How can you use biophilic design to make your projects stand out?

1 Identify the context

Before you start designing, you need to understand the context of your project. What are the goals, needs, and preferences of your client and the end-users? What are the site conditions, climate, and culture? How can you align your design with the local ecology and history? By identifying the context, you can create a biophilic design that is relevant, meaningful, and responsive to the specific situation.

2 Choose the patterns

Biophilic design is not just about adding plants and water features to your spaces. It is also about applying patterns that mimic or evoke nature in various ways. These patterns can be divided into three categories: natural analogues, nature of the space, and nature in the space. Natural analogues are elements that resemble nature in form, color, texture, or pattern, such as wood, stone, or biomimicry. Nature of the space are aspects that influence how people perceive and experience the space, such as prospect, refuge, mystery, or complexity. Nature in the space are direct connections with living systems, such as plants, animals, water, air, or light. By choosing the appropriate patterns for your project, you can create a biophilic design that stimulates the senses, emotions, and cognition of the users.

3 Integrate the systems

Biophilic design is not only about aesthetics, but also about functionality and performance. It is about integrating natural systems into your design to optimize energy efficiency, water management, waste reduction, and indoor environmental quality. For example, you can use passive solar design, green roofs, rain gardens, or natural ventilation to reduce your environmental impact and improve your comfort and health. By integrating the systems, you can create a biophilic design that is resilient, adaptive, and regenerative.

4 Balance the scales

Biophilic design is not limited to a single scale or dimension. It is about creating a holistic and coherent experience that connects the users with nature at different levels. For example, you can use biophilic design at the building scale to create a distinctive identity and character that relates to the landscape and the community. You can also use biophilic design at the interior scale to create a variety of spaces that cater to different needs and activities. You can also use biophilic design at the human scale to create a sense of intimacy and personalization that reflects the user's personality and preferences. By balancing the scales, you can create a biophilic design that is diverse, flexible, and engaging.

5 Collaborate with others

Biophilic design is not a solo endeavor. It is a collaborative process that involves multiple stakeholders and disciplines. To create a successful biophilic design, you need to communicate and coordinate with your client, your team, your consultants, your contractors, and your users. You also need to seek feedback and input from experts, peers, and the public. By collaborating with others, you can create a biophilic design that is informed, integrated, and innovative.

6 Evaluate the outcomes

Biophilic design is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that requires monitoring and evaluation. To measure the effectiveness and impact of your biophilic design, you need to collect and analyze data on various indicators, such as user satisfaction, behavior, performance, health, and well-being. You also need to compare and contrast your results with your goals, expectations, and benchmarks. By evaluating the outcomes, you can create a biophilic design that is evidence-based, accountable, and improvable.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?