The Journal becomes members of the Green Roof Organisation

The Journal becomes members of the Green Roof Organisation

We are delighted to announce that The Journal of Biophilic Design is now an Associate Member of the Green Roof Organisation (GRO), the UK trade association championing green roofs, living walls and nature-based roof solutions. GRO brings together experts from across the built environment to advance best practice and promote the vital role that green infrastructure can play in creating healthier, more resilient places for people and nature alike.

Biophilic design is about much more than bringing nature indoors. It recognises the importance of integrating nature throughout the built environment, from streetscapes and public spaces to green roofs, living walls and biodiverse landscapes. By reconnecting people with natural systems, these interventions help foster healthier, more restorative environments while strengthening the ecological performance of our buildings and cities.

When thoughtfully designed and maintained, green roofs deliver a remarkable range of benefits. They can help mitigate and adapt to climate change by reducing urban heat, managing stormwater, improving building performance and creating valuable habitat for wildlife. They also contribute to cleaner air, improved acoustics and enhanced biodiversity, while providing opportunities for human wellbeing through greater access to nature in increasingly urbanised environments. As cities seek solutions to the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and public health, green roofs represent an important component of a truly biophilic future.

RSPB Announces the return of   ‘Night of Nature’ on August 15, 2026 

RSPB Announces the return of   ‘Night of Nature’ on August 15, 2026 

RSPB Announces the return of   ‘Night of Nature’ on August 15, 2026 . Following a successful launch last year at London’s Troxy, RSPB is pleased to share details for the 2026 return of their unique Night of Nature event.  

Held at Harrogate’s Royal Hall venue on August 15, the evening’s programme will sync transportive footage from across the UK’s stunning natural habitats and wildlife with live music. Hosted by RSPB Vice President, nature writer and broadcaster Kate Humble, the immersive event will be headlined by vocal group G4, with support from the Blackheath Quartet. 

With a stirring blend of storytelling and visuals, Night of Nature aims to narrow the divide between humans and the nature surrounding us, striving towards a future where people, wildlife and wild places can all thrive alongside each other.  

Nature needs our help now more than ever, as we move ever closer to the government’s legally-binding UN target to protect 30% of UK land and sea for nature by 2030, and with 1 in 6 species currently at risk of extinction from climate and biodiversity crises.  


READ on and Book tickets…


Energy Secretary Ed Miliband joins Kenyan teenager on shortlist for UK’s leading climate awards

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband joins Kenyan teenager on shortlist for UK’s leading climate awards

 Energy Secretary Ed Miliband joins Kenyan teenager on shortlist for UK’s leading climate awards. P.E.A. Awards 2026 shortlist announced.

“We are pleased also to announce that Edgardo Rossi has also been shortlisted. The Journal of Biophilic Design is publishing a monograph on Preserved Plants with him. The monograph will be published in the Fall,” said Dr Vanesa Champion, Founder and Editor, Journal of Biophilic Design.

READ ON….

We are launching in Australia!

We are launching in Australia!

Journal of Biophilic Design Launches in Australia with Studio Chintamani at Futurebuild Sydney 2026 with their first formal international territory partnership. Sydney, Australia | 11–13 June 2026

Journal of Biophilic Design is officially launching in Australia through an exclusive partnership with Sydney-based Studio Chintamani, with the launch taking place at Futurebuild Sydney from 11–13 June 2026. Founded in the United Kingdom by Dr Vanessa Champion, the Journal of Biophilic Design has become a leading global voice exploring the relationship between nature, people and the built environment. The expansion into Australia marks a significant milestone in the Journal’s international growth and reflects the increasing global demand for healthier, more nature-connected approaches to architecture, interiors, urbanism and placemaking.

The Australian launch builds on the Journal’s steady and growing presence across Europe and internationally, alongside a rapidly expanding global audience through its podcast, which now reaches more than 40,000 monthly listeners worldwide. The Journal has also developed media partnerships with major international trade shows and design events and was recently shortlisted for a BSME Award for its Art Team, recognising the strength and quality of its editorial and visual storytelling.

As the platform continues to grow, the Journal of Biophilic Design is expanding its international network across research, publishing, marketing, commercial partnerships and business development, helping connect academia, industry and practice through a shared focus on nature-positive design.

Mind Body Space Global Symposium

Mind Body Space Global Symposium

𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 - Every rhythm of light, texture, and form leaves a deep impression on body and mind. Spaces can nourish us or disturb us, create a sense of connection or enforce separation.

When a place resonates, we feel it in our bodies: in the warmth of natural materials, the power of harmonious proportions, the deep calm of beautiful views. Thanks to emerging scientific disciplines such as environmental psychology and neuroaesthetics, we now better understand how spaces influence our perception, emotions, and behaviour, deep into the subconscious.

Join our friends at Mind-Body-Space Global Symposium, an international symposium in Amsterdam from 6 to 10 July on evidence-based and holistic design. Over five days, leading designers, researchers, and thinkers come together to move beyond the boundaries of their disciplines and define the human habitats of tomorrow.

The Natural Biophilic Solution to Health Housing and Climate - Response to the Kings Speech May 2026

The Natural Biophilic Solution to Health Housing and Climate - Response to the Kings Speech May 2026

The King’s Speech this week placed housing, clean water, energy independence, infrastructure and climate resilience firmly at the centre of the national conversation. For those of us working in and advocating for Biophilic Design, this moment matters deeply, because the ambitions outlined by government cannot truly succeed without a more fundamental shift in how we design places for people and planet.

READ ON…

Resilience, Reuse and Regenerative design - FUTUREBUILD

Resilience, Reuse and Regenerative design - FUTUREBUILD

We are also convening a Biophilic Design Masterclass on Placemaking with two of the best brains in Biophilic Design, Oliver Heath and Bill Browning. Plus a panel discussion on Biophilic Design and Resilience with Kirsty Wilman of Rebalance Earth, Luke Engleback of EcoUrbanist and Joanna Yarrow of Human Nature.

Finding Harmony: a King’s Vision

Finding Harmony: a King’s Vision

Designers are always searching for ideas that endure — ideas rooted not only in aesthetics, but in how humans live, heal and belong within the natural world. That is why viewing Finding Harmony: A King's Vision matters now. The film brings together decades of thinking from King Charles III about our relationship with nature, communities and the built environment — themes that sit at the heart of biophilic design.

For architects, landscape architects and urban designers, the documentary offers more than a portrait of a monarch’s environmental advocacy. It is, in many ways, a historical record of ideas that anticipated today’s conversations around regenerative design, nature-based solutions and the social value of green space. In a moment when the profession is grappling with climate, wellbeing and how cities must evolve, the film provides context — and a reminder that these principles have deep roots.

Designers should watch it not simply as a documentary, but as a source of hope and inspiration. It shows that reconnecting people, place and nature is not an abstract theory but a lived practice — one that can shape farms, neighbourhoods, prisons, schools and entire communities. At a time when the future can feel uncertain, the film argues that harmony with nature is still possible, and that design has a crucial role in achieving it.

Biophilia can battle Blue Monday!

Biophilia can battle Blue Monday!

As the third Monday in January earns its reputation as the year’s most challenging day, Biophilic Design offers a much needed antidote. Rooted in our innate connection to nature, biophilic principles remind us that even small encounters with living systems—particularly plants—can positively influence mood, reduce stress and restore emotional balance. By introducing calming blue-green foliage and flowering plants into our homes and workplaces, we can soften the impact of “Blue Monday,” using colour, texture and life itself to create spaces that nurture wellbeing. In this spirit, renowned interior landscape designer, houseplant stylist and author of At Home With Plants, Ian Drummond shares his favourite “blue plants” to lift the spirits and bring a smile when it’s needed most.

Chief People Priorities for 2026 - A Biophilic Response.

Chief People Priorities for 2026 - A Biophilic Response.

At its core, Biophilic Design is not about plants or aesthetics. It is about designing the conditions in which humans function best, drawing on our innate biological responses to light, nature, materiality, rhythm, refuge, connection and sensory balance. In other words, it provides a tangible way to turn cultural intent into lived experience.

Culture as an operating system is expressed not only through policies and leadership behaviours, but through the environments people inhabit every day. Spatial hierarchy, access to daylight, acoustic control, choice and autonomy, visibility, and opportunities for connection all send powerful signals about what is valued. A workplace that offers psychological safety, dignity, and agency does not rely solely on behavioural KPIs to reinforce culture — it embeds it into the system itself.

Similarly, as leaders become the primary interface of culture, the environments they operate within either support or undermine their ability to lead well. Biophilic workplaces reduce cognitive load, stress and fatigue, enabling better judgement, emotional regulation and decision-making. This matters when leaders are being asked to hold complexity, have difficult conversations and support mental health alongside performance. Capability does not exist in isolation from context.

CPOs’ deliberate reframing of wellbeing as performance infrastructure also aligns strongly with biophilic principles. Decades of research link exposure to natural light, views of nature, sensory variability and restorative spaces with improved concentration, faster recovery from stress, reduced absenteeism and stronger engagement. This is not a trade-off between care and results; it is a performance strategy grounded in human biology. READ on

Futurebuild 2026

Futurebuild 2026

The Journal of Biophilic Design is proud to be one of 60+ industry-leading organisations, including UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), RIBA, ASBP - Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, and UK Architects Declare, supporting Futurebuild 2026. These influential bodies and associations play an integral role in the Futurebuild Knowledge Programme, delivering 133 hours of CPD-accredited content over 3 days across two conferences and multiple seminar stages.

Futurebuild is the platform where content is curated by the industry for the industry. Immerse yourself in three days of ideas, inspiration, topical discussions and debates on:

Improving design & safety
Tackling rising costs
Meeting ambitious sustainability goals

Find out more and register free CLICK HERE

A not quite fatal world

A not quite fatal world

Who would want to live in a world that is not quite fatal?

So said ecologist Paul Shepherd in 1958, and quoted by Rachel Carson in “Silent Spring”. 

The Biophilic Design Conference this year has a theme of Policy, Place, Planet – Biophilic Design for a regenerative future. It has this theme for a reason. 

We are living in a ticking time bomb. Our planet is heating up, our climates are changing all over the world, our food security is at risk, our physical health is challenged not just by lifestyle and town planning but also by air and sound pollution inside and outside of the home and workplace, our crops are sprayed, our bees are dying, we are losing our pollinators, our skies are quieter, our living world is struggling to breathe and we are the culprits.

When I first learnt about Biophilic Design, it seemed to me a concept which if applied globally and on all facets of society we could go some way to reverse the ills we have inflicted onto ourselves and our planet. 

READ ON… 

A Night of Nature - September 6, 2025 

A Night of Nature - September 6, 2025 

The RSPB will host a unique live event, ‘A Night of Nature’, at London’s Troxy on September 6, 2025. An audiovisual celebration of the natural world which is open to all, the one-off experience will blend cinema with the immediacy of a concert, thanks to live music synched to stunning footage of natural habitats and species, performed by multi-million selling vocal group (and X Factor finalists) G4 and the Vesper String Quartet.  

How to Grow a House – Royal Institution Lecture June 2025

How to Grow a House – Royal Institution Lecture June 2025

We talk about living buildings but what if a building could really be “alive”?

 

I attended a fascinating presentation of research at the Royal Institution, Professor Martyn Dade-Robertson revealed a future where buildings aren't just constructed—they're grown. Imagine foundations that heal themselves, walls that breathe, and roofs that respond to sunlight, all created by microscopic organisms working in harmony.

 

Robertson's research shows how bacteria can literally strengthen the ground beneath our feet. By introducing specially engineered microbes into soil, these tiny organisms can produce calcium carbonate crystals that bind soil particles together, creating foundations more resilient than traditional concrete methods.

 

Mycelium, the root network of mushrooms, is continually being celebrated as a revolutionary material for insulation, packaging, alternatives to plastics, but now, in experiments with NASA, Robertson's team have demonstrated how this fungal network could potentially create structures on Mars, growing insulation and structural components in resource-limited environments. A full-scale mycelium structure built in New York completely biodegraded within just four months of being dismantled.

 

The most fascinating aspect is the materials' ability to self-heal. Mycelium can "biologically weld" itself, fusing broken components back together. Bacterial cellulose can create surfaces that respond to light, changing colour like living skin—imagine walls that tan in sunlight or tiles that darken to provide shade.

 

These aren't just theoretical concepts. Robertson's team has already explored the waterproof nature of mushrooms. Hydrophobins are proteins which play a crucial role in mycelium's hydrophobicity (waterproofness!). They self-assemble at air-water interfaces, creating a hydrophobic layer on the surface of the mycelium. So the scientists have researched this hydrophobic behaviour and have tested coatings derived from bacterial proteins that can protect materials and make them fire-resistant. One experiment showed a piece of balsa wood treated with their protein coating survived a fire that would have quickly consumed an untreated piece.

READ ON…

Biophilic Design and Plastic Free July

Biophilic Design and Plastic Free July

Biophilic Design helps us combat the plastic pollution. The Biophilia hypothesis helps decisions which are better for our planet and us.

Join millions of people reducing their plastic waste.

Plastic Free July™ is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. If you are implementing Biophilic Design as close as possible as you can to the original principles you will already have taken HUGE steps towards combatting how much plastic is in our environment. So thank you. Please encourage as many other designers as you can to look at the principles of Biophilic Design.

Biophilic influence from the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Biophilic influence from the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Biophilic influence from the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Something that could be perceived as outdated, yet still prevails, is that many people visit the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show expecting to be wowed by the grandness of the gardens, much like they were in days of old; when the big corporates sponsored designers to build extravagant, potentially unachievable (to us mortals) works of art, with very little thought around the environmental impact of materials used, construction methods and certainly not a whisper of sustainability - gasp, what even is that? Thankfully, the tide has truly turned and we now see more focus on what is going on behind the scenes with an insistence on rehoming the gardens and a strong encouragement on using sustainable materials, planning clever water capture methods and building with minimal ground disturbance. This year, it was also wonderful to see so many of the planting schemes blending foraging, feeding and biodiversity needs, using companion planting and showing an in-depth knowledge of ecosystems, thus demonstrating how we as mere consumers can future-proof our own green spaces. I felt visitors were given renewed confidence that experimenting is actually okay, and gained vital inspiration in ways to interact with their own garden. READ ON….

New Care Innovation Summit to Launch in June 2025

New Care Innovation Summit to Launch in June 2025

For us Biophilic Design is ESSENTIAL for third age design. Check out the interview we did with Lori Pinkerton-Rolet, one of the leading names in older care interior design, and someone every Biophilic Desiner should follow. Lori is speaking at the new Care Innovation Summit, taking place on 19 June 2025 at the Business Design Centre, London.

Though new in name, the event will feel familiar to many. It brings together two of the sector’s most respected conferences - The Future of Care Leaders Conference and Dementia Summit - organised by Broadway Events, a leading name in care sector events since 2011. In response to the growing number of industry events, Broadway Events has streamlined its offering, merging these flagship events into a single three-stream conference, making it easier than ever for care professionals to access key insights in one place.

Alongside dedicated content on the Future of Care and Dementia Care, the event introduces a Healthcare Design & Build stream, bringing together decision-makers, innovators and frontline professionals to explore the future of care, its challenges and its opportunities.

READ ON AND BOOK TICKETS

Futurebuild 4 -6 March 2025 London ExCeL

Futurebuild 4 -6 March 2025 London ExCeL

Join Futurebuild from 04 – 06 March 2025 at London’s ExCeL, the most impactful event in sustainable innovation for the built environment. Discover the latest products, solutions, and insights that will help you achieve your sustainability goals and drive meaningful change.

As Futurebuild celebrates its 20th anniversary, the theme for 2025 is Impact—marking two decades of driving positive change in the built environment and the communities we serve. Be part of this milestone event and contribute to shaping a more sustainable future. Register nowfor your free ticket.

Surface Design Show 4- 6 February 2025, London

Surface Design Show  4- 6 February 2025, London

EMBRACE THE WORLD OF MATERIAL INNOVATION

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.

Chatham House Climate and Energy Summit 18-19 March 2025

Chatham House Climate and Energy Summit 18-19 March 2025

On the road to COP30, join governments and businesses for two days of interactive discussion exploring strategies to secure a resilient future. Two days of high-level panel dialogues, networking sessions and an interactive workshop under the Chatham House Rule will focus on multi-stakeholder collaboration for increased ambition, action and impact.

Join us!

Chatham House Climate and Energy Summit
18-19 March 2025 | In-person and broadcast live