Designing for Both Function and Well-Being
“Increasingly, good design is less about how spaces look, and more about how they make us feel – seeking to improve both mental and physical well-being, through a multi-sensory approach.” Oliver Heath, Biophilic Design Expert
As we all know, the last few years have put a fine point on the importance of our health and well-being. With so much of our time now spent working from home and finding a new work-life balance, it is critical that the places where we spend much of our time support our physical and emotional health including our overall well-being. As a design professional, how can you develop designs that help achieve these goals?
Answer: by incorporating Biophilic Design elements.
What is Biophilic Design?
Simply stated, Biophilic Design connects people with nature through design elements that nurture the innate connection we all have to what’s real and natural. Good Biophilic Design supports our mind-body systems and draws from many perspectives to create spaces that are inspirational, restorative and functional.
More than just a new design trend, Biophilic Design should be seen as a universal design philosophy that recalls all the positive encounters we have all had with nature and the instinctive attraction we have to natural materials.
What’s the Real Connection?
Strong or even routine connections with nature provide opportunities for mental restoration, improving our mental agility and the ability to think and learn. Research also shows that time spent in environments containing natural elements like plants, water features and enhanced natural light can provide emotional restoration and can even improve our mood.
Biophilic Design concepts that incorporate the use of natural stone materials have been utilized in projects for many years. However, the body of evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in improving our well-being is growing rapidly.
Why is that?
Research continues to demonstrate that people prefer real materials over synthetic variations because human receptors can tell the difference between them. In terms of Biophilic Design, natural stone is superior to man-made materials in making the connection to nature and reinforcing our desire to bring natural elements into our living spaces.
Bottom line... knowing there will be real benefits and positive results makes it easier to select natural stone materials for your Biophilic Design focused projects.
