Circular Economy: Material Flows and Sustainable Materials – Practical Applications

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Biophilic Design: Connecting Human Built Spaces to Nature

The research area of Biophilic Design is based on the innate human need to connect with nature, biophilia, a term that was coined by psychoanalyst Erich Fromm in 1973.

It gained its scientific foundation from biologist Edward O. Wilson’s 1984 Biophilia Hypothesis, which argued this connection is evolutionary. The concept was later formalized into a design framework by Stephen Kellert and others to integrate nature into built environments for improved human health and well-being.

In this video you get a tour and short introduction to Biophilic Design in Amsterdam.

Stephen Kellert’s Biophilic Design Principles

Stephen Kellert, a pioneer in the field, established a comprehensive framework for incorporating nature into the built environment to boost well-being. His system organizes elements into three broad categories:

Direct Experience of Nature: Actual contact with elements like light, water, plants, and air flow.
Indirect Experience of Nature: Representations of nature using natural materials, colors, and biomorphic forms.
Experience of Space and Place: Spatial configurations like prospect (view) and refuge (shelter), and organized complexity.

This design approach focuses on enhancing the innate human connection to nature for better health and productivity. Here you can watch a short section from a lecture with Stephen Kellert.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Biophilic Design: Connecting Human Built Spaces to Nature

Stephen Kellert’s Biophilic Design Principles

Further reading, learning and references