BLOG: Creating Mindful Spaces: The Role of Biophilic Design & Sustainability

In a world that moves at breakneck speed, creating mindful spaces has become essential for our well-being. Biophilic design, with its focus on human’s innate connection to nature, offers a way to bring tranquility and mindfulness into our everyday spaces. In this blog, we’ll explore how integrating sustainable and biophilic elements into our workplaces and all building types we spend time in can transform our living and working environments into serene havens.

What is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design transcends mere aesthetics; it’s about fostering a deep, inherent connection between humans and nature. This innovative approach to design not only considers how spaces look but also how they function to improve our psychological and physiological well-being. By integrating natural elements into our environments, biophilic design aims to satisfy our innate need to affiliate with nature in modern society.

The essence of biophilic design lies in its ability to create a sense of peace and wellbeing through direct and indirect experiences of nature. Direct experiences might include the presence of plants, water features, and natural light, while indirect experiences involve using materials, colors, and shapes that evoke nature. The ultimate goal is to create environments that are inspirational and restorative, places where we can feel grounded and at peace in a world that often feels frenetic and artificial.

The Science Behind Biophilia: Why We Need Nature

Humans have an innate affinity towards nature, a phenomenon known as biophilia. It’s not just a preference but a biological need that impacts our physical and mental health. Studies have shown that integrating natural elements into our surroundings can reduce stress, enhance creativity, improve cognitive function, and foster emotional well-being. This compelling body of research offers a scientific basis for the principles of biophilic design, highlighting nature’s role as not just a backdrop for our lives but a vital component of our health and happiness.

Key Elements of Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is grounded in several key elements that serve to bridge the gap between humans and the natural world. These include the use of natural light, which can transform the mood of a space; the incorporation of plants and water features, which bring life and serenity; and the selection of materials that reflect the textures and patterns found in nature. Through thoughtful design choices, we can create spaces that evoke a sense of calm and connection to the outdoors.

Another critical aspect of biophilic design is providing visual and physical access to natural environments. This may mean designing spaces that open up to outdoor gardens or selecting artwork and motifs that reflect flora and fauna. The idea is to create an enveloping sense of nature, even in urban environments, allowing individuals to feel a connection to the larger natural world around them.

Incorporating Natural Light for A Mindful Space

Natural light plays an indispensable role in crafting mindful spaces, imbuing them with warmth and vitality. It not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of a space but also significantly impacts our mood, productivity, and circadian rhythms. Thoughtfully designed spaces with ample natural light can elevate our sense of well-being, making us feel more connected to the natural cycles of day and night.

The Role of Plants in Creating Serene Environments

Incorporating plant life into our living and working spaces is perhaps one of the most tangible expressions of biophilic design. Plants not only improve air quality but also have a calming effect, reducing stress and enhancing our ability to concentrate. Through the strategic placement of indoor plants, we can create miniature oases that provide a respite from the bustling world outside, furthering our journey towards achieving a mindful space.

As much as living Walls, potted plants, and any living plants in the commercial (or even residential) spaces proven to be hard to maintain, and it is not as easy as it sounds to have living plants in these built environments. With that, the preserved greenery, like preserved moss and preserved foliage gardens became optimal solution to the designers who would like to incorporate nature and green in their built environments, while not burdening the occupants and facilities with maintenance issues come with the living plants.

Preserved gardens, preserved foliage offer the best of both worlds: They offer the beauty and vibrancy the nature offers in their natural and original state, and they do not need any maintenance to keep their vibrancy for long years to come. Especially when a proven supplier (like a sustainability and safety minded Garden on the Wall) used for supplying the sustainable preserved moss and preserved foliage gardens to bring biophilia in designed space, the designers fulfill a long life cycle greenery for their clients.

The preserved foliage, moss walls and preserved greenery are not only an optimum solution for Biophilic Design, these natural elements are also proven to be sustainable when a sustainability minded company is chosen to supply those. Garden on the Wall has an unmatched number of 3rd party tests, and credentials to ensure all of their raw materials are sourced sustainably.

Using Sustainable Materials to Connect with Nature

Sustainable materials are the cornerstone of biophilic design, fostering not only a connection to nature but also a commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship. By choosing materials that are renewable, recyclable, or responsibly sourced, we can create spaces that are in harmony with the environment. These materials often carry the inherent beauty of the natural world, bringing textures and colors that remind us of our connection to the earth.

Using a long lifecycle product is one of the ways that the designers put sustainability at the front for their projects. Although the initial investment for a specific product might be higher for a sustainable product, once the life cycle assessment is considered, the long life cycle products always end up as the lowest cost of ownership, making the sustainable products actually cheaper, incentivizing the owners to request these products more. Garden on the Wall for example, has the highest longevity for their preserved garden, moss wall and planter inserts offerings, making them the lowest cost of ownership in the market to justify the investment to their green oases.

Case Studies: Transformative Biophilic Spaces

Around the world, architects and designers are demonstrating the transformative power of biophilic design through a variety of innovative projects. From offices designed around central courtyards filled with native plant species to hospitals that use gardens and natural light to promote healing, these case studies offer compelling evidence of how mindful spaces can enhance our quality of life. They serve as inspiration for how we can all incorporate elements of biophilic design into our own spaces.

The positive psychological and physiological affects of Biophilia on human well being has been proven by hundreds of studies by dozens of universities and scientific institutions. With that, the reduced cortisol levels, increased oxytocin levels that are present in the occupants of these buildings help them focus better, heal faster, feel more positive and boosted morale. All these hormonal, behavioral changes are due to the presence of the Biophilia in the designed space. To brief, the Biophilic Design is a wonderful tool at the designer’s toolbelt to make the workplace, healthcare, hospitality, learning environments, and all other building types people spend time more human centric, more positive and more livable. You can see hundreds of project examples that the Biophilic Design at play at Garden on the Wall’s website, www.gardenonthewall.com

Creating Harmony with Nature

Embracing biophilic design principles to create mindful spaces is more than just a trend; it’s a pathway to enhancing our well-being and reconnecting with the natural world. Whether it’s through incorporating more natural light, adding greenery (either living ones when they can be maintained, or the preserved greenery as an optimal choice), or using sustainable materials, small changes can lead to significant impacts on our health, productivity, and overall happiness. Designers embark on this journey towards creating more mindful and harmonious spaces while ensuring that the Material Health and Occupant Health of these built environments are fulfilled for a better future for all, by better designed interiors.