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.