Biophilic Design

What the psychoanalyst Erich Fromm defined as biophilia in 1973 is increasingly finding its way into architecture and interior design as biophilic design. Interior designers in particular use people-centred approaches, taking into account the physical, mental and emotional human needs, with the aim of promoting health, safety and well-being.

Biophilia assumes that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature. The term is translated in ancient Greek as "love of living beings". After Erich Fromm had already described the term, it was used by the American biologist Edward O. Wilson in his work "Biophilia" in 1984. He is of the opinion that the human tendency to focus on and join nature and other life forms is partly genetic. Wilson also established a conservation ethic based on man's innate relationship with nature. The result is brief: The basic principle of biophilia is to connect man with nature and thus increase his well-being.

"Biophilia is man's subconscious attachment to nature," says Nash Emrich, technical expert at Paladino & Co. The company advises architects and construction companies and supports its customers in implementing sustainability concepts. "Edward O. Wilson, who popularized the term in his book 'Biophilia', once put it this way: 'Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, mental, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction. The closer people feel to nature, the better."

How can this look like in practice? When designing rooms, features from nature are incorporated, for example water, plants, natural light or authentic materials such as wood and stone. This integration of natural elements into the built environment reduces stress, promotes creativity and accelerates healing. Potential benefits include reduced heart rate variability and pulse rates, lower blood pressure and increased activity in our nervous system. Recently, a research team at Stanford University in California confirmed that walking in the green countryside improves mental well-being. It is also known that patients in hospital recover more quickly when they look at nature from their beds. Students* learn better in natural daylight and people who work in offices with houseplants are less likely to fall ill. In addition, people in a natural environment suffer less often from anxiety and think more positively. "Living in close contact with nature brings physical, mental and social benefits," explains Brendan O'Grady, Vice President at the Texas architectural firm CallisonRTKL, which has used biophilic design principles in many projects.