Landscapes shape how we experience the world and how well we live within it. In this edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design, we explore the role that landscape plays not only beyond our buildings, but within them too. 

One of the most fundamental yet often overlooked aspects of biophilic design is the simple act of looking out of a window. Views to trees, planting, sky, water or wildlife offer more than aesthetic pleasure; they support cognitive restoration, reduce stress and reconnect us to the rhythms of nature. When thoughtfully designed landscapes are visible from the spaces where we live, work, learn and heal, they become part of the interior experience, extending the architecture beyond its walls.

In our urbanised world, the specification of mindful landscapes is also a critical climate strategy. Well-designed planting schemes and green infrastructure can mitigate the urban heat island effect, lowering ambient temperatures and reducing the energy demand of buildings. Vegetation improves air quality by filtering particulates and absorbing pollutants, while healthy soils and biodiverse planting help regulate moisture and support resilient ecosystems. In short, landscapes should not be thought of as purely decoration they are environmental infrastructure that support all aspects of life 

This issue brings together inspiring case studies from designers and landscape architects who are demonstrating how these principles can be applied in practice. Members of the British Institute of Interior Design share projects that illustrate how the boundaries between inside and outside can dissolve seamlessly, creating environments where landscape becomes an integral part of daily life. From courtyards and living walls to biodiverse gardens visible from workspaces and care settings, these examples show how exterior landscapes can help regulate indoor temperature, improve comfort and support wellbeing.

We also feature an insightful article from Hoare Lea exploring how planting strategies that attract birds and wildlife can create natural soundscapes, reminding us that nature is not only visual but acoustic. The presence of birdsong and rustling leaves offers an immediate sensory connection to the natural world.

Alongside practical ideas and frameworks for implementing biophilic landscapes, we are delighted to include a special city feature from Nick Grayson outlining the emerging biophilic plan for Birmingham, an ambitious vision for integrating nature at an urban scale.

It is an exciting issue, filled with possibility and practical inspiration. I hope you enjoy exploring it as much as we enjoyed bringing it together.

Landscapes shape how we experience the world and how well we live within it. In this edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design, we explore the role that landscape plays not only beyond our buildings, but within them too. 

One of the most fundamental yet often overlooked aspects of biophilic design is the simple act of looking out of a window. Views to trees, planting, sky, water or wildlife offer more than aesthetic pleasure; they support cognitive restoration, reduce stress and reconnect us to the rhythms of nature. When thoughtfully designed landscapes are visible from the spaces where we live, work, learn and heal, they become part of the interior experience, extending the architecture beyond its walls.

In our urbanised world, the specification of mindful landscapes is also a critical climate strategy. Well-designed planting schemes and green infrastructure can mitigate the urban heat island effect, lowering ambient temperatures and reducing the energy demand of buildings. Vegetation improves air quality by filtering particulates and absorbing pollutants, while healthy soils and biodiverse planting help regulate moisture and support resilient ecosystems. In short, landscapes should not be thought of as purely decoration they are environmental infrastructure that support all aspects of life 

This issue brings together inspiring case studies from designers and landscape architects who are demonstrating how these principles can be applied in practice. Members of the British Institute of Interior Design share projects that illustrate how the boundaries between inside and outside can dissolve seamlessly, creating environments where landscape becomes an integral part of daily life. From courtyards and living walls to biodiverse gardens visible from workspaces and care settings, these examples show how exterior landscapes can help regulate indoor temperature, improve comfort and support wellbeing.

We also feature an insightful article from Hoare Lea exploring how planting strategies that attract birds and wildlife can create natural soundscapes, reminding us that nature is not only visual but acoustic. The presence of birdsong and rustling leaves offers an immediate sensory connection to the natural world.

Alongside practical ideas and frameworks for implementing biophilic landscapes, we are delighted to include a special city feature from Nick Grayson outlining the emerging biophilic plan for Birmingham, an ambitious vision for integrating nature at an urban scale.

It is an exciting issue, filled with possibility and practical inspiration. I hope you enjoy exploring it as much as we enjoyed bringing it together.

In this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design, we explore Biophilic Materials—those that reconnect people with nature while also challenging us to rethink the choices we make across workplaces, schools, hospitals, retail, hospitality, and the homes we inhabit every day. In every project we design or specify, materials tell a story. They shape not only how a space looks, but how it feels, performs, and ultimately how it supports life.

Material specification is often seen as a technical decision: performance data, durability, cost, compliance. Yet the materials we choose quietly influence wellbeing, environmental impact, and our relationship with the natural world. They affect the air we breathe, the textures we touch, the light we reflect, and the sensory experience of the spaces we create. This issue invites you to pause and reconsider that process—not simply as a checklist, but as an opportunity to design with intention.

Within these pages, you will find inspiring case studies from interior designers who are integrating biophilic thinking into real-world projects, demonstrating how thoughtful material choices can transform spaces for people and planet. Alongside these stories are science-led articles that deepen our understanding of how materials influence health, perception, and connection to nature. Together, they bridge creativity and evidence, reminding us that design decisions carry both emotional and ecological weight.

We also spotlight emerging and innovative materials—from mycelium and mushroom-based solutions to new approaches in construction and manufacturing that seek to reduce environmental impact while enhancing natural qualities. These explorations reveal a future where materials are not just less harmful, but actively regenerative and life-supporting.

 At its heart, this issue is about inspiration and responsibility. Whether you are specifying finishes for a hospital corridor, designing a workplace that nurtures creativity, shaping a retail environment, or selecting materials for a home, each decision contributes to the broader story of how we live with nature rather than apart from it.

 Our hope is that as you read, you will discover new ideas, question familiar choices, and feel inspired to look more closely at the materials that surround us—and the possibilities they hold.

In this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design, we explore Biophilic Materials—those that reconnect people with nature while also challenging us to rethink the choices we make across workplaces, schools, hospitals, retail, hospitality, and the homes we inhabit every day. In every project we design or specify, materials tell a story. They shape not only how a space looks, but how it feels, performs, and ultimately how it supports life.

Material specification is often seen as a technical decision: performance data, durability, cost, compliance. Yet the materials we choose quietly influence wellbeing, environmental impact, and our relationship with the natural world. They affect the air we breathe, the textures we touch, the light we reflect, and the sensory experience of the spaces we create. This issue invites you to pause and reconsider that process—not simply as a checklist, but as an opportunity to design with intention.

Within these pages, you will find inspiring case studies from interior designers who are integrating biophilic thinking into real-world projects, demonstrating how thoughtful material choices can transform spaces for people and planet. Alongside these stories are science-led articles that deepen our understanding of how materials influence health, perception, and connection to nature. Together, they bridge creativity and evidence, reminding us that design decisions carry both emotional and ecological weight.

We also spotlight emerging and innovative materials—from mycelium and mushroom-based solutions to new approaches in construction and manufacturing that seek to reduce environmental impact while enhancing natural qualities. These explorations reveal a future where materials are not just less harmful, but actively regenerative and life-supporting.

 At its heart, this issue is about inspiration and responsibility. Whether you are specifying finishes for a hospital corridor, designing a workplace that nurtures creativity, shaping a retail environment, or selecting materials for a home, each decision contributes to the broader story of how we live with nature rather than apart from it.

 Our hope is that as you read, you will discover new ideas, question familiar choices, and feel inspired to look more closely at the materials that surround us—and the possibilities they hold.

Interior Design as a Living System: Biophilia at the Heart of Human Experience

Welcome to the eighteenth edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design, a special Interior Design focus that places indoor environments firmly at the centre of the biophilic conversation. Interior design shapes the way we feel, think and behave, influencing our health, wellbeing and performance every day. In this issue, we explore how thoughtfully designed interiors can become powerful ecosystems—supporting human flourishing while reconnecting us with the natural world.

Biophilic design in interiors is not a decorative trend or a stylistic layer. It is a fundamental, evidence-led approach that recognises our innate need to connect with nature, even when we are indoors. Humans evolved in rich, bio-based environments shaped by daylight, plants, water, texture and seasonal rhythms. Yet modern life is largely lived within human-made interiors that often ignore these essential cues. Our senses, hormones and biological systems respond to this disconnect, and when our biology is stressed, wellbeing declines. Biophilic interior design responds by reintroducing nature through light, materials, patterns and living systems that align with our evolutionary needs—helping people not just survive, but thrive.

At home, biophilic interiors support families in living their best lives together. They create calmer, more restorative spaces that foster connection, comfort and inclusion, while respecting neurodiversity and differing sensory needs. In education settings, nature-connected interiors enhance concentration, creativity and cognitive clarity, helping students learn more effectively and making schools healthier, more inspiring places to teach and work.

Across workplaces, biophilic interiors are proven to improve wellbeing, productivity and job satisfaction—key factors in recruitment, retention and organisational resilience. In healthcare environments, their impact is even more profound. Biophilic interiors support faster recovery times for patients and, as new research featured in this issue reveals, can significantly improve the wellbeing of staff working in high-pressure settings. One study shows that just one minute of viewing biophilic art can meaningfully enhance the affective wellbeing of clinical staff in an emergency department—powerful evidence of how even small interventions can make a measurable difference.

Leisure, hospitality and retail environments also benefit from biophilic principles, with increased customer satisfaction, longer dwell times and improved commercial performance. In care homes and elderly living environments, biophilic interiors support dignity, comfort and a sense of belonging, helping people live well at every stage of life.

Throughout this issue, key biophilic elements emerge: access to natural light, views of nature, improved acoustics, natural materials and textures, colours drawn from the natural world, and the integration of living systems—plants, trees and seasonal change—within interiors. Where real nature is not accessible, imagery and biophilic art offer scientifically proven alternatives.

From full-spectrum biophilic strategies and cutting-edge research to living classrooms, healthcare insights and the future of “invisible” interior design, this edition celebrates interiors as living systems—places where people and nature thrive together.

Subscribe online to The Journal of Biophilic Design for instant access to this issue and the complete collection—an ever-growing encyclopaedia of biophilic knowledge, research, inspiration and real-world design practice.

Interior Design as a Living System: Biophilia at the Heart of Human Experience

Welcome to the eighteenth edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design, a special Interior Design focus that places indoor environments firmly at the centre of the biophilic conversation. Interior design shapes the way we feel, think and behave, influencing our health, wellbeing and performance every day. In this issue, we explore how thoughtfully designed interiors can become powerful ecosystems—supporting human flourishing while reconnecting us with the natural world.

Biophilic design in interiors is not a decorative trend or a stylistic layer. It is a fundamental, evidence-led approach that recognises our innate need to connect with nature, even when we are indoors. Humans evolved in rich, bio-based environments shaped by daylight, plants, water, texture and seasonal rhythms. Yet modern life is largely lived within human-made interiors that often ignore these essential cues. Our senses, hormones and biological systems respond to this disconnect, and when our biology is stressed, wellbeing declines. Biophilic interior design responds by reintroducing nature through light, materials, patterns and living systems that align with our evolutionary needs—helping people not just survive, but thrive.

At home, biophilic interiors support families in living their best lives together. They create calmer, more restorative spaces that foster connection, comfort and inclusion, while respecting neurodiversity and differing sensory needs. In education settings, nature-connected interiors enhance concentration, creativity and cognitive clarity, helping students learn more effectively and making schools healthier, more inspiring places to teach and work.

Across workplaces, biophilic interiors are proven to improve wellbeing, productivity and job satisfaction—key factors in recruitment, retention and organisational resilience. In healthcare environments, their impact is even more profound. Biophilic interiors support faster recovery times for patients and, as new research featured in this issue reveals, can significantly improve the wellbeing of staff working in high-pressure settings. One study shows that just one minute of viewing biophilic art can meaningfully enhance the affective wellbeing of clinical staff in an emergency department—powerful evidence of how even small interventions can make a measurable difference.

Leisure, hospitality and retail environments also benefit from biophilic principles, with increased customer satisfaction, longer dwell times and improved commercial performance. In care homes and elderly living environments, biophilic interiors support dignity, comfort and a sense of belonging, helping people live well at every stage of life.

Throughout this issue, key biophilic elements emerge: access to natural light, views of nature, improved acoustics, natural materials and textures, colours drawn from the natural world, and the integration of living systems—plants, trees and seasonal change—within interiors. Where real nature is not accessible, imagery and biophilic art offer scientifically proven alternatives.

From full-spectrum biophilic strategies and cutting-edge research to living classrooms, healthcare insights and the future of “invisible” interior design, this edition celebrates interiors as living systems—places where people and nature thrive together.

Subscribe online to The Journal of Biophilic Design for instant access to this issue and the complete collection—an ever-growing encyclopaedia of biophilic knowledge, research, inspiration and real-world design practice.

In this special architecture edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design, we dedicate the entire issue to exploring how architecture can do more than create shelter — it can actively construct health. As we face global challenges around wellbeing, climate change, and urbanisation, the role of architecture in shaping healthier, more nature-connected environments has never been more vital.

From the materials we build with to the ways we design for light, air, and sound, every decision affects how we feel and function within space. The concept of biophilic architecture is not simply about adding greenery; it’s about embedding natural systems, rhythms, and aesthetics into the very fabric of our buildings. It’s about designing spaces that help us live better — physically, psychologically, and socially.

In this issue, we dive into the heart of these ideas. We begin with Salutogenesis and the Architectural Determinants of Health, exploring how design can promote wellbeing from the ground up. Places of Deep Focus looks at how architectural form influences our ability to think and create, while The Green Thread – Building an Ecosystem of Wellbeing weaves together the human, ecological, and sensory aspects of place.

We feature innovative projects like Biophilia and the Winner of the Rotterdam Architecture Prize, and question the future of cities in Healthy More-than-Human Cities and Biophilic Cities. Articles such as The Science Behind Biophilic Design and The Magic of Haptics explore how our sensory engagement with space impacts emotion and behaviour, while Trauma-Informed Architecture considers how environments can be designed to comfort, rather than trigger.

Our exploration extends to Building with Sunshine, Room to Breathe, and The Air We Breathe, where light and air become active agents of wellbeing. We celebrate traditional wisdom in Biophilic Lessons from the Miān-Sarā and forward-thinking approaches in Can Any Property Become Regenerative? and The Role of Plants in Design and Architecture.

Ultimately, this issue asks: how can architecture help us reconnect — with nature, with one another, and with ourselves? As architects, designers, and visionaries, we hold the power to create environments that heal and inspire. Through biophilic design, we can build a new natural order — one where architecture doesn’t just house life, but helps it thrive.

NOTE shipping will be week of 24th November, Thank you for your patience during extraordinary times. Ebook live during week of 18th November.

In this special architecture edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design, we dedicate the entire issue to exploring how architecture can do more than create shelter — it can actively construct health. As we face global challenges around wellbeing, climate change, and urbanisation, the role of architecture in shaping healthier, more nature-connected environments has never been more vital.

From the materials we build with to the ways we design for light, air, and sound, every decision affects how we feel and function within space. The concept of biophilic architecture is not simply about adding greenery; it’s about embedding natural systems, rhythms, and aesthetics into the very fabric of our buildings. It’s about designing spaces that help us live better — physically, psychologically, and socially.

In this issue, we dive into the heart of these ideas. We begin with Salutogenesis and the Architectural Determinants of Health, exploring how design can promote wellbeing from the ground up. Places of Deep Focus looks at how architectural form influences our ability to think and create, while The Green Thread – Building an Ecosystem of Wellbeing weaves together the human, ecological, and sensory aspects of place.

We feature innovative projects like Biophilia and the Winner of the Rotterdam Architecture Prize, and question the future of cities in Healthy More-than-Human Cities and Biophilic Cities. Articles such as The Science Behind Biophilic Design and The Magic of Haptics explore how our sensory engagement with space impacts emotion and behaviour, while Trauma-Informed Architecture considers how environments can be designed to comfort, rather than trigger.

Our exploration extends to Building with Sunshine, Room to Breathe, and The Air We Breathe, where light and air become active agents of wellbeing. We celebrate traditional wisdom in Biophilic Lessons from the Miān-Sarā and forward-thinking approaches in Can Any Property Become Regenerative? and The Role of Plants in Design and Architecture.

Ultimately, this issue asks: how can architecture help us reconnect — with nature, with one another, and with ourselves? As architects, designers, and visionaries, we hold the power to create environments that heal and inspire. Through biophilic design, we can build a new natural order — one where architecture doesn’t just house life, but helps it thrive.

• Did you know you can also buy a beautiful coffee table version of this edition? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/shop/journal-of-biophilic-design-issue-17-architecture-printed-coffee-table-reference-copy

Sound is an important aspect of our environment, in fact is one of the most common things which annoy people in the workplace according to occupancy evaluations, and yet, for some reason we tend to forget about how a space “sounds”.Because we can’t see it, it’s hard to specify, and it’s certainly not top of mind when we are going shopping for the flooring, table lamps, curtains and tiles. But it should be. In a study of 1000 workers led by environmental psychologist Dr Nigel Oseland for the Remark Group, it was found that 65% of workers said noise impacted their ability to complete work in an accurate and timely manner and 58% said that noise had a high impact on their stress levels in the workplace.

Terrapin Bright Green has a whole paper on sound “An Ear for Nature - Psychoacoustic Strategies for Workplace Distractions & The Bottom Line” and explores how biophilic design interventions can help alleviate acoustic stress.

In this edition, we look at this invisible aspect of interior design, we have case studies of biophilic design interventions in healthcare, workplaces, hospitality and more. We look at the science behind how sound affects our minds and also the wildlife around us. How sound affects us in the workplace, which noises annoy, how to mask irritating sound, ideas and tips on how to bring biophilic interventions into your designs how and when to add soundscapes to a space to mask or enhance the living systems in a space.

We have some heavy hitters who are experts in sound, from the amazing Julian Treasureto expert psychoacoustician Paige Hodsman. Sound is one of the last things that leaves us when we depart this earth, we forgot about this. We put people in cacophonous hospitals, we shove them into corridors while they wait for emergency treatment. People’s eyes might be closed, but they are aware of the sounds around us.

Being mindful of how our spaces sound could be one of the best things you do this year. Collaborate, reach out for advice, switch the harsh reflective surface you were intending to put in the open plan office, and include some sound wave deflecting plants, wool lampshades, softer furnishings, create zoning for quiet work, bring in wood rather than metal and plastic, use cork. Many many ideas, we are here to help find the best solutions too, do reach out, our sourcing director in Milan can help you, globally. We want to accelerate this change, and we can do it. Together.

Sound is an important aspect of our environment, in fact is one of the most common things which annoy people in the workplace according to occupancy evaluations, and yet, for some reason we tend to forget about how a space “sounds”.  Because we can’t see it, it’s hard to specify, and it’s certainly not top of mind when we are going shopping for the flooring, table lamps, curtains and tiles. But it should be. In a study of 1000 workers led by environmental psychologist Dr Nigel Oseland for the Remark Group, it was found that 65% of workers said noise impacted their ability to complete work in an accurate and timely manner and 58% said that noise had a high impact on their stress levels in the workplace.

Terrapin Bright Green has a whole paper on sound “An Ear for Nature - Psychoacoustic Strategies for Workplace Distractions & The Bottom Line” and explores how biophilic design interventions can help alleviate acoustic stress.

In our edition here, we look at this invisible aspect of interior design, we have case studies of biophilic design interventions in healthcare, workplaces, hospitality and more. We look at the science behind how sound affects our minds and also the wildlife around us. How sound affects us in the workplace, which noises annoy, how to mask irritating sound, ideas and tips on how to bring biophilic interventions into your designs how and when to add soundscapes to a space to mask or enhance the living systems in a space.

We have some heavy hitters who are experts in sound, from the amazing Julian Treasure  to expert psychoacoustician Paige Hodsman. Sound is one of the last things that leaves us when we depart this earth, we forgot about this. We put people in cacophonous hospitals, we shove them into corridors while they wait for emergency treatment. People’s eyes might be closed, but they are aware of the sounds around us.

Being mindful of how our spaces sound could be one of the best things you do this year. Collaborate, reach out for advice, switch the harsh reflective surface you were intending to put in the open plan office, and include some sound wave deflecting plants, wool lampshades, softer furnishings, create zoning for quiet work, bring in wood rather than metal and plastic, use cork. Many many ideas, we are here to help find the best solutions too, do reach out, our sourcing director in Milan can help you, globally. We want to accelerate this change, and we can do it. Together.

Light is one of the most important aspects of Biophilic Design, and this issue is packed full of the science behind why and how our biology responds to light, exploring everything from evolutionary developments to how light affects our DNA. We also look at how light impacts the natural world around us, so that when we specify, we make sure that lights are angled correctly and the correct temperature lighting so that the impact on the natural world is reduced. We use the ‘right light’ ‘right place’ mindset. Plus, we also hear from lighting designers, artists, architects and scientists as well as the RSPB, academics, plant experts and more.

The Biophilic Design framework specifies healthier environments for people and all life. When Biophilic Designers specify a room, a building or even a city, we look at everything from sensory impact of our environment to the physical and mental health impact of the materials and products we recommend.

We are biological beings, like plants. And just like plants we NEED natural light to survive.

“Light is not merely a technical element, it is a living, sensory material that shapes our experiences. In nature, light drives growth, movement, rhythm, and behaviour. In design, it has the power to influence how we feel, connect, and inhabit spaces,” light designer Lilian van Daal in this issue explores how we embrace this in design.

As Ulysse Dormoy describes in this issue: “All life on earth has evolved under the full solar spectrum, we’ve understood photosynthesis for the last 250 years, and we are only now starting to understand that there is a mirror image process that takes place in living creatures, humans included.”

Knowledge is powerful, and being armed with the copious amount of research and learning that is distilled for you in this issue of the Journal will, I hope, inspire you. Please use this Journal to show clients and stake holders why you are specifying biophilically. Together our voices are stronger.

Over 190 pages of full colour inspiration!

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Articles from wonderful designers, psychologists, scientists, architects, landscape architects, planners and more:

Brice Schneider, Eli Melin, Odile Smith, Giles Miller Ltd, P&A, Steve Edge, Charlotte Trudgen, Boon Ong Lay, Victoria Jackson, Lilian van Daal, Frankie Boyle, Chiara Carucci, Ulysse Dormoy, Dr Nigel Oseland, Simon Corbey, Ruth Kelly and Kael Gillam, Dr Tuwanda Green, Eleanor MacMillan, Coll from Plants@Work, William Sugg & Co, Corinne Courtney, RSPB’s Lou Mahon, Alexandra Bowen, Philippa Hoy, Ann Vanner, Sophie Hall from the Butterfly Conservation, Chintamani Bird, Sofie Refer, Maureen K Calamia, Harry Dodd, Suzanne Pendleton.

Light is one of the most important aspects of Biophilic Design, and this issue is packed full of the science behind why and how our biology responds to light, exploring everything from evolutionary developments to how light affects our DNA. We also look at how light impacts the natural world around us, so that when we specify, we make sure that lights are angled correctly and the correct temperature lighting so that the impact on the natural world is reduced. We use the ‘right light’ ‘right place’ mindset. Plus, we also hear from lighting designers, artists, architects and scientists as well as the RSPB, academics, plant experts and more.

The Biophilic Design framework specifies healthier environments for people and all life. When Biophilic Designers specify a room, a building or even a city, we look at everything from sensory impact of our environment to the physical and mental health impact of the materials and products we recommend.

We are biological beings, like plants. And just like plants we NEED natural light to survive.

“Light is not merely a technical element, it is a living, sensory material that shapes our experiences. In nature, light drives growth, movement, rhythm, and behaviour. In design, it has the power to influence how we feel, connect, and inhabit spaces,” light designer Lilian van Daal in this issue explores how we embrace this in design.

As Ulysse Dormoy describes in this issue: “All life on earth has evolved under the full solar spectrum, we’ve understood photosynthesis for the last 250 years, and we are only now starting to understand that there is a mirror image process that takes place in living creatures, humans included.”

Knowledge is powerful, and being armed with the copious amount of research and learning that is distilled for you in this issue of the Journal will, I hope, inspire you. Please use this Journal to show clients and stake holders why you are specifying biophilically. Together our voices are stronger.

Over 190 pages of full colour inspiration!

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Articles from wonderful designers, psychologists, scientists, architects, landscape architects, planners and more:

Brice Schneider, Eli Melin, Odile Smith, Giles Miller Ltd, P&A, Steve Edge, Charlotte Trudgen, Boon Ong Lay, Victoria Jackson, Lilian van Daal, Frankie Boyle, Chiara Carucci, Ulysse Dormoy, Dr Nigel Oseland, Simon Corbey, Ruth Kelly and Kael Gillam, Dr Tuwanda Green, Eleanor MacMillan, Coll from Plants@Work, William Sugg & Co, Corinne Courtney, RSPB’s Lou Mahon, Alexandra Bowen, Philippa Hoy, Ann Vanner, Sophie Hall from the Butterfly Conservation, Chintamani Bird, Sofie Refer, Maureen K Calamia, Harry Dodd, Suzanne Pendleton.

Welcome to the 14th Issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design. This issue looks at concepts for Biophilic interiors in senior environments, who connecting with nature supports people with dementia, how greener living is redefining renting for older residents. We also look at what older workers want, how we can fust nature and accessibility in modern architecture and create inclusive, biophilic and supportive spaces for an ageing population.

With our population living longer, we want to be healthier longer, and also “retire” (whatever that may look like) in nicer more inspiring places. I don’t think any of us would choose to spend our last days, months or years in how many retirement homes or care homes look like. White boxes, with hard surfaces, wipe clean PVC and lino. Rather we would a spa like environment to ease our days out.

Why can’t we have this? I hate to simplify it, but it needs to be called out. It’s a case of specifying differently, with sense, compassion and also with grace 

People are not just numbers. Just because we get to a certain age, we forget that some of us were rockers in the 70s or hippies in the 60s. To put us into white boxes like prisoners or chickens in a coop is to negate the spirit and LIFE that we have had.

Biophilic Design reconnects us to all LIFE, and it is needed more than anything in older living accommodation, care homes, hospitals and urban design. There is so much evidence which shows how nature connection, especially direct connection with plants, trees, natural light and natural materials, enhances our wellbeing when we are older or when we are sick. Recovery rates are faster, dementia sufferers have an improved experience, and even air quality is better for those whose respiratory passages might not be as good as they once were.

The same goes for sound, nature doesn’t have walls, so acoustics in natural environments are better. Softer furnishings using natural materials, windows with views to the gardens or green spaces, being able to experience the sun rise and sun set, watch wildlife that is full of biodiversity from the window fills us with joy, uplifts our spirits and we know helps heal us.

Thankfully there is an increasing number of designers, architects and urban planners who are embracing Biophilic Design and bringing it into the homes, hospitals and cities for us all to flourish in.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Designing for all. This issue looks at concepts for Biophilic interiors in senior environments, who connecting with nature supports people with dementia, how greener living is redefining renting for older residents. We also look at what older workers want, how we can fust nature and accessibility in modern architecture and create inclusive, biophilic and supportive spaces for an ageing population.

With our population living longer, we want to be healthier longer, and also “retire” (whatever that may look like) in nicer more inspiring places. I don’t think any of us would choose to spend our last days, months or years in how many retirement homes or care homes look like. White boxes, with hard surfaces, wipe clean PVC and lino. Rather we would a spa like environment to ease our days out.

Why can’t we have this? I hate to simplify it, but it needs to be called out. It’s a case of specifying differently, with sense, compassion and also with grace.

People are not just numbers. Just because we get to a certain age, we forget that some of us were rockers in the 70s or hippies in the 60s. To put us into white boxes like prisoners or chickens in a coop is to negate the spirit and LIFE that we have had.

Biophilic Design reconnects us to all LIFE, and it is needed more than anything in older living accommodation, care homes, hospitals and urban design. There is so much evidence which shows how nature connection, especially direct connection with plants, trees, natural light and natural materials, enhances our wellbeing when we are older or when we are sick. Recovery rates are faster, dementia sufferers have an improved experience, and even air quality is better for those whose respiratory passages might not be as good as they once were.

The same goes for sound, nature doesn’t have walls, so acoustics in natural environments are better. Softer furnishings using natural materials, windows with views to the gardens or green spaces, being able to experience the sun rise and sun set, watch wildlife that is full of biodiversity from the window fills us with joy, uplifts our spirits and we know helps heal us.

Thankfully there is an increasing number of designers, architects and urban planners who are embracing Biophilic Design and bringing it into the homes, hospitals and cities for us all to flourish in.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Why dedicate a whole issue to “childhood” when issue 7 of the Journal was focused on Education? There is a great deal of research which clearly states just how important nature connection is for children’s brain development, from boosting cognitive and sensory development, supporting emotional and social growth, improving focus, attention, creativity and imagination as well as promoting physical health and coordination. Plus, it also builds a connection to the environment. With our planet in a crisis, we need the future generation to fully appreciate just how wonderful and beautiful our living world is. I ask nearly everyone who comes onto our podcast series what inspired them to do the role they do making places better for humans and planet through creating and designing a greater connection to the natural world, and all of them have said that they had exposure to nature at an early age.

We forget just how important those early years are for us. Whether that’s digging a hole in the sand by the beach, or building mud pies, riding our bikes through the park, playing football in a field or just idly wandering with our dog avoiding the washing up.

Some children aren’t lucky enough to have exposure to our beautiful natural world. They might live in a built-up city where there are no green spaces, or they might be restricted on being able to get outside for whatever reason. This is why biophilic design is SO vital, not only in urban design, including pocket parks, green streets, urban farms even, but also bringing nature inside the schools, hospitals, care centres wherever our next generation is.

There are some amazing designs and examples in this issue, of how biophilic design has transformed not only the space but also the lives of the children experiencing it.

I hope you enjoy this issue, and also remember that it’s also ok to release your inner child, go kick those leaves in the park, splash around by the water’s edge, collect leaves and acorns for your desk at home or anything else you used to love to do when you were a kid. Just because you are your age, it doesn’t mean you have to forget what brought you joy back then. Nature is there for everyone, whatever you do, however old you are, wherever you are in the world. Take a moment, as Steve Edge says in his article in this issue, to just stand and stare.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Why dedicate a whole issue to “childhood” when issue 7 of the Journal was focused on Education? There is a great deal of research which clearly states just how important nature connection is for children’s brain development, from boosting cognitive and sensory development, supporting emotional and social growth, improving focus, attention, creativity and imagination as well as promoting physical health and coordination. Plus, it also builds a connection to the environment. With our planet in a crisis, we need the future generation to fully appreciate just how wonderful and beautiful our living world is. I ask nearly everyone who comes onto our podcast series what inspired them to do the role they do making places better for humans and planet through creating and designing a greater connection to the natural world, and all of them have said that they had exposure to nature at an early age.

We forget just how important those early years are for us. Whether that’s digging a hole in the sand by the beach, or building mud pies, riding our bikes through the park, playing football in a field or just idly wandering with our dog avoiding the washing up.

Some children aren’t lucky enough to have exposure to our beautiful natural world. They might live in a built-up city where there are no green spaces, or they might be restricted on being able to get outside for whatever reason. This is why biophilic design is SO vital, not only in urban design, including pocket parks, green streets, urban farms even, but also bringing nature inside the schools, hospitals, care centres wherever our next generation is.

There are some amazing designs and examples in this issue, of how biophilic design has transformed not only the space but also the lives of the children experiencing it.

I hope you enjoy this issue, and also remember that it’s also ok to release your inner child, go kick those leaves in the park, splash around by the water’s edge, collect leaves and acorns for your desk at home or anything else you used to love to do when you were a kid. Just because you are your age, it doesn’t mean you have to forget what brought you joy back then. Nature is there for everyone, whatever you do, however old you are, wherever you are in the world. Take a moment, as Steve Edge says in his article in this issue, to just stand and stare.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to the twelfth edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design.

As we come to celebrate the beginning of our third year for the Journal itself, and fifth year for the podcast series, the first Biophilic Design Conference, and the start of a whole series of events running throughout 2025, including a second conference and further collaborations with event partners across the globe, I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for being a part of the whole journey, for listening, sharing your expertise and also if you are reading the Journal, then you care about people and planet. So, thank you. If we design with nature in mind, we create beautiful habitats for people to flourish in. This issue looks at how retail is transformed by this nature connection as well.

🎄 Issue 12 - Retail edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design is jam packed full of inspiring ideas for creating shops, retail spaces, shopping centres, and boutique places that are beautifully biophilic while also supporting trade and enhanced places to be. Read articles from Oliver Heath, Bill Browning, BIID, Space Invader, Mass Timber Building, Stephen Choi, Lyn Falk, Dr Sally Augustin, Mathew Page, Andrea Harman, Ian Drummond, Maria Fenn, and more! Over 170 pages of visuals, case studies, ideas, discussion, research and more!

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to the twelfth edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design.

As we come to celebrate the beginning of our third year for the Journal itself, and fifth year for the podcast series, the first Biophilic Design Conference, and the start of a whole series of events running throughout 2025, including a second conference and further collaborations with event partners across the globe, I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for being a part of the whole journey, for listening, sharing your expertise and also if you are reading the Journal, then you care about people and planet. So, thank you. If we design with nature in mind, we create beautiful habitats for people to flourish in. This issue looks at how retail is transformed by this nature connection as well.

🎄 Issue 12 - Retail edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design is jam packed full of inspiring ideas for creating shops, retail spaces, shopping centres, and boutique places that are beautifully biophilic while also supporting trade and enhanced places to be. Read articles from Oliver Heath, Bill Browning, BIID, Space Invader, Mass Timber Building, Stephen Choi, Lyn Falk, Dr Sally Augustin, Mathew Page, Andrea Harman, Ian Drummond, Maria Fenn, and more! Over 170 pages of visuals, case studies, ideas, discussion, research and more!

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

You could argue that the hotel and leisure industry is one of the main places where Biophilic Design has been most widely embraced for years. It is natural that for places where people “escape” the rat race to, would also be havens of comfort, peace, tranquillity, beauty, harmony. Hotel rooms with views of nature are the most expensive rooms in a hotel. We all want that connection to nature when we take our holiday. “Nature” is nearly always that special “place” we describe when we are asked to close our eyes and think of a location where we feel most relaxed, at ease and inspired.

There has also been an increase globally in people taking holidays that reconnect us to the natural world, whether it is by the sea, in the mountains, backpacking, walking, cycling, canoeing, camping, luxuriating in spa hotel, beach or a hotel which has a swimming pool. As all biophilic design specifiers know, this connection to nature is important for mental health, as well of course as encouraging a healthy lifestyle. The sense of awe we enjoy when immersed in nature can be profound.

The best hotels have nailed the lure that pulls us into staying with them. It’s not the all-you-can-eat buffet (which is nice) but the thing which will help us decide on two similar hotels will be the environment, the décor, the views. No one wants to stay in a hotel which utilitarian and looks like the office they just left in the city, they want respite, beauty, harmony.  

Bill Browning in his brilliant article in this issue explains that “Biophilic design has been listed as one of the top design trends in hospitality for several years. It can improve guest experience, create more memorable hotels, and even change the way guests utilise spaces.”

The spaces and places we spend our free or leisure time can rejuvenate us, help our mind, body and soul relax, unwind, replenish. I’ll let you into a secret, these periods of respite, imagine if we could bring little moments that help you feel like this into the workplace when you got back? Ah, yes, we can, it’s called Biophilic Design. Thank you for being part of this amazing Biophilic Design movement to create places that heal and harmonise.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

You could argue that the hotel and leisure industry is one of the main places where Biophilic Design has been most widely embraced for years. It is natural that for places where people “escape” the rat race to, would also be havens of comfort, peace, tranquillity, beauty, harmony. Hotel rooms with views of nature are the most expensive rooms in a hotel. We all want that connection to nature when we take our holiday. “Nature” is nearly always that special “place” we describe when we are asked to close our eyes and think of a location where we feel most relaxed, at ease and inspired.

There has also been an increase globally in people taking holidays that reconnect us to the natural world, whether it is by the sea, in the mountains, backpacking, walking, cycling, canoeing, camping, luxuriating in spa hotel, beach or a hotel which has a swimming pool. As all biophilic design specifiers know, this connection to nature is important for mental health, as well of course as encouraging a healthy lifestyle. The sense of awe we enjoy when immersed in nature can be profound.

The best hotels have nailed the lure that pulls us into staying with them. It’s not the all-you-can-eat buffet (which is nice) but the thing which will help us decide on two similar hotels will be the environment, the décor, the views. No one wants to stay in a hotel which utilitarian and looks like the office they just left in the city, they want respite, beauty, harmony.  

Bill Browning in his brilliant article in this issue explains that “Biophilic design has been listed as one of the top design trends in hospitality for several years. It can improve guest experience, create more memorable hotels, and even change the way guests utilise spaces.”

The spaces and places we spend our free or leisure time can rejuvenate us, help our mind, body and soul relax, unwind, replenish. I’ll let you into a secret, these periods of respite, imagine if we could bring little moments that help you feel like this into the workplace when you got back? Ah, yes, we can, it’s called Biophilic Design. Thank you for being part of this amazing Biophilic Design movement to create places that heal and harmonise.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Surrounding ourselves with nature and patterns of nature, research has proven prompts us to act more sustainably. Also patterns like natural light, specifying natural materials, wood, plants, natural airflow, and all the others, all lead to less energy use (less electric lighting, less HVAC system reliance), less plastic pollutants in the air, less emissions in cities because there is more green trees and planting, reduced heating and air con use if we put more deciduous trees outside or green walls on buildings. The list goes on.

This issue touches on just a few, and explores some aspects, like natural light, natural materials, innovation in monitoring impact, becoming a B-corp, urban forestry. We also include a section on the Environment in every issue and look at lots of case studies relevant to each topic, so timber buildings for schools, plants and views of nature in healthcare, park areas for social connectivity and outdoor space for improved mental health for citizens, water soundscapes for offices for better quality air, innovations in bio materials. So many aspects of Biophilic Design are beneficial for people and for our planet too.

I believe the no one can be a designer, architect, planner and not feel for the planet we are dependent on. No one can design knowing that what they are building, designing will pollute the planet or the people living in it.  While there is a school of thought that focuses on Biophilic Design solely inside buildings, there is also a whole movement which is pushing for the Biophilic Design mindset to be applied to every aspect of our Built Environment.

In fact, I believe, that if we implemented the principles of Biophilic Design into the very fabric of our Urban Planning, if we retrofit and design new buildings following the patterns of Biophilic Design, we would not only mitigate Climate Change, but also go some way to reaching Net Zero.

We each have a code of ethics, and these should include how we impact on the earth. There are ALWAYS options, we just need to source them, show them to the client, and argue the case.  We created the Journal of Biophilic Design to help you persuade clients the reason we need to source better, we need to design better.  Take the relevant issue along, show them the case studies, the science, the ideas and the weight of the voices within each issue will be with you every step of the way.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Surrounding ourselves with nature and patterns of nature, research has proven prompts us to act more sustainably. Also patterns like natural light, specifying natural materials, wood, plants, natural airflow, and all the others, all lead to less energy use (less electric lighting, less HVAC system reliance), less plastic pollutants in the air, less emissions in cities because there is more green trees and planting, reduced heating and air con use if we put more deciduous trees outside or green walls on buildings. The list goes on.

This issue touches on just a few, and explores some aspects, like natural light, natural materials, innovation in monitoring impact, becoming a B-corp, urban forestry. We also include a section on the Environment in every issue and look at lots of case studies relevant to each topic, so timber buildings for schools, plants and views of nature in healthcare, park areas for social connectivity and outdoor space for improved mental health for citizens, water soundscapes for offices for better quality air, innovations in bio materials. So many aspects of Biophilic Design are beneficial for people and for our planet too.

I believe the no one can be a designer, architect, planner and not feel for the planet we are dependent on. No one can design knowing that what they are building, designing will pollute the planet or the people living in it.  While there is a school of thought that focuses on Biophilic Design solely inside buildings, there is also a whole movement which is pushing for the Biophilic Design mindset to be applied to every aspect of our Built Environment.

In fact, I believe, that if we implemented the principles of Biophilic Design into the very fabric of our Urban Planning, if we retrofit and design new buildings following the patterns of Biophilic Design, we would not only mitigate Climate Change, but also go some way to reaching Net Zero.

We each have a code of ethics, and these should include how we impact on the earth. There are ALWAYS options, we just need to source them, show them to the client, and argue the case.  We created the Journal of Biophilic Design to help you persuade clients the reason we need to source better, we need to design better.  Take the relevant issue along, show them the case studies, the science, the ideas and the weight of the voices within each issue will be with you every step of the way.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to the ninth edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design. Printed Edition (Eco inks and paper)

Each edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design is a platform for everyone to have their voice, and it is especially clear in this one. There are design examples to inspire and spark debate, personal stories of designers who design from a personal understanding of how different we all are having embraced their own neurodiversity, there are stories of individuals who connect with nature to support their sensory overload or to stimulate it in a different way. I hope you enjoy exploring this edition as well as be inspired to embrace and consider how we design for everyone, yourself included.

We also look at the new PAS standard 6463:2022 – Design for the Mind – Neurodiversity and the built environment: “Neurodiversity is the term used to describe the variation in neurocognitive profiles across the whole population, and the guidance in this PAS is about us all. It is not about one condition, difficulty, or difference. The term recognizes the variety in the way we speak, think, move, act, and communicate; that human brains are diverse and vary. Each one of us has a unique set of different connections with our billions of nerve cells. As a consequence, the way we interact with our environment can vary from person to person. It is dynamic and might change over time”.

It also states that Biophilic Design is a key element to designing for neurodivergence: “The majority of features that are generally associated with physical and mental wellbeing can also be beneficial to people who experience sensory differences. In particular, connection with nature through all the senses, biophilic design principles, applying the golden ratio to replicate in design the proportions commonly.”

This issue is a celebration of how Biophilic Design including access to nature, lighting, biophilic design, surface materials and sensory feedback is creating spaces that are better for everyone.

Articles written by some brilliant names in Biophilic Design, health, wellbeing, architecture, planning, science-based research, education, academia and more:

Dr Samantha Friedman (Edinburgh University), Nuria Munoz (Habitarmonia), James Gavigan (House of Kin), Angels Ganoo Fletcher (PRP), Jean Hewitt (Buro Happold), Guy Kornetzki (Nulty), Frankie Boyle, IDr Mars Sambo, David O’Coimin (Nook Wellness Pods), John Goodman (Neurobridge), Guy Osmond (Osmond Ergonomics), Glen Cousquer (Edinburgh University), Chris Packham, James and Piper Hutson, Dr Harriet Shortt (BiBO), Andy Lake (Flexibility), Dr Sally Augustin (The Space Doctors and Design with Science), Dr Kay Sargent (HOK), Coll Smith (Plants at Work), Thomas Palfreyman (Urban Planters), Lisa Norton (Harrogate Garden Design), Amit Anafi (il Prisma), Adrian Byne (Benholm), Patty Baker (Pax in Natura), Alexander Verbeek (Environmentalist/ former Diplomat and current author of The Planet Substack), Mark Eltringham (Workplace Insight), Bjorn Bayer (Bear Natural Building), David Callé (JBD, and Egopetram), Lara Cowan (The Botanic Shed), Maureen Calamia (Luminous Spaces), Owen Wiseman, Saskia Marjoram (Saskia’s Flower Essences), Amanda Bond (Wild Edge Walker), Tansy Jane Dowman (Tansy in the Wild), Charlie Easmon (Your Excellent Health), Robert Delius (Stride Treglown), Francesco Toffoli (Designer).

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member alofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to Issue 9 of the Journal of Biophilic Design. Each edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design is a platform for everyone to have their voice, and it is especially clear in this one. There are design examples to inspire and spark debate, personal stories of designers who design from a personal understanding of how different we all are having embraced their own neurodiversity, there are stories of individuals who connect with nature to support their sensory overload or to stimulate it in a different way. I hope you enjoy exploring this edition as well as be inspired to embrace and consider how we design for everyone, yourself included.

We also look at the new PAS standard 6463:2022 – Design for the Mind – Neurodiversity and the built environment: “Neurodiversity is the term used to describe the variation in neurocognitive profiles across the whole population, and the guidance in this PAS is about us all. It is not about one condition, difficulty, or difference. The term recognizes the variety in the way we speak, think, move, act, and communicate; that human brains are diverse and vary. Each one of us has a unique set of different connections with our billions of nerve cells. As a consequence, the way we interact with our environment can vary from person to person. It is dynamic and might change over time”.

It also states that Biophilic Design is a key element to designing for neurodivergence: “The majority of features that are generally associated with physical and mental wellbeing can also be beneficial to people who experience sensory differences. In particular, connection with nature through all the senses, biophilic design principles, applying the golden ratio to replicate in design the proportions commonly.”

This issue is a celebration of how Biophilic Design including access to nature, lighting, biophilic design, surface materials and sensory feedback is creating spaces that are better for everyone.

Articles written by some brilliant names in Biophilic Design, health, wellbeing, architecture, planning, science-based research, education, academia and more:

Dr Samantha Friedman (Edinburgh University), Nuria Munoz (Habitarmonia), James Gavigan (House of Kin), Angels Ganoo Fletcher (PRP), Jean Hewitt (Buro Happold), Guy Kornetzki (Nulty), Frankie Boyle, IDr Mars Sambo, David O’Coimin (Nook Wellness Pods), John Goodman (Neurobridge), Guy Osmond (Osmond Ergonomics), Glen Cousquer (Edinburgh University), Chris Packham, James and Piper Hutson, Dr Harriet Shortt (BiBO), Andy Lake (Flexibility), Dr Sally Augustin (The Space Doctors and Design with Science), Dr Kay Sargent (HOK), Coll Smith (Plants at Work), Thomas Palfreyman (Urban Planters), Lisa Norton (Harrogate Garden Design), Amit Anafi (il Prisma), Adrian Byne (Benholm), Patty Baker (Pax in Natura), Alexander Verbeek (Environmentalist/ former Diplomat and current author of The Planet Substack), Mark Eltringham (Workplace Insight), Bjorn Bayer (Bear Natural Building), David Callé (JBD, and Egopetram), Lara Cowan (The Botanic Shed), Maureen Calamia (Luminous Spaces), Owen Wiseman, Saskia Marjoram (Saskia’s Flower Essences), Amanda Bond (Wild Edge Walker), Tansy Jane Dowman (Tansy in the Wild), Charlie Easmon (Your Excellent Health), Robert Delius (Stride Treglown), Francesco Toffoli (Designer).

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to this Wellbeing issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design. One of the most beautiful things about Biophilia is that it celebrates just how integral nature is to every aspect of “us”. Without it we are losing out on the most wonderful tonics for life. In many workplaces, hospitals, schools we’ve forgotten just how much we need this connection, which is why we should really celebrate all those wonderful designers, architects, planners and leaders who have recognised and are implementing Biophilic Design to reinvigorate spaces for everyone.

There is a mental health crisis in many countries, there is air pollution causing physical health issues, noise pollution (inside and out of buildings) causing cortisol / stress levels to rise, there are few safe greenspaces to walk or play and keep fit causing a greater rise in physical and mental health issues related to a sedentary lifestyle, and many other health and wellbeing stressors caused by concrete jungles and square white workplace boxes.

Thankfully, Biophilic Design is turning this on its head, and it is exciting to meet so many wonderful people and groups who are lobbying for change and actually doing the implementation too. People are walking the walk not just talking the talk. Biophilic Design is reconnecting people to nature, we are creating beautiful views, parks for people to walk in, tree lined streets for better air quality and reducing city temperatures, bringing in inspiring wood features into schools as tactile desks and real trees creating natural screening and zones for different types of working, in healthcare we see large scale wall nature photographs of views onto an awe inspiring landscape or quiet brooks nestling among trees to allow the benefits of ART (Attention Restoration Theory) to help calm and give respite encouraging faster recovery for patients and relief for the overworked staff.

In this issue you’ll find case studies, personal stories of how nature supported healing from burn out, inspiring ideas on how to connect to nature through materials, walks, food, plants, sound, smell, views, touch. There is also a sneak peak into The Dreaming retreat, as well as plants for office wellbeing, how to create homes for wellness, what exactly is plant energy, as well as lots of science behind how nature exposure alleviates anxiety and promotes wellbeing.

If you want to learn more about how Biophilic Design can really positively impact better health outcomes, take a look at our Healthcare edition.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to this Wellbeing issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design. One of the most beautiful things about Biophilia is that it celebrates just how integral nature is to every aspect of “us”. Without it we are losing out on the most wonderful tonics for life. In many workplaces, hospitals, schools we’ve forgotten just how much we need this connection, which is why we should really celebrate all those wonderful designers, architects, planners and leaders who have recognised and are implementing Biophilic Design to reinvigorate spaces for everyone.

There is a mental health crisis in many countries, there is air pollution causing physical health issues, noise pollution (inside and out of buildings) causing cortisol / stress levels to rise, there are few safe greenspaces to walk or play and keep fit causing a greater rise in physical and mental health issues related to a sedentary lifestyle, and many other health and wellbeing stressors caused by concrete jungles and square white workplace boxes.

Thankfully, Biophilic Design is turning this on its head, and it is exciting to meet so many wonderful people and groups who are lobbying for change and actually doing the implementation too. People are walking the walk not just talking the talk. Biophilic Design is reconnecting people to nature, we are creating beautiful views, parks for people to walk in, tree lined streets for better air quality and reducing city temperatures, bringing in inspiring wood features into schools as tactile desks and real trees creating natural screening and zones for different types of working, in healthcare we see large scale wall nature photographs of views onto an awe inspiring landscape or quiet brooks nestling among trees to allow the benefits of ART (Attention Restoration Theory) to help calm and give respite encouraging faster recovery for patients and relief for the overworked staff.

In this issue you’ll find case studies, personal stories of how nature supported healing from burn out, inspiring ideas on how to connect to nature through materials, walks, food, plants, sound, smell, views, touch. There is also a sneak peak into The Dreaming retreat, as well as plants for office wellbeing, how to create homes for wellness, what exactly is plant energy, as well as lots of science behind how nature exposure alleviates anxiety and promotes wellbeing.

If you want to learn more about how Biophilic Design can really positively impact better health outcomes, take a look at our Healthcare edition.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Welcome to the 7th Edition of the Journal of Biophilic Design. When you think about your own school or university experience you might have traumatic memories or absolutely amazing ones (we can debate how are brains focus on one or the other another time!), but for a moment think back about how much “nature-connection” you had. For me, growing up in the 70s, I was in London, the primary school playground was concrete, asphalt and brick, and there was a little bank of trees shielding us from the petrol station on the other side of the wall where the boys would invariably kick their footballs over to. In my secondary school there was the “teachers’ garden” where you weren’t allowed to play in unless it was a special day and you were 17 plus and in the 6th form. That exclusivity of nature from the rest of the school was a bit bizarre thinking about it. But the expectation of a paved and grey playground was the norm. I was lucky because my mother was a bit of an eco-nut and my father an outdoorsy kind of guy, so my free time outside of school was spent in the woods with the dog, walking, on the beach. I remember fondly those long day trips in the back of the car, with books, sandwiches and then exploding out of the confines of the vehicle and onto the field where we parked our car, had a picnic and then spilled out onto the beach. Hours and hours we spent outside.

Now I’m involved in exploring why biophilic design is good for us, how we bring it in and the thousands of benefits it bestows on us, I’m sitting here typing this on a Sunday morning wondering why the heck do we still design schools in a way where children are withdrawn from nature and then our secondary and new tertiary educational establishments continue in the same vein.

However… and here’s the good news… there is a change. And the Department of Education here in the UK is now incorporating Biophilic Design into the fabric of schools. We are still a long way off from it permeating every place of education, but it’s an amazing start! Watch out for a podcast coming up!

In this issue, I am so thrilled to share with you some brilliant case studies which show how it can be done… brilliantly… Take a look at the De Verwondering, a Biophilic Primary School, where 85% of the above ground construction is built of natural materials, the ventilation system of hatches allow the smell of new mown grass to float in. Putney High School is another of an amazing green infrastructure campus, where there is access to play in nature, but inside the building itself there is also a dramatic reduction of CO2 with a 58% improvement in the air quality. Oliver Heath’s sensory school as well as Determan’s Bethel-Hanberry elementary school design celebrates biomorphic forms. All these Biophilic Design interventions also help reduce absenteeism. Make sure you take a look at and share the Good Plant Guide generously given by Clare Bowman of RCZM Architects.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

When you think about your own school or university experience you might have traumatic memories or absolutely amazing ones (we can debate how are brains focus on one or the other another time!), but for a moment think back about how much “nature-connection” you had. For me, growing up in the 70s, I was in London, the primary school playground was concrete, asphalt and brick, and there was a little bank of trees shielding us from the petrol station on the other side of the wall where the boys would invariably kick their footballs over to. In my secondary school there was the “teachers’ garden” where you weren’t allowed to play in unless it was a special day and you were 17 plus and in the 6th form. That exclusivity of nature from the rest of the school was a bit bizarre thinking about it. But the expectation of a paved and grey playground was the norm. I was lucky because my mother was a bit of an eco-nut and my father an outdoorsy kind of guy, so my free time outside of school was spent in the woods with the dog, walking, on the beach. I remember fondly those long day trips in the back of the car, with books, sandwiches and then exploding out of the confines of the vehicle and onto the field where we parked our car, had a picnic and then spilled out onto the beach. Hours and hours we spent outside.

Now I’m involved in exploring why biophilic design is good for us, how we bring it in and the thousands of benefits it bestows on us, I’m sitting here typing this on a Sunday morning wondering why the heck do we still design schools in a way where children are withdrawn from nature and then our secondary and new tertiary educational establishments continue in the same vein.

However… and here’s the good news… there is a change. And the Department of Education here in the UK is now incorporating Biophilic Design into the fabric of schools. We are still a long way off from it permeating every place of education, but it’s an amazing start! Watch out for a podcast coming up!

In this issue, I am so thrilled to share with you some brilliant case studies which show how it can be done… brilliantly… Take a look at the De Verwondering, a Biophilic Primary School, where 85% of the above ground construction is built of natural materials, the ventilation system of hatches allow the smell of new mown grass to float in. Putney High School is another of an amazing green infrastructure campus, where there is access to play in nature, but inside the building itself there is also a dramatic reduction of CO2 with a 58% improvement in the air quality. Oliver Heath’s sensory school as well as Determan’s Bethel-Hanberry elementary school design celebrates biomorphic forms. All these Biophilic Design interventions also help reduce absenteeism. Make sure you take a look at and share the Good Plant Guide generously given by Clare Bowman of RCZM Architects.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Treat yourself to 6 gorgeous printed coffee table reference books. Full colour, full of inspiration, case studies, science, wellbeing, plants, urban design and planning, landscape architecture, neuroscience, ecology, biodiversity advice, sustainability discussions and evidence on how Biophilic Design can improve and shape our our homes, workplaces, schools, healthcare, cities and our planet. For the physical and mental health of people and all life on our beautiful earth.

Enjoy 6 copies of the Journal dispatched direct to your nominated address.

Issue 1 Workplace

Issue 2 Home

Issue 3 Healthcare

Issue 4 Cities

Issue 5 Creativity

Issue 6 Blue Mind

Treat yourself to 6 gorgeous printed coffee table reference books. Full colour, full of inspiration, case studies, science, wellbeing, plants, urban design and planning, landscape architecture, neuroscience, ecology, biodiversity advice, sustainability discussions and evidence on how Biophilic Design can improve and shape our our homes, workplaces, schools, healthcare, cities and our planet. For the physical and mental health of people and all life on our beautiful earth.

Enjoy 6 copies of the Journal dispatched direct to your nominated address.

Issue 7 Education

Issue 8 Wellbeing

Issue 9 Neurodiversity

Issue 10 Environment

Issue 11 Leisure/Hotels

Issue 12 Retail

Having water in cities and towns, in new build developments, schools, colleges, and healthcare facilities, brings amazing benefits: from wellbeing to providing somewhere cooler to sit in the freak heatwaves that will increasingly hit us. There is a thing that we have spoken about before in the Journal called ‘Attention Restoration Theory ‘, how having something else to focus our attention on for a short period gives us a mental boost, and so being beside, viewing or imagining water helps us access this benefit. It helps take us away from the usual and gives us respite. In this issue, we delve into the science behind why “Blue” views are good for us from a neuroscience perspective and there are some beautiful design examples which use the “Blue Mind” principles from having views of water to how and where to use water soundscapes.

“Humans are approximately 60% water; The brain, 73% water. So, it may come as no surprise that proximity to water sources, such as oceans has almost universal appeal. Whilst evolutionary biologists have long cited the link between human’s reliance on water for survival as an explanation for our almost universal connection to oceanscapes, modern developments in neuroscience and multisensory integration are providing further opportunities to understand the potential pathways between our great oceans and human,” as Dr Sophie Schuller outlines in our opening article.

Evan Benway of Moodsoonic describes how water sounds can create positive spaces “There’s something inherently enjoyable about the crashing of waves on a beach, the rhythmic patter of raindrops on leaves, the gurgling of a gentle stream or the rush of a cascading waterfall. The sounds of water are some of the most popular and powerful sounds in the world. But why? And how can we use biophilic design to harness that power to improve people’s health indoors?”

Plus in this issue case studies, personal stories, the science behind water connection, the importance of water, rivers, seas in our ecosystem, how “Blue” positively impacts our wellbeing, how a biophilically designed urban environment which includes clean and well-managed water-frontages can have a positive impact on city economies. We look at the Ocean Race, harnessing the power of nature sounds, the science behind wild swimming, Japan’s coastal serenity, how communities can lobby for the right to access and enjoy rivers and wild water spaces, how we can bring water in the built environment without breaking the bank or making a mess, how Rivers in cities can have a positive impact on people, planet and profit. Plus lots more. Over 210 pages full colour inspiration.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Having water in cities and towns, in new build developments, schools, colleges, and healthcare facilities, brings amazing benefits: from wellbeing to providing somewhere cooler to sit in the freak heatwaves that will increasingly hit us. There is a thing that we have spoken about before in the Journal called ‘Attention Restoration Theory ‘, how having something else to focus our attention on for a short period gives us a mental boost, and so being beside, viewing or imagining water helps us access this benefit. It helps take us away from the usual and gives us respite. In this issue, we delve into the science behind why “Blue” views are good for us from a neuroscience perspective and there are some beautiful design examples which use the “Blue Mind” principles from having views of water to how and where to use water soundscapes.

“Humans are approximately 60% water; The brain, 73% water. So, it may come as no surprise that proximity to water sources, such as oceans has almost universal appeal. Whilst evolutionary biologists have long cited the link between human’s reliance on water for survival as an explanation for our almost universal connection to oceanscapes, modern developments in neuroscience and multisensory integration are providing further opportunities to understand the potential pathways between our great oceans and human,” as Dr Sophie Schuller outlines in our opening article.

Evan Benway of Moodsoonic describes how water sounds can create positive spaces “There’s something inherently enjoyable about the crashing of waves on a beach, the rhythmic patter of raindrops on leaves, the gurgling of a gentle stream or the rush of a cascading waterfall. The sounds of water are some of the most popular and powerful sounds in the world. But why? And how can we use biophilic design to harness that power to improve people’s health indoors?”

Plus in this issue case studies, personal stories, the science behind water connection, the importance of water, rivers, seas in our ecosystem, how “Blue” positively impacts our wellbeing, how a biophilically designed urban environment which includes clean and well-managed water-frontages can have a positive impact on city economies. We look at the Ocean Race, harnessing the power of nature sounds, the science behind wild swimming, Japan’s coastal serenity, how communities can lobby for the right to access and enjoy rivers and wild water spaces, how we can bring water in the built environment without breaking the bank or making a mess, how Rivers in cities can have a positive impact on people, planet and profit. Plus lots more. Over 210 pages full colour inspiration.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Every field of work needs some element of creativity, and that’s true wherever you are on the work chain. You can be looking at strategy or the next shoe design, working out a complicated data-driven solution or needing to persuade the government to adopt a policy. In every instance, creativity gives us the edge. (This is for the Ebook version for the printed copy click here)

There is a reason people employ design, PR, marketing and strategy agencies, we all know the value free thinking and creativity brings to a business. What we forget is that for every one of us, we have an extra source of FREE inspiration cloaking our earth. And that is our natural world. Do you remember the last time you took yourself out of the office or your house and went for a walk in the woods, along the towpath, across the park? When you had that revelation, some glimpses into a solution. Nature allows your mind to be free, to wander, to just be. There are no judgements or preconceptions, it just is. It lives and breathes just like us. Being close to it, watching the undulations of branches in the wind, the lofty jumps of squirrels in search of food or the protective calls of birds in the trees, something sparks an idea in our minds, some kind of recognition that helps unlock solutions to problems that seem a thousand miles away.

Nature is such an inspiration on so many levels, from offering up texture, colour, shape, smell, sustainability, design, and biomimetic ideas right through to giving us space, light, and air to think, breathe and create.

In this issue, we opened out the concept of “Creativity and Nature” and we have a beautiful issue as a result. Looking at how wool for instance can provide us with wonderful sustainable rugs to snuggle around us or how strong hardwood trees provide solidity and longevity under our feet. We also celebrate the flower in our plants section, with pressed flowers and Roman crowns.
Throughout this issue, you’ll be taken on a bit of a journey. Allow your mind and time to meander awhile through a garden of ideas.

In this issue as always, we look at the science behind how our brains relate to seeing and being immersed in nature. Just what happens to our little grey cells when our senses are enlivened by nature, whether that’s seeing, touching, smelling, feeling, tasting, or experiencing nature.

This is an issue to savour, to pick up and ruminate on, to take to heart, to be inspired by.

As a bit of background, did you know...
Research conducted to the highest standards by neuro-, cognitive, and social scientists, worldwide, makes it clear that people are most apt to think creatively in spaces that:

• Feature the colour green. Looking at the colour green has been tied to enhanced creative performance. Among all the greens available, those that are not very saturated and relatively light are the best options. These sorts of greens, an example of which is a sage green with lots of white mixed into it, create the optimum atmosphere for knowledge work generally – one where people are calm and collected enough to focus on whatever they’re endeavouring to accomplish, but not so relaxed that they fall asleep – and the use of a light colour on walls makes a space seem slightly larger than it does when a darker one is applied – that impression of extra size is generally a plus. How many of us, particularly at home, are toiling away in a space that seems overly large?

• Bring nature views front and centre. Whether out the window or on the wall/desktop (in a photo, artwork, etc.), nature views help us both mentally refresh and think more creatively.

Read about the science, pick up and "feel" the beautiful nature-inspired designed products from rugs to gorgeous staircases and the delicacy of wrought iron flowers climbing a building, petal art, how a shared workspace in nature works, plus lots more! Read, view feel and be inspired!

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Every field of work needs some element of creativity, and that’s true wherever you are on the work chain. You can be looking at strategy or the next shoe design, working out a complicated data-driven solution or needing to persuade the government to adopt a policy. In every instance, creativity gives us the edge. There is a reason people employ design, PR, marketing and strategy agencies, we all know the value free thinking and creativity brings to a business. What we forget is that for every one of us, we have an extra source of FREE inspiration cloaking our earth. And that is our natural world. Do you remember the last time you took yourself out of the office or your house and went for a walk in the woods, along the towpath, across the park? When you had that revelation, some glimpses into a solution. Nature allows your mind to be free, to wander, to just be. There are no judgements or preconceptions, it just is. It lives and breathes just like us. Being close to it, watching the undulations of branches in the wind, the lofty jumps of squirrels in search of food or the protective calls of birds in the trees, something sparks an idea in our minds, some kind of recognition that helps unlock solutions to problems that seem a thousand miles away.

Nature is such an inspiration on so many levels, from offering up texture, colour, shape, smell, sustainability, design, and biomimetic ideas right through to giving us space, light, and air to think, breathe and create.

In this issue, we opened out the concept of “Creativity and Nature” and we have a beautiful issue as a result. Looking at how wool for instance can provide us with wonderful sustainable rugs to snuggle around us or how strong hardwood trees provide solidity and longevity under our feet. We also celebrate the flower in our plants section, with pressed flowers and Roman crowns.
Throughout this issue, you’ll be taken on a bit of a journey. Allow your mind and time to meander awhile through a garden of ideas.

In this issue as always, we look at the science behind how our brains relate to seeing and being immersed in nature. Just what happens to our little grey cells when our senses are enlivened by nature, whether that’s seeing, touching, smelling, feeling, tasting, or experiencing nature.

This is an issue to savour, to pick up and ruminate on, to take to heart, to be inspired by.

As a bit of background, did you know...
Research conducted to the highest standards by neuro-, cognitive, and social scientists, worldwide, makes it clear that people are most apt to think creatively in spaces that:

• Feature the colour green. Looking at the colour green has been tied to enhanced creative performance. Among all the greens available, those that are not very saturated and relatively light are the best options. These sorts of greens, an example of which is a sage green with lots of white mixed into it, create the optimum atmosphere for knowledge work generally – one where people are calm and collected enough to focus on whatever they’re endeavouring to accomplish, but not so relaxed that they fall asleep – and the use of a light colour on walls makes a space seem slightly larger than it does when a darker one is applied – that impression of extra size is generally a plus. How many of us, particularly at home, are toiling away in a space that seems overly large?

• Bring nature views front and centre. Whether out the window or on the wall/desktop (in a photo, artwork, etc.), nature views help us both mentally refresh and think more creatively.

Read about the science, pick up and "feel" the beautiful nature-inspired designed products from rugs to gorgeous staircases and the delicacy of wrought iron flowers climbing a building, petal art, how a shared workspace in nature works, plus lots more! Read, view feel and be inspired!

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Cities are living systems. From urban design to addressing climate change, Biophilic Design is an essential building block of any city design. In this fourth issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design researchers, psychologists, designers, architects, town planners all come together to share best practice, ideas, case studies and more. Learn from these shared ideas and research to help your town and city build better.

What does your city look like? Is it green, full of trees, rivers, lakes and ponds teaming with life. Are there walkways and cycle paths that meander across the city encouraging you to abandon the car and motorcycle and enjoy the beauty around you? Is the air clear? Is the noise pollution from the cars absorbed by gorgeous hedgerows and abundant leafy plants? Is there birdsong above your head and butterflies dancing across your path?

In all likelihood it’s a no to most of these questions. There may be elements of it in pockets of certain districts, maybe in those areas where affluence and private funding has enabled landscaping and greater citizen control. But what about for the rest of the city? How do we bring about equity so that everyone has access to nature?

Another reason we advocate implementing Biophilic Design in an urban context is that, as well as creating community spaces, safer walkways and improves wellbeing, it also goes a long way in helping mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. For instance, planting trees helps reduce flooding, reduces temperatures in cities by preventing heat islands, encourages biodiversity and restores natural ecosystems.

The reason we have dedicated a whole issue to Cities and will definitely revisit it in another separate publication in due course (as well as have a regular section in each issue of the Journal), is because if we all put our heads together to explore urban design and encourage a more nature-centred approach, we might inspire greater conversations between us all, whether we are planners, architects, businesses, designers or families and nature-inspired design might then also filter into buildings.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see nature and nature-inspired design as we walk to and from work, as we approach hospitals, walk to school, relax at lunchtime? It would go some way into giving us a more positive outlook on life and our experiences throughout the day, helping reduce our cortisol levels, blood pressure and actually, you know, bring some joy into our lives. Not every day is perfect, so at least if we can find a moment of respite on our commute then life has to be a little better doesn’t it? And our beautiful planet will love us more too.

Our cities should have all the elements we need to survive, thrive, and flourish. Tree and plant-lined walkways to give us some beauty and calm before we arrive at work, home, or school, as well as pockets of parks and green spaces with benches and meandering paths to allow us some downtime from a busy office, hospital or homelife.

With the statistics saying that 68% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050 we really do need to make sure there is the infrastructure in place to ensure we don’t add burden the already burgeoning infrastructures already there.

Making sure we ALL have access to nature and green spaces, with homes and workplaces, healthcare facilities and schools nestled within green spaces. Did you know there is an 80% reduction in crime if there are trees and green spaces in cities? Did you know that we need less anti-depressants if we have trees around us, reducing stress and anxiety?

We also need to create flexible nature-inspired spaces, bring green directly into the city’s buildings themselves, ensuring we take time to have a wander and take time to look around us, look at the trees, hear the bird-song, study the little flowers: observe, absorb, and enjoy what we see.

If you are designing with biophilia at the heart of what you do, thank you for making the environments you create, the lives you improve and the planet happier and healthier. If you have just started on your Biophilic Design journey, then welcome to the movement, together we can make the world a better place to live, work and flourish in.

One of the most exciting aspects of Biophilic Design is that it is based on Science. There is so much research on how and why this wonderfully simple design process has such a phenomenal impact on us. In this regular section, our ‘resident’ Environmental Psychologist Dr  Sally Augustin shares thoughts distilled from piles and piles of research, presenting results, suggestions and further reading for you to delve into each month.

If you are an experienced expert on a certain aspect of Biophilic Design, or on how human physiology is impacted by their environment, please get in touch. We are also aiming to co-host a symposium with thought leaders in the not too distant.

Printed on recyled uncoated paper by a lovely environmentally friendly print company. PAPERBACK PRINTED VERSION over 180 pages of full colour nature-inspired design and ideas, just turning these beautiful pages is like a biophilic inspiration.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Cities are living systems. From urban design to addressing climate change, Biophilic Design is an essential building block of any city design. In this fourth issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design researchers, psychologists, designers, architects, town planners all come together to share best practice, ideas, case studies and more. Learn from these shared ideas and research to help your town and city build better.

What does your city look like? Is it green, full of trees, rivers, lakes and ponds teaming with life. Are there walkways and cycle paths that meander across the city encouraging you to abandon the car and motorcycle and enjoy the beauty around you? Is the air clear? Is the noise pollution from the cars absorbed by gorgeous hedgerows and abundant leafy plants? Is there birdsong above your head and butterflies dancing across your path?

In all likelihood it’s a no to most of these questions. There may be elements of it in pockets of certain districts, maybe in those areas where affluence and private funding has enabled landscaping and greater citizen control. But what about for the rest of the city? How do we bring about equity so that everyone has access to nature?

Another reason we advocate implementing Biophilic Design in an urban context is that, as well as creating community spaces, safer walkways and improves wellbeing, it also goes a long way in helping mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. For instance, planting trees helps reduce flooding, reduces temperatures in cities by preventing heat islands, encourages biodiversity and restores natural ecosystems.

The reason we have dedicated a whole issue to Cities and will definitely revisit it in another separate publication in due course (as well as have a regular section in each issue of the Journal), is because if we all put our heads together to explore urban design and encourage a more nature-centred approach, we might inspire greater conversations between us all, whether we are planners, architects, businesses, designers or families and nature-inspired design might then also filter into buildings.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see nature and nature-inspired design as we walk to and from work, as we approach hospitals, walk to school, relax at lunchtime? It would go some way into giving us a more positive outlook on life and our experiences throughout the day, helping reduce our cortisol levels, blood pressure and actually, you know, bring some joy into our lives. Not every day is perfect, so at least if we can find a moment of respite on our commute then life has to be a little better doesn’t it? And our beautiful planet will love us more too.

Our cities should have all the elements we need to survive, thrive, and flourish. Tree and plant-lined walkways to give us some beauty and calm before we arrive at work, home, or school, as well as pockets of parks and green spaces with benches and meandering paths to allow us some downtime from a busy office, hospital or homelife.

With the statistics saying that 68% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050 we really do need to make sure there is the infrastructure in place to ensure we don’t add burden the already burgeoning infrastructures already there.

Making sure we ALL have access to nature and green spaces, with homes and workplaces, healthcare facilities and schools nestled within green spaces. Did you know there is an 80% reduction in crime if there are trees and green spaces in cities? Did you know that we need less anti-depressants if we have trees around us, reducing stress and anxiety?

We also need to create flexible nature-inspired spaces, bring green directly into the city’s buildings themselves, ensuring we take time to have a wander and take time to look around us, look at the trees, hear the bird-song, study the little flowers: observe, absorb, and enjoy what we see.

If you are designing with biophilia at the heart of what you do, thank you for making the environments you create, the lives you improve and the planet happier and healthier. If you have just started on your Biophilic Design journey, then welcome to the movement, together we can make the world a better place to live, work and flourish in.

One of the most exciting aspects of Biophilic Design is that it is based on Science. There is so much research on how and why this wonderfully simple design process has such a phenomenal impact on us. In this regular section, our ‘resident’ Environmental Psychologist Dr  Sally Augustin shares thoughts distilled from piles and piles of research, presenting results, suggestions and further reading for you to delve into each month.

If you are an experienced expert on a certain aspect of Biophilic Design, or on how human physiology is impacted by their environment, please get in touch. We are also aiming to co-host a symposium with thought leaders in the not too distant.

Printed on recyled uncoated paper by a lovely environmentally friendly print company. PAPERBACK PRINTED VERSION over 180 pages of full colour nature-inspired design and ideas, just turning these beautiful pages is like a biophilic inspiration.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

PAPERBACK PRINTED VERSION nearly 200 pages of full colour nature-inspired design and ideas, just turning these beautiful pages is like a biophilic inspiration. This is an thought-provoking issue focused on Healthcare. How can we design our hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, nurses respite stations, patient waiting areas, care homes and more better? In this issue we look at case studies, including the Khoo Tek Puat hospital in Singapore, an NHS project, medical research labs and also the wellbeing of workers using these spaces.

Why are hospitals generally scary places? Why are their designs grey, angular, impersonal, blank, and even prison- like? I suppose it is a bit like what happened to our workplace design, they were “improved” at the turn of the last century to become factories of health.

But it wasn’t always like that. Even in the 19th century some of the buildings of hospitals, at least here in the UK, were beautifully designed architecturally. Sanatoriums were often in the countryside, had views of nature, and healthy food, and were designed to inspire feelings of calm and healing. In fact, we still have sanatoria now, think “health spa”. Just thinking of these places might conjure for some, places of luxury nestled in Switzerland, with crystal clear air, views of the Lakes and massive windows affording aforesaid- mentioned views!

See, my question is, why can’t our hospitals be designed with this mentality? I’m not saying that I think it’s practical, or affordable, to build hospitals in the middle mountains and allow time for healing, I’m saying why can’t we have the “spa” mindset in the back of our minds when we are thinking about creating spaces of healing.

We know that views of nature help healing, as mentioned throughout this issue, there are seminal studies, not least by the often-quoted, Roger Ulrich, who looked at the positive post-operative recovery among patients who had views of nature versus those who looked at a wall. We have thousands of hours of research that prove that being around nature, touching nature, seeing and feeling nature and a whole mix of this, helps us get better faster.

Surely, we are setting ourselves up to fail if we naively consider that the environment we are in doesn’t have an impact on us.

The origin of the word, Hospital, comes from the Latin, “hospitium” meaning hospitality. In the Middle Ages hospitals were alms-houses for the poor, hostels for pilgrims, or hospital schools, eventually manifesting itself in the Old French “hostel” which became “hotel”. Another noun derived from this, hospitium came to signify hospitality, that is the relation between guest and shelterer, hospitality, friendliness, and hospitable reception. One could argue that some hospitals are now so far removed from this concept that they feel the most “inhospitable” of places!

While the morphing of the name of the building may leave some eyebrows in the air, it should serve as a reminder as to what hospitals are meant for. They are meant to host people when they are at the most challenging periods of their lives. They might be having surgery, diagnosis, they could be dying. Why we should subject them to cold, unfriendly environments on top of what they are already experiencing doesn’t make sense.

Surely it also makes viable financial sense to help create spaces where they will get better faster (and therefore be less of a burden on the healthcare system), reduce the stress while they are waiting (and therefore reduce the short tempers on staff), give staff better respite and affords quality respite breaks when they get them if they have views or access to nature (which in turn helps staff retention, and reduction of sick pay, costs associated with recruitment and so on) and more.

We look at how we should be designing Cities to support health and wellbeing.

If you are designing with biophilia at the heart of what you do, thank you for making the environments you create, the lives you improve and the planet happier and healthier. If you have just started on your Biophilic Design journey, then welcome to the movement, together we can make the world a better place to live, work and flourish in.

One of the most exciting aspects of Biophilic Design is that it is based on Science. There is so much research on how and why this wonderfully simple design process has such a phenomenal impact on us. In this regular section, our ‘resident’ Environmental Psychologist Dr  Sally Augustin shares thoughts distilled from piles and piles of research, presenting results, suggestions and further reading for you to delve into each month.

If you are an experienced expert on a certain aspect of Biophilic Design, or on how human physiology is impacted by their environment, please get in touch. We are also aiming to co-host a symposium with thought leaders in the not too distant.

Printed on recycled uncoated paper by a lovely environmentally friendly print company.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Nearly 200 pages in this issue! Welcome to the third edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design.  

Why are hospitals generally scary places? Why are their designs grey, angular, impersonal, blank, and even prison- like? I suppose it is a bit like what happened to our workplace design, they were “improved” at the turn of the last century to become factories of health.

But it wasn’t always like that. Even in the 19th century some of the buildings of hospitals, at least here in the UK, were beautifully designed architecturally. Sanatoriums were often in the countryside, had views of nature, and healthy food, and were designed to inspire feelings of calm and healing. In fact, we still have sanatoria now, think “health spa”. Just thinking of these places might conjure for some, places of luxury nestled in Switzerland, with crystal clear air, views of the Lakes and massive windows affording aforesaid- mentioned views!

See, my question is, why can’t our hospitals be designed with this mentality? I’m not saying that I think it’s practical, or affordable, to build hospitals in the middle mountains and allow time for healing, I’m saying why can’t we have the “spa” mindset in the back of our minds when we are thinking about creating spaces of healing.

We know that views of nature help healing, as mentioned throughout this issue, there are seminal studies, not least by the often-quoted, Roger Ulrich, who looked at the positive post-operative recovery among patients who had views of nature versus those who looked at a wall. We have thousands of hours of research that prove that being around nature, touching nature, seeing and feeling nature and a whole mix of this, helps us get better faster.

Surely, we are setting ourselves up to fail if we naively consider that the environment we are in doesn’t have an impact on us.

The origin of the word, Hospital, comes from the Latin, “hospitium” meaning hospitality. In the Middle Ages hospitals were alms-houses for the poor, hostels for pilgrims, or hospital schools, eventually manifesting itself in the Old French “hostel” which became “hotel”. Another noun derived from this, hospitium came to signify hospitality, that is the relation between guest and shelterer, hospitality, friendliness, and hospitable reception. One could argue that some hospitals are now so far removed from this concept that they feel the most “inhospitable” of places!

While the morphing of the name of the building may leave some eyebrows in the air, it should serve as a reminder as to what hospitals are meant for. They are meant to host people when they are at the most challenging periods of their lives. They might be having surgery, diagnosis, they could be dying. Why we should subject them to cold, unfriendly environments on top of what they are already experiencing doesn’t make sense.

Surely it also makes viable financial sense to help create spaces where they will get better faster (and therefore be less of a burden on the healthcare system), reduce the stress while they are waiting (and therefore reduce the short tempers on staff), give staff better respite and affords quality respite breaks when they get them if they have views or access to nature (which in turn helps staff retention, and reduction of sick pay, costs associated with recruitment and so on) and more.

We look at how we should be designing Cities to support health and wellbeing, the Science Behind Biophilic Design in Healthcare, acoustics, lighting, care homes, NHS, and more…

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

PAPERBACK PRINTED VERSION 180 full colour pages in this issue. Welcome to the second edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design.  What do you love most about your Home? Is it the entrance area as you come in? Could it be the windows that frame your views to the world outside? Is your bathroom a haven? Do your plants make you happy? Does your kitchen table hold happy family memories? What about your home “office”, does it help you do your best work?

You are lucky if you can answer yes to all those questions; if you do, it is likely that you are a designer working with Biophilic Design! But if, like the majority of us, at least with one or two of these (probably more!) you’re thinking, you know, I could do something better with these spaces, I’m just not sure what.

First of all, I suggest, that you take a page turn through this opening specialised section on the Home. Oliver Heath’s opening essay perfectly sums up why designing happy, healthy homes using Biophilic Design is incredibly important, especially right now.  Then scan the beautiful images from the case studies and delve deeper into the rationales behind the designs. One thing that stands out is how nature informs each space. When you’re reading, consider how bringing in views, materials, natural light, scents, textures, colours, space, zones, and harmony which echo nature and nature’s design create beautiful spaces you WANT to be in.

If you then turn to our pages on the Science Behind Biophilic Design, you’ll learn a bit more about why nature and the patterns of nature make such a positive impact on our physical and mental health.

Let us know about the changes you make. Thank you for supporting what I feel is one of the most beautiful, inspiring, positive design practices, Biophilic Design. I love it because it not only helps us as humans flourish in our lives, maintain happy and healthy jobs, enjoy family life, and supports our creativity and focus too but it is also kind to our planet too. There is no planet B, as they say, but, you know what, there is no second you either.

We all love our homes, it is where we should feel safe and cosy, it should afford us space to do all the things we want to do alone or with our families and friends. With more and more people working from home, let’s start creating inspiring havens to live, work and flourish in, I hope this issue, with Case Studies, interviews and science will serve to act as an inspirational springboard.

If you are designing with biophilia at the heart of what you do, thank you for making the environments you create, the lives you improve and the planet happier and healthier. If you have just started on your Biophilic Design journey, then welcome to the movement, together we can make the world a better place to live, work and flourish in.

One of the most exciting aspects of Biophilic Design is that it is based on Science. There is so much research on how and why this wonderfully simple design process has such a phenomenal impact on us. In this regular section, our ‘resident’ Environmental Psychologist Dr  Sally Augustin shares thoughts distilled from piles and piles of research, presenting results, suggestions and further reading for you to delve into each month. Plus, there will be an amazing search facility on our main website too we are hoping in 2023, where you can further drill down into academic research, news, case studies and more to learn from (and also, if you are a designer, help collate research to aid your explanation to the client why they need Biophilic Design solutions).

If you are an experienced expert on a certain aspect of Biophilic Design, or on how human physiology is impacted by their environment, please get in touch. We are also aiming to co-host a symposium with thought leaders in the not too distant.

Printed on recyled uncoated paper by a lovely environmentally friendly print company.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Over 180 pages in this issue! Welcome to the second edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design.  What do you love most about your Home? Is it the entrance area as you come in? Could it be the windows that frame your views to the world outside? Is your bathroom a haven? Do your plants make you happy? Does your kitchen table hold happy family memories? What about your home “office”, does it help you do your best work?

You are lucky if you can answer yes to all those questions; if you do, it is likely that you are a designer working with Biophilic Design! But if, like the majority of us, at least with one or two of these (probably more!) you’re thinking, you know, I could do something better with these spaces, I’m just not sure what.

First of all, I suggest, that you take a page turn through this opening specialised section on the Home. Oliver Heath’s opening essay perfectly sums up why designing happy, healthy homes using Biophilic Design is incredibly important, especially right now.  Then scan the beautiful images from the case studies and delve deeper into the rationales behind the designs. One thing that stands out is how nature informs each space. When you’re reading, consider how bringing in views, materials, natural light, scents, textures, colours, space, zones, and harmony which echo nature and nature’s design create beautiful spaces you WANT to be in.

If you then turn to our pages on the Science Behind Biophilic Design, you’ll learn a bit more about why nature and the patterns of nature make such a positive impact on our physical and mental health.

Let us know about the changes you make. Thank you for supporting what I feel is one of the most beautiful, inspiring, positive design practices, Biophilic Design. I love it because it not only helps us as humans flourish in our lives, maintain happy and healthy jobs, enjoy family life, and supports our creativity and focus too but it is also kind to our planet too. There is no planet B, as they say, but, you know what, there is no second you either.

We all love our homes, it is where we should feel safe and cosy, it should afford us space to do all the things we want to do alone or with our families and friends. With more and more people working from home, let’s start creating inspiring havens to live, work and flourish in, I hope this issue, with Case Studies, interviews and science will serve to act as an inspirational springboard.

If you are designing with biophilia at the heart of what you do, thank you for making the environments you create, the lives you improve and the planet happier and healthier. If you have just started on your Biophilic Design journey, then welcome to the movement, together we can make the world a better place to live, work and flourish in.

One of the most exciting aspects of Biophilic Design is that it is based on Science. There is so much research on how and why this wonderfully simple design process has such a phenomenal impact on us. In this regular section, our ‘resident’ Environmental Psychologist Dr  Sally Augustin shares thoughts distilled from piles and piles of research, presenting results, suggestions and further reading for you to delve into each month. Plus, there will be an amazing search facility on our main website too we are hoping in 2023, where you can further drill down into academic research, news, case studies and more to learn from (and also, if you are a designer, help collate research to aid your explanation to the client why they need Biophilic Design solutions).

If you are an experienced expert on a certain aspect of Biophilic Design, or on how human physiology is impacted by their environment, please get in touch. We are also aiming to co-host a symposium with thought leaders in the not too distant.

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Printed copy of the Journal with over 100 full colour pages. Covered in this issue: Acoustics, circadian rhythms, sustainability, helping companies reach net zero targets, connecting yourself back to nature, plants at work, new research, news, NHS campaign, science behind Biophilic Design, environmental psychology, materials, architecture, book reviews and recommendations, sound, tree planting, living walls, ecology, hardwoods and trees, ergonomics. wellbeing and more.

Environmental statement: We print on environmentally certified and recycled papers. All our papers are from sustainable sources. We use superior quality vegetables based inks. We recycle all our waste products

How do we create an office that people are going to love to come to? The office is a place where people come together to collaborate. How do you design a space that people are going to want to come back to? People also need contact, but also comfort. Also homes are becoming places for people to work, learn in this issue how to use Biophilic Design to enhance spaces for better creativity, productivity and wellbeing, as well as helping your workplace become more sustainable.

In this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design you will learn many architectural, urban and interior design tips all based on science, to transform your office to create the best environment to help you focus, be creative, stay calm, feel rested and be productive! You will learn how to move your furniture around to create a prospect and refuge scenario to help you get more done, how wood grain helps you feel more comfortable, why views of natural elements, and views of nature are important, why you need natural light to enhance our circadian rhythm, how to change the soundscape and scentscape in your offices and homes to help keep everyone happy and relaxed and able to focus!

in this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design you will learn many architectural, urban and interior design tips all based on science, to transform your office to create the best environment to help you focus, be creative, stay calm, feel rested and be productive! You will learn how to move your furniture around to create a prospect and refuge scenario to help you get more done, how wood grain helps you feel more comfortable, why views of natural elements, and views of nature are important, why you need natural light to enhance our circadian rhythm, how to change the soundscape and scentscape in your offices and homes to help keep everyone happy and relaxed and able to focus!

Working with what you've got or almost what you've got, you can transform your space to make your space the best it can be. We essentially have the same make up as our early ancestors and by keeping that in mind, we can use that knowledge to improve our working environments.

Many of us have not been in our Workplaces for over a year now as a result of “Lockdown” and we’ve got an opportunity RIGHT NOW to improve those spaces we work in. Human centric Biophilic Design is key to creating happier, healthier, more productive and creative workplaces. It can also help us landscape offices to zone areas for our staff to focus and also spaces where we can have downtime. From an evolutionary psychology point of view, we have innate preferences and an affinity to nature. We evolved to survive and live outside in nature. When we consider the “office” has been around for 100 years, but our brain hasn’t caught up yet!

There are many aspects of workplace design that benefit from Biophilic Design Studies have shown that plants energise us, enhance our creativity, good natural daylight, natural ventilation, having a varied temperature (not set like it is in many offices), sounds of nature (like leaves rustling or waves lapping at the shoreline). Actually sound is an important aspect. As humans we don’t like complete quiet because in the natural world, silence = danger (fire, predator, bad weather coming).

How do we go about creating collaborative spaces? A simple solution is break up big expanses of open plan offices with planting as it also will give the feeling of comfort, improved acoustics, privacy. Physical separation that most of us have felt during this period of Lockdown and isolation can be softened in the workplace if we carve up the office plan to support physical distancing for psychological and physical safety.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Ebook version of the Journal of Biophilic Design, over 100 full colour pages which you can read on your own ebook reader at home.

How do we create an office that people are going to love to come to? The office is a place where people come together to collaborate. How do you design a space that people are going to want to come back to? People also need contact, but also comfort. Also homes are becoming places for people to work, learn in this issue how to use Biophilic Design to enhance spaces for better creativity, productivity and wellbeing, as well as helping your workplace become more sustainable.

In this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design you will learn many architectural, urban and interior design tips all based on science, to transform your office to create the best environment to help you focus, be creative, stay calm, feel rested and be productive! You will learn how to move your furniture around to create a prospect and refuge scenario to help you get more done, how wood grain helps you feel more comfortable, why views of natural elements, and views of nature are important, why you need natural light to enhance our circadian rhythm, how to change the soundscape and scentscape in your offices and homes to help keep everyone happy and relaxed and able to focus!

in this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design you will learn many architectural, urban and interior design tips all based on science, to transform your office to create the best environment to help you focus, be creative, stay calm, feel rested and be productive! You will learn how to move your furniture around to create a prospect and refuge scenario to help you get more done, how wood grain helps you feel more comfortable, why views of natural elements, and views of nature are important, why you need natural light to enhance our circadian rhythm, how to change the soundscape and scentscape in your offices and homes to help keep everyone happy and relaxed and able to focus!

Working with what you've got or almost what you've got, you can transform your space to make your space the best it can be. We essentially have the same make up as our early ancestors and by keeping that in mind, we can use that knowledge to improve our working environments.

Many of us have not been in our Workplaces for over a year now as a result of “Lockdown” and we’ve got an opportunity RIGHT NOW to improve those spaces we work in. Human centric Biophilic Design is key to creating happier, healthier, more productive and creative workplaces. It can also help us landscape offices to zone areas for our staff to focus and also spaces where we can have downtime. From an evolutionary psychology point of view, we have innate preferences and an affinity to nature. We evolved to survive and live outside in nature. When we consider the “office” has been around for 100 years, but our brain hasn’t caught up yet!

There are many aspects of workplace design that benefit from Biophilic Design Studies have shown that plants energise us, enhance our creativity, good natural daylight, natural ventilation, having a varied temperature (not set like it is in many offices), sounds of nature (like leaves rustling or waves lapping at the shoreline). Actually sound is an important aspect. As humans we don’t like complete quiet because in the natural world, silence = danger (fire, predator, bad weather coming).

How do we go about creating collaborative spaces? A simple solution is break up big expanses of open plan offices with planting as it also will give the feeling of comfort, improved acoustics, privacy. Physical separation that most of us have felt during this period of Lockdown and isolation can be softened in the workplace if we carve up the office plan to support physical distancing for psychological and physical safety.

Covered in this issue: Acoustics, circadian rhythms, sustainability, helping companies reach net zero targets, connecting yourself back to nature, plants at work, new research, news, NHS campaign, science behind Biophilic Design, environmental psychology, materials, architecture, book reviews and recommendations, sound, tree planting, living walls, ecology, hardwoods and trees, ergonomics. wellbeing and more.

You can use something like Apple Books if you use a Mac, or download a software package like Calibre:

https://www.wikihow.com/Open-EPUB-Files

Did you know you have access to this digital issue for FREE if you are already a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

EMBRACE THE WORLD OF MATERIAL INNOVATION

Welcome to this special edition of The Journal of Biophilic Design. Nature is such an inspiration on so many levels, from offering up texture, colour, shape, smell, sustainability, design, biomimetic ideas right through to giving us space, light, and air to think, breathe and create. In this issue, we explore the concept of “Creativity and Nature,” inviting you on a journey through the endless inspirations found in the natural world. 

We delve into how materials like wool can be transformed into sustainable rugs that envelop us in warmth or even made into chairs, and how robust hardwood trees offer a foundation of strength and longevity beneath our feet.

Creativity is the lifeblood of every field— from devising innovative strategies and designing the next standout shoe to engineering intricate data solutions or advocating for policy changes.

While we rely on creative professionals to spark innovation, we often overlook the omnipresent source of inspiration that is nature. A simple walk through a park, along a towpath, or in the woods can unlock new perspectives and brilliant ideas by allowing our minds the freedom to wander 

Every field of work needs some element of creativity, and that’s true wherever you are on the work chain. You can be looking at strategy or the next shoe design, working out a complicated data driven solution or needing to persuade government to adopt a policy. In every instance creativity gives us the edge. What we may forget is that for every one of us, we have an extra source of FREE inspiration cloaking our earth.

And that is our natural world.

With our planet in an environmental crisis, the very air we breathe and water we drink are polluted, we need to source better.

Which is another reason we are especially thrilled to publish this edition in celebration of the Surface Design Show taking place at London’s Business Design Centre 2025. This premier event highlights the harmonious fusion of innovative design and sustainability

Join us as we celebrate art, nature, and the boundless realm of imagination, and let this edition inspire your next creative breakthrough.

If you are new to The Journal of Biophilic Design, each Journal edition spotlights a unique focus, featuring insights into the science of Biophilic Design, plants, wellbeing, cities, and the environment. We warmly invite you to subscribe and join us in accelerating positive change in our vibrant, living breathing world wherever you are.

Did you know you can subscribe and become a member of the Journal and get access to all back issues of the Journal too? https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/subscribe-as-a-member

Vanessa Champion PhD, AMRSPH Editor and Founder

editor@journalofbiophilicdesign.com

www.journalofbiophilicdesign.com

Free Newsletter

https://www.surfacedesignshow.com

Join thousands of professionals from across the A&D sector, and be inspired by 180 exhibiting companies, dedicated to furthering material innovation.

4-6 February 2025 at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London.

https://www.surfacedesignshow.com

Surface Design Show is an event dedicated to surface material innovation. It is the event of choice for architects and designers to see, source and specify the latest and most inspiring internal and external surface materials from over 180 exhibitors.

The Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award acknowledges Stephen Kellert’s legacy as a pioneer in articulating and applying biophilic design principles to the built environment. His publications and advocacy have had a profound impact on increasing awareness and encouraging widespread adoption of the practice of design for human-nature connection.

The award is in recognition of achievements in the built environment, including buildings, interiors, and communities, that demonstrate the principles and benefits of biophilic design.

The Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award is administered by the International Living Future Insitute’s Biophilic Design Initiative.

This edition is co-published by the Journal of Biophilic Design with the Living Future Institute, Living Future Europe and Living Future Australia.