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Biophilic design, a movement related to green architecture, has gained much momentum within the building community in recent years. The premise of biophilic design is to avoid or minimise harmful impacts on the natural environment and, equally importantly, to provide and restore beneficial contacts between people and nature in the built environment.
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People have a psychologically developed need to commune with nature, but this has frequently been neglected. All too often, architects put creative originality before the needs of the people who must live and work in their futuristic constructions, with scant regard for emotional as well as practical considerations. Biophilic design does not advocate tree houses or cave-dwelling, but it does provide nature-based features that maximise human functioning and health. Though not technically a biophilic design, Fallingwater—the stunning house in rural Pennsylvania designed in the 1930s by Frank Lloyd Wright—arguably speaks to the human soul far more than the box-like blocks of flats designed by his contemporary Le Corbusier.
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In the modern world, much of our built environment obstructs the age-old connection between humans and nature. The rate of technological progress far exceeds the rate of psychological evolution, leaving us ill-equipped to cope with our lifestyles, which in turn leads to increased stress. Because biophilia attempts to integrate basic and current needs, it can alleviate the difficulties caused by the brain's constant efforts to function in a modern environment it has not yet evolved to handle. For example, one crucial element of the natural landscape for human health is sunlight.We are evolutionarily programmed to respond positively to sunny areas over dark or overcast ones and sense that they will foster restoration, improve emotional well-being and promote health.
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Because of its tremendous impact on human psychology, biophilic design plays a vital role in healthcare and its delivery. The current healthcare system contains many flaws especially in its physical spaces. Hospitals, clinics and offices are high-stress environments for patients, visitors and healthcare professionals alike. One well-known study looked at the impact of nature on patients after surgery. One group had a view of a tree; the others had a window looking onto a brick wall. The first group had shorter hospital stays, received fewer negative comments from nurses, required fewer analgesics and had slightly fewer post-operative complications.
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Due to the results of this research and others, nature and nature-based design have been incorporated into the physical design of many hospitals. For example, DartmouthHitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in New Hampshire features an architectural design that illuminates the entire facility. Natural elements also permeate the building, including wood, stone, and numerous living plants.While DHMC was built with these characteristics integrated, other hospitals have had to add biophilic features to existing structures. As hospital administrators have witnessed patients' positive responses to nature, the implementation of biophilic concepts within hospitals has increased significantly.
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Many existing buildings contain biophilic elements, but only a few were constructed with the specific理念 of biophilic design in mind. The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies at Oberlin College in Ohio is one such building. David Orr, director of Oberlin's environmental studies program, explains that the goal of the building is "not just to create a place to take classes, but to create a building that helps redefine the relationship between humans and the environment—one that will broaden our perception of ecological possibilities beyond the typical applications in the world." The Lewis Center was built in a sustainable manner, utilizing solar energy, employing active and passive air systems, and monitoring weather to adapt to conditions. The center's "living machine" processes wastewater by combining traditional wastewater technology with the purification processes of wetland ecosystems, producing water that can be used for toilets and irrigation.
In their design, Orr and his team of architects created a healthy and comfortable space for students while ensuring the surrounding environment was not compromised.
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Another example is the University of Guelph-Humber building in Ontario, Canada. It contains a vertically extending living wall at the center of the structure, which is covered with dense vegetation. This wall not only connects people inside the building to nature but also functions as a prototype of a new filtration system. The wall purifies air and has the potential to meet the fresh air intake needs of the entire building. These examples demonstrate that comprehensive environmental design need not interfere with humans' biological need to connect with nature nor disrupt existing ecosystems.
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Ancient architects built for cultures that were almost always more connected to the earth than today's Western societies. They mimicked natural forms to create grand structures that still exist today—though biophilic design is a novel concept, they certainly employed some of its recommendations. Today, we can add another layer to this tradition, ensuring maximum benefit for both our planet and ourselves.