Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed a significant rise in biophilic design — builds that incorporate nature for a greater sense of wellbeing. And it’s fair to say that as we adjust to the conditions of a pandemic-sensitive world, it’s going to be more important than ever to factor happiness and health into human-centred projects.
[Photo by Brandon Hooper on Unsplash]
Regardless of whether your brief is for a domestic property or a sprawling public space, there are some simple ways in which you can enhance the experience of the users of your building.
Detoxify
People are becoming deeply conscious of the need to move away from the use of plastics, chemicals and other potentially harmful substances. You can create a more friendly space by choosing natural materials such as hempcrete over concrete, organic pigment paints over chemical compounds or sheep’s wool insulation over plastic fleece.
[Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Lighting
One of the biggest tenets of biophilic design is to use natural lighting where possible. Gone are the days when municipal strip lighting was considered acceptable!
Natural lighting boosts vitamin D, wards off depression and improves sleep, so make the most of windows and mirrors to boost the health of your building’s occupants. And where electrical lighting is necessary, use soft light sources that create atmosphere and enhance mood.
Add more greenery and water
When it comes to human happiness, it’s been repeatedly demonstrated that greenery and water helps to create a better and more healthful environment. Plants enhance physical health by purifying the air for us, and the proximity of plants and water features are known to improve mood.
Include these elements where you can, and remember that you don’t need full sunlight for plants to thrive. Peace lilies, Boston ferns, spider plants, aloe vera and orchids will all do well even in low light conditions.
Enhance outdoor spaces
If your project has room for outdoor spaces, make the most of it by creating relaxation and exercise zones to enhance wellbeing.
Caroline Birdsall, Marketing Manager for Millboard, writes that, “outdoor spaces are crucial to wellness. Many of our clients use our products to create spaces as diverse as meditation gardens or outdoor yoga studios. Considerations like these are relatively simple to implement but they make an enormous impact on the feel of the final build.”
Hygiene stations
Just 12 months ago, the inclusion of hygiene stations would have been deemed outlandish by most property designers. But in our changed world, clients need to consider how best to prevent the transmission of diseases like coronavirus. This is obviously most important in public buildings, where hygiene stations can be designed as integral elements within the overall scheme. The materials and mechanisms of high-contact areas, such as door and window openings, can also be optimised to reduce the chance of infection.
Small changes can lead to big gains
The architecture of wellbeing is something of an art, but the benefits of using natural materials and health-boosting facilities are backed up by hard science. Why not use your next brief as an opportunity to include some of these simple changes? After all, they could add up to a big difference overall.
