In a world increasingly dominated by sterile, lifeless buildings, one architect is on a mission to reawaken our innate connection to the natural world. Amanda, CEO of the Biomimicry Institute, is a passionate advocate for biophilic design - the practice of incorporating elements of nature into the built environment to enhance human health, wellbeing and productivity.

"Many of our buildings today are like barren tombs, where people's souls and creativity go to die," Amanda laments. Her own experiences working in windowless offices, devoid of natural light, fresh air and sensory stimuli, left her feeling disconnected and uninspired. This personal frustration fuelled her determination to transform the way we design the spaces we inhabit.

Amanda's journey began with her childhood in a small English village, where she spent endless hours immersed in the outdoors. Travelling through Australia and Southeast Asia as a young adult further opened her eyes to the profound relationship between architecture, culture and the natural environment. "I saw buildings that were so in tune with the climate, responding to it in a way I'd never witnessed before," she recalls.