The interest and necessity in biophilic design gained traction during the COVID-19 period when pandemic fatigue and mental illness rose in families and individuals thriving in the often-barren urban environment, with concrete walls and glass as homes and offices. The virus underscored the role nature plays in our lives. Green therapy is known to reduce the risk of developing an array of psychiatric disorders.
Scientific research also states that adding natural elements in homes and offices enhances positive thinking and employee productivity. Architects, design practitioners and builders understood the pressing need to connect people who use a space with nature. They began planning sustainable architecture combined with biophilic designs to fulfil the need for green infrastructure in cities with more zeal.
Stemming from the word 'biophilia', meaning humans' affinity with the natural world, 'biophilic concept' refers to the architectural and interior design practice of incorporating natural ecosystems and elements into the built environment. Simply put, it means 'bringing the wild outdoor nature indoors' to promote well-being, health, and emotional comfort. Biophilic design continues the green architecture movement that emerged around the mid-90s and focused on building eco-friendly and energy-efficient infrastructure.
The concept is picking up steam worldwide as families and individuals feel the urge to connect with nature more than ever before because of global warming and the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. It is revolutionising the fields of architecture, interior design, and real estate space by bringing harmony between the concrete, steel, and glass-urban structures with different characteristics of nature. This architectural feature has close ties to the principles of 'sustainable development', which are applicable in all human environmental, social, and economic aspects.
Architects and developers now deliberately draw on the lessons of nature to create dynamic and engaging designs that allow people and cities to reconnect, not just with nature but also with each other. When incorporating nature into the construction of metal buildings, variations are likely to develop based on personal interest, budget, space availability, and personal preferences.
However, there are several features applied globally by interior designers and architects. These include the use of natural and locally available materials, colours, and patterns, application of different species of vegetation in either scattered or clustered designs, bridging and harmonising the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, exploring different light dynamics for both natural and artificial lighting, natural and human-made water body proximity, and acoustic and aesthetic beauty.
Integrating, and not isolating, the nature in design is key to successful implementation of a biophilic built. These interventions ought to connect, complement, and integrate with the overall environment. Another thing worth noting here is that the benefits of such a design lie in repeated and reinforced experiences. Instead of an occasional experience, a building that is based on the concept of biophilic design should have an engaging contact with nature.
