Biophilic Design: Bringing Nature into the Built Environment in Miami and Atlanta

Biophilic design is a trend in architecture and design that seeks to incorporate elements of the natural world into the built environment. Coined in 1964, biophilia is an approach based on the idea that humans have an innate connection to nature, and that being in contact with natural elements can have a positive impact on our physical and mental well-being. In regions in Asia, such as Singapore, biophilic design is a core component of and integral to new developments and a key factor to improve the quality of urban living.  

Biophilic Design: An Important Approach to Building in Singapore

Singapore is a highly urbanized city-state with limited natural resources. Despite this, Singaporeans have recognized the importance of incorporating nature into their built environment. Biophilic design has gained traction in Singapore to create more livable and sustainable urban environments. “We have actually been a biophilic city all these while,” says Dr Lena Chan, senior director, International Biodiversity Conservation Division, National Parks Board (NParks) on the shift in focus towards Singapore as a biophilic city in the recent years. “A city does not turn biophilic on a planned day. Like all things natural, it evolves. All the efforts moving Singapore from a garden city to a city in a garden were actually leading us up to a biophilic city. We always had the DNA in us to be green and the principles were already in place. We simply added elements as we went along and became more and more biophilic,” she says.

In Singapore, biophilic design has become a critical aspect of urban planning and architecture. The city has set a goal to increase its green cover to 50% by 2030, and biophilic design is seen as a key strategy to achieve this target. By incorporating greenery and natural elements into buildings and public spaces, Singapore will become a more livable and sustainable city for its residents.

Since it was first colonized by the British in 1819, when Singapore was formally founded, more than 95 per cent of the island’s vegetation had been cleared. In 1967, two years after Singapore became independent, plans were launched to transform the nation into a ‘garden city’, designating land to become natural reserves.

In the early 1990s the Singapore Green Plan (SGP) was created, and then re-established ten years later in 2002 as the SGP 2012. The Green Plan focused on three key areas:

Air and climate change
Water and clean land
Nature and public health

The aim was to redress the issues Singapore faced by 2012, through educational outreach, awareness campaigns, and changes to infrastructure. A huge part of this plan was about reclaiming green space and finding innovative ways to rewild the city - which is how Singapore has become known as a ‘biophilic’ city, particularly through its innovative architecture.

Singapore has been a member of Biophilic Cities since 2013 and the work done throughout the country to “rewild” the island has been a success.

Much of Singapore’s regeneration was led by Dr Cheong Koon Hean, who headed the nation’s urban development agency. Part of her work was running an incentive programme, see https://skyrisegreenery.nparks.gov.sg/ to encourage developers and property owners to install rooftop gardens and vertical green walls.

Over the past 20 years, Biophilic design has been incorporated into Singapore's urban landscape is through its network of parks and green spaces. Singapore's parks and green spaces are carefully designed to provide a range of natural experiences, from manicured gardens to more wild and natural environments. These parks not only provide opportunities for recreation, but also help to mitigate the urban heat island effect by reducing temperatures and providing shade, in turn improving the outdoor experience in such a dense urban city.

The Skywise Greenery incentive program, an example of biophilic design within an architectural context, is the use of vertical gardens and green walls in buildings. These sustainable features not only provide visual interest and a connection to nature, but also help to improve air quality and reduce the urban heat island effect. One of the most prominent examples of this is the Park Royal on Pickering, https://www.archdaily.com/363164/parkroyal-on-pickering-woha-2, a hotel that features extensive greenery on its facades, balconies, and roofs.

Biophilic design is also being incorporated into Singapore's public housing estates. The Housing Development Board (HDB), which is responsible for the majority of public housing in Singapore, has started to incorporate greenery and natural elements into its designs. For example, the Pinnacle@Duxton, https://architizer.com/projects/pinnacle-duxton/, a public housing development that was completed in 2009, features extensive green spaces, including a sky garden on the 50th floor.

In addition to its aesthetic and environmental benefits, biophilic design is also important for the health and well-being of Singapore's residents. Accepted studies have shown that exposure to natural elements such as plants, sunlight, and fresh air can have a positive impact on mental and physical health. By incorporating these elements into buildings and public spaces, Singapore can create a more livable and healthy environment for its residents.

Biophilic design is an important approach to urban planning and architecture in Singapore. With its limited natural resources and highly urbanized environment, Singapore must find ways to incorporate nature into its built environment in order to create a more livable and sustainable city. Biophilic design is an effective strategy to achieve this and has already been incorporated into many of Singapore's parks, buildings, and public spaces. As Singapore continues to develop, biophilic design will be an important tool for creating a more livable and sustainable urban environment.

Principles of Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is based on a set of principles that are intended to create spaces that are in harmony with the natural world. These principles include:

Natural Light: Natural light has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, and promote better sleep. Biophilic design incorporates natural light into buildings wherever possible and may use strategies such as skylights, large windows, and light shelves to improve the daylighting condition.

Views of Nature: Providing views of nature can improve cognitive function, increase creativity, and reduce stress. Biophilic design seeks to incorporate views of nature into buildings by providing large windows or creating outdoor spaces that are visible from indoor areas.

Natural Materials: Using natural materials such as wood, stone, and water can help create a sense of connection to the natural world. Biophilic design may use these materials in building facades, flooring, and interior finishes.

Plant Life: Incorporating plant life into buildings can improve air quality, reduce stress, and promote well-being. Biophilic design may use indoor plants, green walls, and rooftop gardens to bring more greenery into the built environment and into the project.

Benefits of Biophilic Design

Biophilic design has been shown to have numerous benefits for both individuals and society as a whole. These benefits include:

Improved Physical Health: Exposure to natural light, fresh air, and greenery can improve physical health by reducing stress, improving sleep, and boosting the immune system.

Improved Mental Health: Biophilic design has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues by providing a sense of connection to the natural world.

Increased Productivity: Studies have shown that employees who work in biophilic environments are more productive, take fewer sick days, and are more engaged with their work.

Environmental Benefits: Biophilic design can reduce energy consumption, improve air quality, and reduce waste by using sustainable materials and strategies.

Additional Examples of Biophilic Design

There are numerous examples of biophilic design in practice, from large-scale projects such as Amazon's Spheres in Seattle, which are filled with thousands of plants and provide a space for employees to work and relax, to smaller-scale projects such as green walls in office buildings or hospitals. One particularly interesting example is the Bosco Verticale in Milan, https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/en/project/vertical-forest/, which features two high-rise buildings covered in more than 900 trees and 20,000 plants.

Conclusion

Miami, like Singapore share similar climatic conditions and could benefit from biophilic principles being adopted into the design of new buildings in urban environments that are seeing tremendous development, and with it, declining green spaces that are accessible to the public. Conversely, Atlanta is known as the “City in the Forest” and has been successful in preserving open parks and civic green spaces within the urban core. Yet more can be done to harmonize the architecture within the context of the forest and improve upon the synergistic relationship between the built and natural environments.

Ultimately, biophilic design is a growing trend in architecture and design, with numerous benefits for individuals, organizations, and the environment. By incorporating natural elements such as daylight, views, natural materials, and plant life into our built environment, we can create spaces that are not only beautiful and inspiring, but also promote physical and mental well-being for the long term.

References:

"Biophilic Design: The Architecture of Life" by Stephen Kellert, Judith Heerwagen, and Martin Mador. This book provides an overview of biophilic design and its benefits for both humans and the environment.

"Greening the Lion City: A Critical Analysis of the Development of Singapore's Urban Greenery" by Yvonne Tan. This paper examines Singapore's efforts to increase its green cover and incorporate biophilic design into its urban landscape.

"Parkroyal on Pickering: A Guide to Biophilic Design" by WOHA Architects. This guide provides an in-depth look at the Parkroyal on Pickering hotel and its extensive use of biophilic design.

"Green Spaces and Their Impact on Health: A Literature Review" by Mathew P. White, Ian Alcock, and Michael H. Depledge. This review examines the health benefits of exposure to green spaces, including improved mental health and reduced stress levels.

"Skyrise Greenery in Public Housing: A Review of Singapore's Pinnacle@Duxton" by Tan Puay Yok and Loh Lian Hwa. This paper examines the biophilic design features of the Pinnacle@Duxton public housing development.

“Is Singapore a Biophilic City?”
https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Resources/Publications/Skyline/Skyline-Issue10/Biophilic-city