Over the past years, a biophilic renaissance has stoked the fires for more nature-centric spaces—integrating organic and colorful designs into indoor environments. Designers are beginning to leverage that greater emphasis on a human being’s primal yearning for nature, adopting more eco-conscious and sustainable practices.
A client of ours, Planterra, expertly portrays innovative biophilic trends in the built environment, providing one-of-a-kind interior landscaping for commercial spaces. The usage of thoughtfully designed plantscapes, green/living walls, and colorful faux plants creates a healthy, multi-sensory space for guests and occupants.
In the aftermath of a global pandemic, an increased focus on health and wellness is inevitable. Biophilic indoor environments are on an upward trend, bleeding into different industries that AMBI specializes in like Architecture & Design, Materials & Finishes, Building Services & Technologies, and Illumination.
Biophilic Trends in Architecture & Design
Architects and designers are beginning to cultivate spaces with a deliberately human-centric appeal.
Plants, living walls, and other biophilic designs offer workers and facility managers the opportunity to add personality to an indoor environment while prioritizing health and wellness. According to research, the mere presence of indoor plants can improve air quality, reduce stress, and support cognitive health. Those benefits reaped from only mild maintenance are a massive contributing factor to recent biophilic architecture trends.
Biophilia refers to the hypothetical connection and longing for nature that all humans feel. It fuels the continued trends for integrating nature in indoor environments, which is why moss and living walls are increasingly popular. Simple, low-maintenance biophilic designs answer a designer's need to stay on budget while supplying health benefits to everyday users.
Biophilic Trends in Materials & Finishes
Biophilic designs also manifest themselves in the everyday materials and finishes found in any built environment. To differentiate themselves from the traditional and create an experience rather than just a building, designers have begun to implement dynamic and natural textures. Minimally processed materials that appear more natural like wood, stone, or other natural fibers stimulate more of our senses. Unlike traditional designs that rely on clean white and grey walls, it creates a functional and memorable environment.
It provides a needed break from monotonous, overly processed, and rigid designs that fail to resonate with the everyday person. Biophilic textures and their subtle inconsistencies reflect nature’s imperfection. There are no purely flat surfaces or perfect right angles in nature.
The addition of natural textures puts the human brain at ease, focusing on cultivating a powerful experience rather than simply constructing a building.
Biophilic Trends in Building Services & Technologies
Similarly to biophilic innovations in materials and finishes, building services and technology trends create a multi-sensory space. Beyond just sight, adding water features and stone paneling for an auditory and textile experience. Those natural sights and sounds transport the user outside of a traditional, mundane environment, and transport them into a truly unique space.
Removing the unnatural rigidity of traditional designs creates a more open, natural, and inviting environment for users.
Biophilic Trends in Illumination
Biophilic lighting is on the rise as well, offering several benefits for users. By using biophilic lighting, designers can assist in regulating circadian rhythms and reducing stress. With more natural lighting, our circadian rhythm is better equipped to regulate our hormones—making us more alert during the day and restful at night.
The unnatural use of bright white overhead lights can disrupt that rhythm, leading to stress, lack of focus, and restlessness. It demands a reevaluation on behalf of both lighting designers and specifiers, designing and finding products that resonate with users.
Balancing natural lighting and artificial lighting is a delicate dance, but it must be mastered as it becomes more and more relevant.
The Future of Biophilic Designs
AMBI is confident in the longevity of natural, biophilic designs that will last beyond typical “trends.” Its innate value to improve the lives of a building’s occupants and guests is undeniable as is its relatively low barrier to entry. Biophilic design offers an affordable and beautiful way for designers to create spaces that are built for people while improving their lifestyles.
