Urban regeneration. Nature in cities.
With stark gray edges and crowded skylines, cities have long focused on human design and disruption of the landscape.
In the past, architectural and interior design sought to remove people from the natural world, to disrupt it and form boundaries. Today, the purpose has shifted to a more inclusive, dynamic aesthetic. Homes and workspaces draw inspiration from the beauty of nature itself. The feel of growth, flow, and renewal do more than make things look good. They inspire creativity and support sustainable mindsets. This goes so far beyond putting a houseplant on your desk in a cubicle. It’s about more than putting a water feature or garden in a building’s lobby. Instead, designers cultivate integrated ecosystems that support function as much as the encourage natural energy.
Many locations in nature mimic modern design such as the flat, white expanse of the arctic or the architectural basalt columns on the Ireland coast. When planning homes and office buildings, however, these have nothing to do with glass and steel skyscrapers filled with cubicles or cookie-cutter house plans. As people became more conscious of the environment, they incorporated more green elements into buildings. Natural light, a planted water feature in the hall, and a solar panel on the roof represented the beginning of this nod to the human-nature connection.
What part or elements of nature is this leadership design inspired by? The best answer involves any that already exists in the location where building occurs. Sustainable, local materials, natural light, growing things, and even the shape of the structure matters.
Today, biophilic design goes far beyond the above examples. It goes beyond common types of ‘greenwashing’ as well, such as planting a roof garden on a massive structure that destroyed an ecosystem during construction. Instead, this integrates existing nature with the needs and interests of the people living or working in the area. It combines the physical, sensory, and emotional aspects to inspire.
In the midst of Milan, Italy’s modern urban center, the Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) rises to the blue sky above. As the two towers are taller than others in the area, they disrupt the skyline by their very size. However, it is the thousands of trees and shrubs growing on the exterior that truly makes them a marvel. The building creates an ecosystem that provides practical benefits – oxygenation, biodiversity, and combatting urban heat – while providing residents with nature right outside their windows.
The Marisfrolg Pavilion in Shenzhen, China boasts a design that looks more organic than a building ever could. It’s shaped like a clamshell, covered with biomaterials, and surrounded by flowing green lines or garden. Sustainable material usage supports the style with eco-conscious planning.
Other unique examples exist:
Whether focused on the building’s appearance as a non-obtrusive part of the landscape or more on ecologically sound function, the combination of nature and purposeful construction work. On a macro level, these buildings are impressive and innovative. When you look closer at the personal benefits of these decisions, the decision to bring nature inside resonates even more with the challenges of modern life.
Scroll through any modern architect or home designer’s portfolio to see more options inspired by the combination of nature and human-use spaces. Natural materials and eco-friendly structures and utilities are must-haves for discerning property owners. The ‘why’ goes beyond a simple nod to conscious living, however. These elements actually improve emotional wellbeing, physical health, and cognitive ability.
Light – Increases vitamin D production, combats seasonal depression, regulates sleep and wake cycles, improves mood, protects eye health, boosts attention, focus, and productivity.
Air – Helps boost energy levels, lowers stress, can reduce hypertension and elevated heart rate, improves immunity, helps against asthma and allergies.
Water – White noise from moving water can reduce stress, promote healthy sleep, and lower blood pressure. It can improve air quality, regulate humidity, and cool the area.
Plants – Improves indoor air quality, reduces stress, enhances focus, productivity, and cognition, and boost mood.
From a life and leadership perspective, the benefits are obvious. You do not want to structure your personal or professional growth with rigidity and unnatural rhythms. Instead, incorporate the advantage inherent in natural patterns into yourself. A true leader, whether of their own life or an extensive team, inspires and improves function without increasing stress or contributing to health problems. Ecosystems adapt to seasonal changes, weather conditions, and other influences. When you blend this type of flexibility and resilience into your life, you can make sustainable progress that gets organic results. It’s so much easier to do so if your surroundings match your internal intentions.
Although the above four elements define the most common and easiest to incorporate, others are sometimes used. Animal life is one option with aquariums, ponds, pollinator gardens, and feeder stations. Fire is an option more often used in homes with outdoor pits and indoor fireplaces. Weather can also influence design by positioning buildings and trees to allow wind flow or using windows to allow unobstructed views of rain and storms.
You do not need a geodesic dome in the middle of a forest or a stream running through your living room in order to benefit from the nature-inspired design. Office buildings or residential high rises do not need a veritable jungle hanging from its balconies. The overall goal involves creating a cohesive space that combines natural form with necessary function. This goes far beyond aesthetics or beauty. Sustainability and green living itself can refresh and inspire people. Earth tones, green, and blue sooth emotions and inspire creativity. Organic shapes rather than rigid lines and angles do the same. By bringing nature inside, you reap all the benefits of a connective, lower stress, more cognitively stimulating space.