Population growth in cities emphasizes the need to enhance health and wellbeing. One of the concepts that facilitates achieving these goals is biophilic design.

Biophilic design philosophy is rooted in the concept of biophilia. Biophilia is the natural human inclination to engage with nature and its processes (Kellert, 2008), stemming from a fundamental need to connect with other living beings (Barbiero, 2021). This concept emphasizes that interaction with nature is essential for our physical and mental well-being.

Related concepts like biophilic design, biophilic urbanism and biophilic cities aim to apply the principles of biophilia to the planning and design of buildings and urban environments (Kellert and Heerwagen, 2008). Biophilic design is an approach that weaves nature into the fabric of urban environments, aiming to create spaces that connect people with nature. Cities that promote connections between people and nature and provide opportunities for nature experiences within urban settings are referred to as “biophilic cities” (Beatley, 2011). In these cities, ecological restoration, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning are used strategically to improve the physical, mental, and economic benefits of interacting with nature for city residents (Beatley, 2016).

Benefits of human-nature relationships

The design of urban spaces profoundly affects how people feel, behave, and interact. Maximizing comfort in urban design is essential for promoting productivity, well-being, and quality of life. Many studies have demonstrated the restorative and healing benefits of biophilia (nature) in built environment (Reeve et al., 2015, Whyte et al, 2024). Studies indicated that integrating natural elements into interior spaces through biophilic design can reduce stress, boost creativity, and enhance cognitive function (Yin et al., 2020), while also elevating the quality of spaces and creating visually appealing environments (Ryan et al., 2014).

Biophilic goes beyond solely adding plants to spaces; it strategically incorporates natural patterns, light, materials, organic forms and spatial configurations to foster a sense of connection with nature, ultimately positively impacting mental and physical health, enhancing the urban experience and contributing to ecological sustainability. The importance of a connection with nature has been recognized to boost satisfaction, and wellbeing in built environment.

The positive impact of biophilic cities on urban sustainability and resilience has been studied recently. By connecting people with natural elements in urban areas, biophilic design plays a crucial role in promoting climate-positive outcomes. Biophilic urbanism leads to direct reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing CO2 sequestration. These benefits extend beyond individual well-being, contributing to more vibrant, resilient communities. However, measuring its impact in urban landscape is not common practice. Xue et al (2019) indicated that the long term impact of biophilic urbanism has been unknown by conducting a workshop of the government agencies, professional consultants, developers and property managers.

(Bosco Verticale Italy)

Climate positive impacts of biophilic urbanism

As stated in Climate Positive Design report (2022), landscape architects are likely emitting more greenhouse gas emissions than they are sequestering. It is a critical time for radical change in the field of landscape architecture. By integrating elements such as green roofs, urban forests, and extensive green spaces, biophilic urbanism helps to reduce emissions associated with urban heat islands and energy consumption. These natural features actively absorb CO2 and reduce the need for artificial cooling and heating, which cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike a mere net-zero approach, which only balances emissions, biophilic urbanism directly addresses the reduction and sequestration of greenhouse gases, ensuring that urban environments contribute positively to the climate over their lifespan.

Biophilic urbanism contributes to the climate change adaptation and mitigation through:

1. Mitigating urban heat island effect: biophilic elements such as green roofs, urban forests, and vertical gardens help to cool cities by providing shade and promoting evapotranspiration, reducing the need for artificial cooling.
2. Enhancing air quality: incorporating green infrastructure, tree canopy and enhancing greenery into urban landscapes—through green walls, green corridors, and parks—improves air quality, contributing to healthier urban environments.
3. Stormwater management and flood mitigation: permeable surfaces, rain gardens, and green roofs capture and filter rainwater, incorporates natural systems to manage stormwater, reducing the risk of flooding and water pollution.
4. Promoting biodiversity and ecological resilience: parks, green corridors, and native plantings contribute to more diverse and robust ecosystems, create habitats for local wildlife which are better able to adapt to climate change, , support biodiversity and enhance ecological resilience.

Showcasing biophilic design in urban context

Many cities incorporate biophilic design in various ways, from large-scale elements like parks, lakes, and water features to smaller site-specific features such as green corridors, living walls, rooftop gardens, and designs that manage water and use nature to enhance long-term sustainability.

Bosco Verticale, Milan, Italy

Bosco Verticale, or “Vertical Forest,” (image above) is an exemplary biophilic design that integrates 800 trees and over 20,000 plants into two residential towers. The Vertical Forest is a dynamic system involving both natural and human-managed processes. This system evolves alongside the life and growth of the vegetation over time. Planting improves air quality, mitigates urban heat, and creates a unique, visually striking addition to Milan’s skyline. This project demonstrates how biophilic design can transform urban high-rises into vertical ecosystems, contributing to climate positive impacts.

The High Line, New York City

The High Line is a reclaimed elevated railway turned urban park that exemplifies biophilic design in action. Featuring native plantings, art installations, and views of the city, it provides a green sanctuary for residents and visitors alike. The park’s design enhances biodiversity, reduces the heat island effect, and creates a unique urban space that merges nature with the built environment.

(New York Hiline)

Towards Biophilic Cities

have highlighted biophilic design elements and strategies in both architecture and interior design (Kellert, 2008; Ryan et al., 2014) as well as in urban settings (Beatley, 2011) to improve health, well-being, and climate-positive results. Designing nature experiences in cities involve use of natural elements (as nature in cities), spaces (as nature of spaces and places) and activities (as nature activities) that enhance interacting with nature (Pedersen Zari, 2023).

Nature in cities include the presence of biophilic infrastructure in urban spaces. The biophilic infrastructures include:

• Parks and urban green spaces
• Green belts/connected ecosystems/wild and semi wild native nature spaces
• Habitat provision and interacting with habitats
• Rivers/streams/wetlands/marine reserves
• Water features
• Street trees and canopies
• Green roofs/walls/rooftop gardens
• Community gardens/edible landscaping
• Sensory gardens/landscape

Natural spaces and places emphasize the role of design of biophilic buildings and spaces. These spaces include:

• Bioclimatic buildings have a designed connection with nature (sun, wind, rain, ecology, and seasons) to create comfortable interior conditions while being energy and materials effective.
• Biomorphic buildings are ones that have organic or natural looking forms, patterns or textures, or that make use of spatial hierarchies similar to those encountered in nature such as fractal patterns.
• Integrating natural light in design
• Thermal and airflow variability
• Material and colour connections with nature
• Celebration of climate and nature by artwork, murals, furniture etc.
• Views to nature/natural elements
• Creation of Refuge/sanctuary in public spaces
• Creation of the sense of mystery, surprise, and curiosity through natural features

Nature activities require a wholistic governance approach in managing urban spaces that emphasizes activities in the celebration of nature to achieve biophilic cities and climate positive outcome. This requires promoting activities to learn about and interact with nature in cities such as public events and gathering spaces to interact with nature, outdoor activity centres/sports fields/places to swim, camping groups and activities, active transport zones and tracks, natural history museums and celebrations and acknowledging organizations with the focus on preservation and conservation of nature.

Biophilic design offers a pathway to reimagine urban landscapes as dynamic, sustainable environments that enhance human well-being and support climate-positive outcomes. By integrating natural elements into our cities, we can create healthier, more resilient urban spaces that reconnect us with nature and contribute to ecological sustainability. As we face the challenges of climate change and urbanization, biophilic design provides a vital tool for shaping cities that are not only functional but also engaging, vibrant, and restorative.

References

• AILA, 2022. Climate Positive Design Volume 1. Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Climate Positive Design – Action Plan for Australian Landscape Architects, pp 1-118.
• Barbiero, G., & Berto, R. (2021). Biophilia as evolutionary adaptation: An onto-and phylogenetic framework for biophilic design. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 700709.
• Beatley, T. (2011). Biophilic cities: integrating nature into urban design and planning. Island Press.
• Beatley, T. (2016). Handbook of biophilic city planning & design. Island Press.
• Kellert, S. R. (2008). Dimensions, elements, and attributes of biophilic design. Biophilic design: the theory, science, and practice of bringing buildings to life, 2008, 3-19.
• Kellert, S. R., Heerwagen, J., & Mador, M. (2011). Biophilic design: the theory, science and practice of bringing buildings to life. John Wiley & Sons.
• Pedersen Zari, M. (2023). Understanding and designing nature experiences in cities: A framework for biophilic urbanism. Cities & Health, 7(2), 201-212.
• Reeve, A. C., Desha, C., Hargreaves, D., & Hargroves, K. (2015). Biophilic urbanism: contributions to holistic urban greening for urban renewal. Smart and sustainable built environment, 4(2), 215-233.
• Ryan, C. O., Browning, W. D., Clancy, J. O., Andrews, S. L., & Kallianpurkar, N. B. (2014). Biophilic design patterns: emerging nature-based parameters for health and well-being in the built environment. ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, 8(2), 62.
• Whyte, S., Kaburagi, R., Gan, V., Candido, C., Avazpour, B., Fatourehchi, D., … & Sarnyai, Z. (2024). Exploring the Benefits of Mass Timber Construction in the Workplace: A Novel Primer for Research. Buildings (2075-5309), 14(7).
• Xue, F., Gou, Z., Lau, S. S. Y., Lau, S. K., Chung, K. H., & Zhang, J. (2019). From biophilic design to biophilic urbanism: Stakeholders’ perspectives. Journal of Cleaner Production, 211, 1444-1452.
• Yin, J., Yuan, J., Arfaei, N., Catalano, P. J., Allen, J. G., & Spengler, J. D. (2020). Effects of biophilic indoor environment on stress and anxiety recovery: A between-subjects experiment in virtual reality. Environment International, 136, 105427.

By Dr Behnaz Avazpour (submitted on behalf of Australian Institute of Landscape Architects)

Behnaz is a qualified architect and landscape architect with over 17 years of diverse industry experience complemented by a decade of academic involvement as an educator and researcher. Behnaz holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Built Environment specialising in water sensitive urban design (WSUD) and green infrastructure. She has significantly contributed to various research initiatives at esteemed institutions, including UNSW, the University of Sydney, and the University of Melbourne’s Sustainable Healthy Environment (SHE) Lab. She led the implementation of research investigations for an ARC research project on promoting healthy built environment through architectural design, biophilic integration and technology. Behnaz’s passion for urban sustainability is evident in her commitment to enhancing healthy built environments, underscoring her dedication to creating liveable, sustainable, and resilient spaces that foster well-being and environmental stewardship.

Enjoying Sourceable articles? Subscribe for Free and receive daily updates of all articles which are published on our site

Want to grow your sales, reach more new clients and expand your client base across Australia’s design and construction sector?

Advertise on Sourceable and have your business seen by the thousands of architects, engineers, builders/construction contractors, subcontractors/trade contractors, property developers and building industry suppliers who read our stories across the civil, commercial and residential construction sector