Biophilia

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How our Brains respond to Biophilic Design

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How our Brains respond to Biophilic Design

In a world increasingly disconnected from nature, the principles of biophilic design offer a powerful antidote.

Chintamani Bird, an Australian designer committed to biophilic design, shared her insights on how Biophilic Design can heal both people and the planet. She emphasizes that biophilic design has a profound impact on the brain, reducing stress, improving cognitive function, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, and enhancing overall mood and well-being.

As the Journal of Biophilic Design expands to Australia in 2025, this is the first in a series of interviews with leading names in Biophilic Designers from that side of the globe and who champion the transformative potential of this design philosophy.

At the heart of Biophilic Design is the recognition that humans have an innate need to connect with the natural world. "Biophilic design has the opportunity to heal and heal through biodiversity, heal the soil, heal the environment, heal communities," Chintamani emphasized.

Listen and Read on...

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A task force for nature – where sustainability matters

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A task force for nature – where sustainability matters

Morgan Taylor leads the biodiversity side of Greengage, a multidisciplinary environmental consultancy who cover everything from energy and carbon assessments, sustainability, health, wellbeing, socio-economic assessment, and EIA management as well as the whole gamut of biodiversity assessment through to planning.

As designers, architects, or planners, we all need to be mindful of the impact our ideas, advice and decisions have on the world around us. We recorded this interview in the summer last year* Their work is focused outside of the legislative and planning policy sphere in the world of natural capital and ecosystem service value assessment. So rather than working with developers where they are only brought in because there is a potential impact on biodiversity in the first place, they're working with a lot of people with regards to asset management, land management, informing how financial capital is put towards recovery of natural capital across managed assets.

 We’ve got hundreds, maybe thousands of years of degradation and we need to take measures and understanding to address the impacts of our actions, and account for the significant loss of biodiversity particularly since the Industrial Revolution.

Morgan outlines all the different levels of legislation and planning policy that impact biodiversity in the built environment. He highlights three aspects of legislation and regulation that particularly drive positive change...

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Complex Patterns, Biodiversity & Nature Views

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Complex Patterns, Biodiversity & Nature Views

Environmental Psychology is the study of the relationship between people and their physical environment. They look at how psychological processes (emotions, behaviours and cognitions) are place-related and place-dependent. In other words, they look at how environments influence people -- as well as on how people influence the environment. We speak to Melissa Marselle, academic, writer and environmental psychologist about patterns in nature and how creating a biodiverse environment has positive impact not just on the natural world but also us as human beings and our cognitive and physical health. We also speak about Goldilocks...

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Oliver Heath - Designing a Healthy Home

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Oliver Heath - Designing a Healthy Home

“100 ways to transform your space for physical and mental wellbeing” so reads the strapline for Oliver Heath’s new book “Design a Healthy Home”. Oliver is an industry recognised expert in the field of sustainable architectural and interior design, he's presented on BBC, ITV, C4, Discovery Channel and more. Biophilic Design is more than just a plant on our desk, it is an exciting systems-based way of recognising that every choice, every purchase, every activity, every decision has an impact on our health, our wellbeing our environment and planet…

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Technobiophilia - Life, Nature and Technology

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Technobiophilia - Life, Nature and Technology

There are many metaphors of nature in cyber space which we use without even thinking about it: clouds, streams, webs, and so on. Dr Sue Thomas has conducted research on how we can use technology to enhance our connection with nature. In this podcast we talk about how the huge amount of research and environmental science data has shown the benefits of nature on our wellbeing, including reducing blood pressure and other measurable benefits. Sue has also studied research on the effects of engaging with nature on devices, through technology, such as watching wildlife shows and even playing video games. She shares her concept of Technobiophilia. We talk about a real mix of things, ideas you can do on your commute or at your office desk, from plants, to stones, alpacas on Instagram, Farmville, live streams from eagles nests, fixed nature webcams, and lots more...

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Planted Cities

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Planted Cities

There’s an awesome event coming up in London which you should attend if you can. Planted Cities. It is going to be held in one of London’s greatest regeneration success stories and is run by Deborah Spencer who set up Design Junction, one of the biggest design shows in Europe for the last decade and Sam Peters, former Sunday Times journalist. We speak with Sam, to find out more about it. Planted is all about reconnecting people…

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Wild Urban Spaces - Bringing the Miyawaki Method to Cities

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Wild Urban Spaces - Bringing the Miyawaki Method to Cities

Rapid Growth Urban Forest Creation... to me it seems like a dream concept, being able to rewild urban environments quickly to help the environment, bring biodiversity, create wildlife corridors, rooftop forests, school bee forests, support community and individual health and wellbeing and more... The Miyawaki Method of rapid forestation is based on observing and mimicking nature. These forests are maintenance free in 3 years. This is a fascinating conversation with James Godfrey-Faussett, founder of Wild Urban Spaces, practitioner and advocate of the Miyawaki Method, where you will learn how James and his team densely plant indigenous trees at a mix of canopy heights, which kinds of trees, where you can go an see and experience one…

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Botanic Shed - School of Nature

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Botanic Shed - School of Nature

When was the last time you felt stressed? Sometimes things in life can be a wee bit too much, or there's just one too many things to do, or just too much on your plate for whatever reason. We speak with Lara Cowan, founder of the Botanic Shed - School of Nature….

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Sustainability meets Design elegance - the LINK Design

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Sustainability meets Design elegance - the LINK Design

Biophilic Design has so many aspects to it, it is not just plants, greenery, light, colour ways, it is also about using natural materials in products, using natural materials to enhance a space and provide happiness and comfort to those using it. I spoke to the design team of AAID, Allen Architecture Interior Design, working together they created an hexagonal modular wall system made out of sustainable local and recycled materials which also employ local artisans and labour. Just as we do, each 'LINK” block relies on the one below, and can be adapted as shelves, planters, like little pods. Obviously the hexagon is an important shape in nature, just look inside a Bee Hive.

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"Living Machines" - The Case for Plants

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"Living Machines" - The Case for Plants

Carpets, glues, cigarette smoke, paints, plywood, emit gas, formaldehyde, benzene which are linked to cancer, anaemia, lung disease. These are in most workplaces and homes. We speak with Johanna Truestedt, based in Switzerland, she is Senior Consultant for Drees and Sommer on how we can improve air quality, making the working and living environment healthier by learning how the building lives.

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Biophilic Design and "Em'play'ees"

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Biophilic Design and "Em'play'ees"

Can play really transform our workplaces? Do we need it more than ever? Niklas Madsen is founder of Superlab, an experimental design laboratory with a main goal to study the future workplace and furniture design of tomorrow. Their book "Playful Office - the future office philosophy that will turn employees into employees' kickstarted an innovative journey, researching the benefits of creative play in the office, allowing free thought to flow in the workforce as well as engendering solutions and wellbeing for companies they work with. They are also now exploring AI and other digital tools to help transform spaces for people. Combining that with biophilic solutions has created some really interesting spaces, that encourage staff retention and productivity.

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Oliver Heath - How to create Happiness, the benefits of Biophilic Design

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Oliver Heath - How to create Happiness, the benefits of Biophilic Design

Biophilic design principles allow us to bring elements of nature into the built environment, especially into those places where we experience a great deal of stress. Our connection to nature can unlock so many benefits, stress washes off us, we become different people, we can think more holistically about our life and where it’s going. The impact the buildings we inhabit and work in have an enormous effect on our lives, especially now with the restrictions placed on us as a result of the Covid epidemic. With an onset of almost cabin fever, we are recognising the fact that the building we surround ourselves with has a huge impact on our physical, mental and emotional states. Nature can play a valuable role, the benefits of plants and greenery, adding personalisation, direct influence over a space, improve air quality, sunlight, fresh air, easy to improve spaces. S..

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Biophilia - A Handbook for bringing the Natural World into your Life

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Biophilia - A Handbook for bringing the Natural World into your Life

Sally Coulthard, designer and best selling author writes a great column for Country Living “Good Life in the Country.” Her recent book “Biophilia" - You, Nature, Home” is a ‘Handbook for bringing the natural world into your life’ and is one of the most beautifully crafted books I’ve read for years. It feels like you are holding nature in your hands. I was thrilled to interview her and get her take on Biophilia, why it’s important today, why cities and buildings should be weaving biophilic elements into their interior designs and urban planning. We chat about the interconnectedness of nature and our lives, how biophilia embraces many aspects and has many benefits not only from an aesthetic point of view but also environmental and on a more profound level as it reduces negative issues such as stress and improves positive aspects like helping sleep, air quality, nervous systems. The science is overwhelming.

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The Conscious Nature Connector

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The Conscious Nature Connector

If you are feeling overwhelmed at the thought of going back to work, or which way to turn now, you could well benefit from taking a leaf (excuse the pun) from nature’s book. Deborah Mendes, helps overwhelmed CEOs and business owners del with change and reconnect to their true and powerful selves through connecting with nature. The term biophilia highlights our connection with nature, so I was intrigued to learn more about how Deborah works. From the study of an intricate pine cone to just standing still and feeling strong within ourselves, grounding ourselves, rooting ourselves and expanding outwards, and growing can enable us to adapt, slow down, make atomic changes to help ourselves and those around us have better more productive, peaceful and happy lives.

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Why Biophilic Design should be essential in Healthcare

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Why Biophilic Design should be essential in Healthcare

Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres have embraced and celebrated biophilic design not only in their interiors but also in the fabric of the architecture, the landscapes and views of nature, plants and trees within and without their buildings. And it is making a phenomenal difference. As the seasons change, so the views change. “Nature is Joyful, and it helps us feel joyful and when we feel joyful we can handle so much more of what life throws at us.” Maggie’s is visionary, it’s mould-breaking and is important evidence that biophilic design is ESSENTIAL in healthcare….

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6 Things to Know about Biophilic Design Today

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6 Things to Know about Biophilic Design Today

Will landscaped offices be the thing of the future? Will office spaces and homes merge into one? Why should learning environments like schools really need to take note and incorporate biophilic design elements into classrooms and buildings? Maggie Procopi is co-founder and owner of popular Workplace Trends series of conferences held in London, Madrid, Delhi and elsewhere as well as online, our editor Vanessa Champion asks her opinion on current trends, pets, how biophilic design isn’t just plants, how to embrace circadian rhythms and just what exactly is grounding?!

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5 Fixes to Improve Working From Home

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5 Fixes to Improve Working From Home

If you are working from home for the first time during this Covid 19 Lockdown, or maybe you have always worked from home, there are some simple biophilic design “tweaks” you can do to really improve your workspace. From clearing clutter, to your lights, nature views, air quality and even sounds to improve your space, help you focus more, be less stressed, be creative and productive too. We speak to Sally Augustin, author of the great book “Designology” to find out what we can each do right now without having to go out or take up too much time out of our day.

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Environmental Psychology - We are who we were

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Environmental Psychology - We are who we were

Many things have changed for humans since their early days as a species—how excited do you think early Homo sapiens would have been by heating, air conditioning and weather tight structures to install them in, for example?

Not everything is different, however. We still have fundamentally the same brains as the first creatures we would recognize as “one of us.” That means we process and respond to the basic sensory inputs we see, hear, feel, taste, and smell today as our earliest human ancestors did.

Neuroscience research suggests that those sensory consistencies may be why biophilic design gives us such a powerful mental boost today. Biophilic design applies the same sorts of design principles in today’s built-environments that were naturally present in the outdoor settings where we were at ease aeons ago, when our bodies took on their current form. We still feel comfortable in biophilic spaces today, and the sorts of experiences that we have in biophilicly designed spaces boost our cognitive performance, for example, and for some of us even enhance the performance of our immune systems.

Our brains continue to respond positively to the sorts of sensory stimulations that long ago signalled good times, or at least that bad times were unlikely.

So, what are the principles of biophilic design?

In a biophilic space, there is moderate visual complexity. This means that there is order in the world around us, and a carefully edited palette of colours and shapes in play. Moderate visual complexity makes it less stressful for us to continuously scan the world around us—something we still do without considering what we’re up to today, just as our forebears did aeons ago to determine if there was danger nearby. Clutter creates high visual complexity, which is why it makes us tense.

We speak with Environmental and Design Psychologist, Sally Augustin. Sally is also Principal at ‘Design with Science’. She is also Fellow of the ‘American Psychological Association’ and author of “Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture” (Wiley 2009) and with Cindy Coleman, “The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design” (Wiley, 2012).

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Changing your environment and mindset with actor and leadership coach, Paul Ryan

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Changing your environment and mindset with actor and leadership coach, Paul Ryan

Theatre, TV and film create simulations of environments to transport the audience somewhere else. Similarly here at Argenta Wellness and those who work using biophilic design, we create harmony by mimicking nature to bring about a simulated environment of an outside space to bring peace and calm to workplaces, healthcare and so on. In this podcast we speak with actor Paul Ryan (Brexit: The Uncivil War and Christine Keeler) who enjoyed a 3-year run in London’s theatre-land in Mamma Mia. Paul describes how with backdrops and actors’ states of mind, they create ..

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