exterior of the house. So a living roof and wall is the roof in the wall of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation.
And so these these tools help us to introduce the direct experience of nature in buildings... which create this connection with nature.
[00:16:57]
Joanna Lentini: I love that. I remember when I visited Norway, all of the everyone's roof, they're all covered in moss. That was just amazing. It was so beautiful. And and I love to see more of that here in the States.
Kimmi Lee:
This is actually getting quite popular now, especially, I think, for us in Europe, especially in London. We don't have that much space, and so there's a lot more creative ways of this type of installation installed in our homes, because not everybody actually have very large gardens or or even balconies. So this is a very interesting way of introducing nature and it's living and becomes part of the fabric.
[00:18:00]
Joanna Lentini: You know, it's interesting, I just came across this documentary called Kiss the Ground this past week. I watched it and I learned that the Netherland's is actually the second largest agricultural exporter in the world besides the United States. And it's like, I don't know, it's the size of the Netherlands compared to the States, it's just crazy to think that, but it's amazing what they're doing with being able to produce fruits and vegetables indoors, you know, and vertically. It's not really your your industry. But, yeah, I just thought it was it was kind of interesting to throw that in there.
Kimmi Lee: It's definitely great. And that is definitely the relationship of us with food or nature of producing food. Urban farming is a big things now in Europe especially. I'm not sure whether on other continents, but to to use the roof garden to make it actually, like not just community garden, but actually growing food and fruit for the community. I think socially is so interesting because it bond people together as well as, you actually use a lot of the space that can produce food that we can get. That's actually a very positive things and perhaps in America you have a lot more space over there, and this will be something maybe more appropriate to the city, perhaps urban farming.
Joanna Lentini: Yes, definitely.
[00:19:57]
Kimmi Lee: There's also another aspect to Biophilic Design that we use a lot to introduce indirect experience of nature in a building. We use lots of natural material in our design. For example, stone, timber, metal, cork, bamboo, and the natural texture and color and weathering of materials always fascinates us.
The natural material is tactile, dynamic and embody the character of growth.
For example, we designed this Japanese, Onsen-style teak bath in a Basalt-stone bathroom in C House (below) — one of our projects in London.
The contrasting texture of the material, the different sound and reflection of water interacting with the material created a sensual and enchanting bathing experience.
Another example I can think of, we are working on a proposal currently to install copper cladding to the facade of a new extension building (below). Copper surfaces oxidize and form a protective patina, and the natural patina of the copper changes from this iridescent, golden red to a deep brown and, finally, to hues of blue and green color, and through that we experience the building grow and age through time. And makes us feel like the building is alive.
To us natural materials stimulate our senses and imagination and it also helps strengthen our sense of the place. To us, the most interesting aspect of Biophilic Design is when architecture can convey movement and drama — that's something that we're really interested in as a studio ourselves.
We're currently working on a project to design a new extension to a Queen's Anne style Victorian house in London. We design essentially an open plan space to connect a new extension to the old house. Within this open plan space, there are a number of different types of spaces, like open views, cozy niches, double volume height spaces, sloping roofs for different purposes of the space. And then we would link these various spaces with either a direct visual link or obscure controlled views.
The design is trying to balance between the interior and exterior, between the shared space and the private space, between the existing house and the new proposed extension. And we saw the sequence of space creates movement and drama. So, as the spatial design, we also use different types and orientation of glazing for full height glazed doors, clerestory windows, slit windows, skylights, and these create dramatic light and shadow. And the natural daylight changes the atmosphere throughout the day and the season. And then we also apply layers of artificial lights, which plays to highlight and enhance this space.
Combining all these tools, Biophilic Design, help us to create dynamic and lively spaces. To us home is not just a building or an art form, but it is the interaction between the habitat and and the lives of the individuals. And a concept of Biophilic Design helps us to create an experience of movement and drama and life, and time, and help our home, to make us feel alive.
[00:25:16]
Joanna Lentini:
It's such a beautiful way to look at it. Yeah, super interesting — so fascinating.
Well, I think we're just about out of time. I want to thank you so much for your chatting with me today about Biophilic Design — it's definitely been a lot of fun and we've learned a lot.
For anyone interested in learning more about Kimmi Lee's work, you can explore her website (https://www.kiipa.co.uk), her Houzz profile, or email her at: info@kiipa.co.uk.
This is a passion project of mine.
As a nature photographer I strive to bring the outdoors in through my fine art photography, but there are so many more ways we can do so. Through this series I’d like to share with you what I have learned about Biophilic Design, along with the perspectives of those in the design industry.
If you are unfamiliar with the concept, Biophilic Design is all about designing nature back into the built environment. The term biophilia was first coined by Erich Fromm as “the passionate love of life and all that is alive; it is the wish to further growth, whether in a person, a plant, an idea or a social group.” and later the term was expanded on by naturalist E.O. Wilson, as "the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms — innate meaning its hereditary and ultimately part of human nature."
We are spending roughly 90% of our time indoors these days and are more stressed than ever. According to the WHO our stress has increased as we have become more urbanized and it is considered to be a health epidemic responsible for a significant amount of costs. It has been well documented that we respond better to stress in a natural environment, hence the need for design that responds to our human needs.
It is thought that by the middle of the century we could see 66% of the developed world living in urban areas, and more disconnected from nature than ever before.
As someone who spends a lot of time in nature, I can tell you I feel the negative effects of having to be indoors, from anxiety to depression and issues with focusing. I hope through this series we can both learn and implement a few things into our day to day spaces and become happier and healthier in the process.
Partial Transcript:
Joanna Lentini: Dana and I met while cage diving with great white sharks off of Mexico’s Baja peninsula and I could immediately tell we were kindred spirits. We both very much love the natural world and know how important it is to preserve wild spaces.
Dana was born and raised in Washington, DC, went to Washington University in St. Louis for art school, but got a degree in International Studies with a focus on East Asia. Her first career ended up being in Account Management and Human Resources, but when she lost her father to cancer in 2014, she decided to change her career path.
She got back to her creative roots and went back to school. She obtained a Master’s degree in Interior Design from Marymount University in Northern Virginia and started her own company, Dana J. LePere Interiors, so she could work for herself after she graduated.
So to kick things off, can you tell listeners a bit about what led you into interior design and how it is operating during a pandemic...
Dana LePere — You could say many factors led me to interior design, but there are two that stand out for me. The first is my experience with my father’s illness. He had brain cancer that affected his mobility, so my parents had to make changes to their home in order for him to safely navigate and live in it on one floor while not making it feel like a hospital. This process married empathy, analysis, and creativity in a way that was extremely appealing to me. And the second is the way good design has the ability to positively impact people’s lives on an every-day basis.
I obviously can’t speak for all designers, but as long as clients can afford to make changes to their home, they are certainly making time for that now. Due to the need to quarantine and many office-workers switching to a work-from-home situation, many people are spending more time at home, which means they’re also staring at the things they want to fix or change all the time. There is literally a captive audience for the home improvement industry right now.
Dana LePere with her father in Positano, Italy
Joanna Lentini — With so many people working more from homes these days, including myself, I have definitely been encouraged to incorporate more nature into my home and workspace. As I spend a lot of time in the nature, it seems to come natural for me — whether I’m pressing flowers, creating terrariums or even using essential oils that smell like the forest. But biophilic design is a whole lot more complex than that... so can you talk to us about some of the different elements of Biophilic design and ones that you like to specifically work with and why?
Dana LePere — There are many complex aspects to biophilic design that are probably too deep to get into here, so if anyone is interested in learning more, I recommend starting with a paper from Terrapin Bright Green, a sustainability consulting firm (see link below).
In the paper they lay out different elements of Biophilic Design quite nicely, but essentially they break it down into three sections: Nature IN the Space, which is our physical connection with nature, be it visual, olfactory, tactile, auditory, etc – our sensory connection with nature in a space, Natural Analogues, which is using natural patterns, forms, textures, and arrangements in a space, and Nature OF the Space, which is how we experience a space – does it give us refuge, can we see into the distance in a way that makes us feel safe, are there obscured views that impart a sense of exploration or even a little excitement of the unknown or slight risk.
Joanna Lentini — it’s so fascinating to me to think about how our attraction to nature impacts design.…If you look at the evolution of our species, we have spent almost 100% of our time in nature. I think I am most intrigued by the nature of the space, which is broken down into prospect, refuge, mystery, and risk. Risk and mystery of course arouse the senses, while prospect and refuge make us feel grounded and safe.
It all goes back to our early days as a species. If you think about the winding path through a forest in terms of design it can be a curved corridor in a building. The concepts of prospect and refuge in design have been described as simply as choice of seating in a restaurant. If we have a choice of where to sit, tables in the open, or a booth along the edge, we usually choose the booth for its sense of comfort and for the view of the space that it provides us.
So Dana, what are some of the trends you are seeing? Have you personally seen an increase in Biophilic Design interest from clients?
Dana LePere — No one has come to me saying “Dana, I want to redesign my place with nature in mind.” What they have done is expressed a clear physiological need for respite and security during a time with so much uncertainty and anxiety.
Right now, for me personally, the biggest trend has been helping clients redesign their outdoor living space. Currently I’m working with four different clients who want to make their outdoor spaces more livable or functional or somehow blend them physically or visually with their indoor spaces.
Concept drawing by Dana LePere of an outdoor space based on four elements: air, earth, fire, and water
Joanna Lentini — I guess that’s a great point, biophilic design can also be brought into exteriors of homes and buildings. I lived in Singapore for some time and the city is a perfect example of biophilic urbanism. A beautiful balance between nature and the built environment. And it had a tremendous impact on how I felt - in a positive way of course.
But overall, Biophilic Design isn’t just about putting more plants in a room, or using natural textures, patterns, or materials in a space; it’s also about studying the physical and psychological impacts of nature on humans and then utilizing that knowledge in a way that positively impacts our wellbeing in the built environment.
For example, even just looking out a window at some green space can lower your blood pressure and heart rate and improve your mental engagement. So, designers can use that simple amount of information to inform us what type of window or how large of a window to specify and where it should be placed to maximize views to nature, or how to orient furniture in a space to face a nice view.
Or perhaps it’s creating a cozy nook you can lean your back against to feel safe and secure (supporting natural refuge-seeking behavior) while being able to look out into the rest of your space (supporting natural prospecting behavior). But overall, using Biophilic Design has measurable positive benefits on the human mind and body.
Going back to trends a little bit, I think this is why “California Casual” interiors are so popular – it uses earthy colors, natural materials and layered textures, organic materials and lots of plant life. There are a lot of natural elements in there that people feel a connection to and perhaps can’t explain why other than that it’s “just appealing” – but you can see why, when looking at the benefits of biophilic design, that style gives us a sense of relaxation.
Concept drawing by Dana LePere of a master bath shower with picture window overlooking a park
Joanna Lentini — Clearly you think it is important to make our indoor spaces resemble the natural world...for those that are just hearing about Biophilic Design, what advice would you give them on where to begin?
Dana LePere — I think it’s very important to use biophilia, even in minimal amounts, in order to really satisfy the human psyche in the built environment, especially considering people tend to spend more time indoors then outdoors these days.
In terms of resemblance, I don’t think people necessarily need to transform their spaces into literal jungles to feel their interior is connected to nature. You can do pretty simple things here and there to introduce biophilia into your home. For example, use natural stone tile in a bathroom, an earthy color-palette on the walls or upholstery, or use nature-inspired drawer and cabinet pulls. Create spaces in your home that give you physiological benefits, like a cozy corner nook by a window, give your home office or meditation spot good airflow and play with light diffusion or layers of light. You can also do things like replace abstract art with painted or photographed landscapes.
Office, educational, and healthcare spaces can seriously benefit from Biophilic Design – not only from mimicking biomorphic forms, textures, or patterns, but also from creating areas for that prospect-refuge behavior, using a lighting system that changes the light’s color temperature from cool to warm as the day goes into the evening to assist the occupants’ circadian rhythms, creating interesting pathways or hallways that induce a natural curiosity or unexpected (but pleasant) surprise around a corner, or using carpeting that has fractal patterns in it. Multiple occupancy studies have shown measurable benefits for buildings that utilized biophilic design.
Concept image of a tele-health/exam room by Dana LePere
Joanna Lentini — So with North Americans spending 93% of their time indoors, it is super important that we introduce more natural elements into those spaces. The research is there, we have the ability to recover from stress much more easily when we are surrounded by a natural environment. This whole movement to bring the outdoors in makes so much sense. And I am really excited to see where it leads...
So Dana do you offer online consultations for anyone that might want to chat more but isn’t based in D.C.?
Dana LePere — While it’s always better to be able to see a place in real life to get a better overall sense of the environment, yes I can consult and help plan or make suggestions for designs remotely.
Joanna Lentini — Thanks so much for chatting with me about Biophilic Design — it’s been fun. I really appreciate your input on the topic and for anyone interested learning more you can reach out to Dana at:
Dana J. LePere Interiors — www.danajlepere.com
References: Terrapin Report: 14 Elements of Biophilic Design