{"id":31237,"date":"2024-04-22T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swecobelgium.be\/blog\/from-ego-to-eco-the-future-of-biophilic-design\/"},"modified":"2025-03-31T12:43:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T10:43:47","slug":"from-ego-to-eco-the-future-of-biophilic-design","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.swecobelgium.be\/en\/news\/from-ego-to-eco-the-future-of-biophilic-design\/","title":{"rendered":"From Ego to Eco: The Future of Biophilic Design"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In a world where concrete and steel define the horizon, there is a growing need for a deeper connection with nature. As our cities expand and our buildings soar, we have, along the way, lost a fundamental contact with the natural environment. Patterns of biophilic design provide a framework for a future where architecture can transform the way we live and work and reconnect us with nature. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Fallingwater – arch. Frank Lloyd Wright<\/p><\/div>\n

The importance of outdoor living for human evolution<\/h2>\n

It might seem as if we have always worked and lived indoors. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are by nature outdoor beings. In the millions of years of human evolution, our human brain has been strongly shaped by interactions with our natural environment. Outdoor living has had a number of important influences on the formation and development of our brains. Humans have a deep-rooted link with nature. This link is genetically anchored in us.<\/p>\n

How indoor living has changed our connection with nature<\/h2>\n

Indoor living is a relatively recent development, emerging since the industrial revolution. It has brought us many benefits: it protects against weather and potential dangers, offers convenience and comfort, with access to modern amenities and technology such as electricity, internet, and computers. We have become predominantly indoor beings, losing our connection with nature in the process. Today, 90% of our time is spent indoors. With a lack of natural light, movement, good air quality, social interactions, and an increased use of screens.<\/p>\n

Integrating nature into building and urban design<\/h2>\n

As designers of buildings and urban space, we ask ourselves the question: how can we integrate nature and living systems into our designs? In other words, how do we become doctors or restorers of our artificial environment? By incorporating natural elements into our living spaces, we can help restore the deep-rooted link with nature that is essential for our well-being and human evolution.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Biophilia, literally love for life or living organisms, rekindles our genetic link with nature. Biophilic design reintroduces that link into the environments we design. More than the obligatory tree or shrub in a building, we create a symbiosis between nature and society so that we can enjoy the healing effect on body and mind, in our increasingly busy world.<\/p>\n

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By 2050, between 65% and 75% of the world’s population will live in cities.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Urbanization – Our World in Data<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Hard Data<\/h2>\n

Biophilic design is more than a philosophy. It is an applied science that explores the relationship between humans and nature, and from those insights designs artificial environments. It is an interdisciplinary practice that impacts our physiological and mental health, cognitive functions, and the environment, socially and economically.<\/p>\n

Measurement equates to knowledge.<\/strong> Data show that biophilic design reduces absenteeism, increases staff retention, accelerates patient turnover, and lowers crime rates. These statistics translate to increased revenue per room for care institutions and enhanced property value for buildings. Biophilic-designed offices can increase productivity to the extent that the benefits outweigh the operational costs and rent.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Nature in all its forms<\/h2>\n

Nature can inspire the built environment in multiple ways:<\/p>\n