"Biophilic design" sounds like a very fancy term when you first read it. It comes from latin, bio —nature— and philia —love. The word “Biophilia” was coined by Erich Fromm (a psychoanalyst) who described it as “passionate love of life and of all that is alive…whether in a person, a plant, an idea, or a social group”. Applied to interiors, it’s basically design that focuses on including plants into spaces and prioritizes access to nature.
This is not a new concept, although the term “biophilic design” certainly is. Incorporating plants into architecture and design has been present since the days of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It’s just gained importance in more modern times because of urbanization and the lack of direct contact people have with nature.
But why is it important to incorporate nature to your spaces? Well, it’s been proven that it helps to reduce stress and heart rates, and it’s linked to increased productivity! Of course this doesn’t just mean that adding a plant or two will make you ten times more productive, it’s more about the focus of the design itself. It’s design that prioritizes and imitates nature, rather than adding bits and pieces of natural elements into artificial design.
Here are some examples of true biophilic design:
