September 11, 2020

Biophilia + Design Impacts

Biophilia - Design Impacts Talking Points

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Summary

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In the design world, biophilia can influence not only aesthetic choices, but also administrative operations, systems design, development, and firm culture. Taking design cues from nature means practicing in a style that is regenerative and sustainable, intentional yet spontaneous.

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Keywords

Ecological design, sustainable design, biophilic design, regenerative design

Regenerative Design (Roös, 2017):

Regenerative Pattern Name:	Short Description:
Adaptive Built Environments	Adaptive potential of buildings and infrastructure
Protect Nature’s Adaptive Capacity	Adaptive capacity of local natural systems
Nature’s Work as a Continuous Interaction	Allows life support functions to be processed through conversion, distribution, filtration, assimilation and storage with interaction throughputs systems to optimise resilience
Aggregate not Isolate, Integrate not Segregate	Integrate all parts to assist the inclusion of symbiotic relationships to promote regeneration
Self-Regulation and Feedback Loops	Include self-regulation of feedback loop systems in processes
Produce no Waste, Recycle and Assimilate	Make use of all inputs/outputs for a closed loop or net positive system
Conversion of the Solar Income	Include passive solar systems for energy, heating and cooling, thermal storage and conversion
Scale Linking to Facilitate Flow	Shaping the medium to facilitate flow, scale linking for support of maximum function at smallest scale
Storage as a Key Resource	For Energy, Water and Materials – maintaining adequate storage with balancing the replenish rate with the rate of use
Valued Renewable Resources and Services	Use and value existing natural, renewable resources for energy and biological services
Human – Nature Connections for Healthy and Prosperous Environments	The application of Biophilia strategies and designs to create healthy environments for both humans and nature

Economic Benefits of Biophilia (Dias 2015):

• Work place: encourages productivity, focus; decreases absenteeism, negative mood, and poor health
• Hospitals: reduce the cost of both patient care and staffing while improving medical outcomes
• Retail Spaces: draw shoppers in and keep them in store longer with interesting features
• Education: foster better test scores, health, and increased learning rates for students; greater satisfaction and retention from teachers. Schoolyards with natural elements can trigger mental restoration, better behavior and enhanced focus in students

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Key References

Biophilia References