Tips for Incorporating Biophilic Design Into Your Home

Did you know that by incorporating plants into your home, you are already participating in biophilic design?

What is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is part of the trend towards eco-living. It is based on biophilia, a hypothesis that humans have an attraction and biological connection with nature.

Unfortunately, many of our structures are not built in a way that supports our relationship with nature. To combat this, there are ways to incorporate biophilic design into your home. Here are the 14 patterns of biophilic design and how to create them in your home.

1. Visual Connection With Nature

This pattern encompasses the idea of viewing the elements of nature. This includes all living systems and natural processes. A visual connection with this nature can reduce stress, create positive emotional functioning, and improve concentration.

2. Non-Visual Connection With Nature

This pattern represents all the ways you can connect with nature that don't include sight. There are still ways you can smell, hear, touch or taste these natural systems. This non-visual connection is said to reduce cognitive fatigue and increase motivation.

3. Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli

This is a random, short burst of connection that can be found in natural environments. They are unpredictable such as a cloud moving across the sky or birds chirping in a tree. This brief distraction can be beneficial to humans.

4. Thermal And Airflow Variability

The subtle changes in temperatures are what makes up this pattern. An environment that doesn't have this temperature and light variability will lead to boredom and passivity.

5. Presence of Water

Water is an important part of the life cycle and should be incorporated into your home. It can encourage your self-esteem as well and improve your mood.

6. Dynamic and Diffused Light

This pattern is based on how lights and shadows act in natural environments. Quality of light and how it fluctuates has been tied to improved sleep quality, mood, and alertness.

7. Connection With Natural Systems

Natural systems are defined as the seasonal and temporal changes that naturally occur in a healthy environment. Understanding this life cycle can lead to relaxation, nostalgia, and enlightenment.

8. Biomorphic Forms and Patterns

This involves embraces biomorphism, the shapes and patterns that occur in nature. The Fibonacci series of numbers is an example of this pattern.

9. Material Connection With Nature

Making the space feel rich, warm, and authentic is the goal of this pattern. The materials you choose to include in a room can impact mood and productivity.

10. Complexity and Order

There is a certain spacial hierarchy that occurs in nature. Recreating this in your home can be done using symmetry, fractals, or irregular geometric shapes.

11. Prospect

A room should feel open and free while also providing a sense of safety. This pattern of prospect can be created by creating focus and focal lengths.

12. Refuge

This pattern encourages a safe environment that provides retreat or withdrawal. These spaces of refuge can be restorative and aid in lower blood pressure and reduced heart rate.

13. Mystery

The mystery is created when environments are obscured. This leads to a promise of more to come. Mystery can be created by incorporating curved edges, winding paths and obscured views throughout the home.

14. Risk and Peril

The last pattern has to do with showing a threat that is paired with a reliable safeguard. A controllable risk can produce dopamine and pleasure responses in individuals.

To help you understand the patterns even further, here is an infographic showing the fourteen patterns and how they are used in everyday settings. Browse through to get ideas on how to incorporate them into your own space.

How to Incorporate Biophilic Design Into Your Home