Architecture that Points Outward
It’s human nature to shape the spaces around us for our own use. What started with caves and mammoth bone huts built by our ancestors has now evolved into mega skyscrapers and jenga-tower apartment buildings.
But as our architecture has become more ambitious, our designs have emphasized the natural world less and affordability, efficiency and profit more. Our cities have become concrete jungles that leave no trace of the environment upon which they’re constructed. We’re intended to dwell in and with nature. Diverging from this way of life has been proven to have adverse effects on our physical and emotional well-being. Good architecture isn’t separate from the natural environment— it’s an extension of it.
In his 1984 piece “Biophilia”, Harvard biologist Dr. Edward O. Wilson defined this term as, “the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.” The human race, he argues, has a biological tendency to search for harmony with the natural world.
“What began as a human instinct to find natural resources like food, water, and shelter manifests itself today in our preferences to dwell in environments that are close to these resources,” psychologist Dr. Judith Heerwagen said.
But as humanity rapidly makes advancements in technology and medicine, we’ve adopted a subconscious attitude in which we see ourselves not as a part of nature but as superior to it. Stephen Keller, a social ecologist at Yale, describes it this way: “The measure of progress in our civilization is not embracing nature, but moving away from nature and transcending nature and becoming independent of our biology.”
It’s funny— we see animals in concrete enclosures and call it inhumane, but we don’t see humans in cubicles the same way. What’s wrong with this, though? Why is it so important for us to remain in close proximity to the natural world?
As it turns out, there’s a large pool of quantified data which provides proof that encountering the natural environment has a profound effect on human well-being. A study by Dr. Roger Ulrich, professor of architecture at Texas A&M University, found that patients recovered from surgery much quicker when placed in a room with a view of the natural environment.
There are multiple theories for how this occurs biologically. Most notably, viewing nature is proven to lower stress levels, which could allow for a speedier recovery. Architects and planners can use this information to design more effective medical facilities that incorporate nature in a beneficial way.
MASS Design Group, a non-profit design firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, did just that with their hospital project in Butaro, Rwanda. Using an ingenious design that allows for cross-ventilation and gives every patient a view of the outdoors, the hospital was incredibly effective at both fighting illness and helping patients stay positive during treatment.
Biophilic design isn’t just effective in the context of healthcare. Workplaces, residences, schools and entire cities can benefit from the advantages of a connection to nature. A study performed on the effects of natural light on academic performance concluded that students progressed much faster in the subjects of reading and mathematics in spaces filled with natural light.
St. Mary’s Infant School in Oxfordshire, designed by Jessop and Cook Architects, uses the textures of cedar and timber along with a large amount of natural light in order to foster a deep connection between the students and the natural environment.
There’s a large play area underneath a wooden canopy that allows for children to safely play outside. This space nurtures the instinctive quality of children to explore the world adventurously in an attempt to understand it. Also, since views of nature can greatly reduce stress levels, workspaces that stray from the cubicle setup and are designed with openness, collaboration and biophilia in mind can vastly benefit not only employees but corporations as well.
The new Apple HQ in California is quite simple and effective— its design is but a giant glass ring that surrounds a green space. In this way, the focus is intuitively shifted to the natural world and away from the computer screen.
One of the most beautiful parts of environmentally conscious design is that modern architecture and technology doesn’t need to regress to incorporate nature into the built environment.
Take a look at One Central Park in Sydney by PTW Architects. The structure seems to defy gravity with its floating platform and lightweight glass layers. But the vegetation that encapsulates the structure gives it a natural and pleasant ambiance. What might’ve been an intimidating glass tower has become an inviting construction that points one back towards the earth.
Similarly, the notorious power plant in Copenhagen by BIG Architects demonstrates that technological advancement and biophilic design are not opposites; they go hand in hand. By turning the top of a power plant into an artificial ski slope and park, what was once a space that represented the destruction of the natural world has become a hallmark of preservation, sustainability and eco-friendly design. Big ideas don’t have to come at the cost of negative environmental impacts.
We live in an incredibly exciting time for the built environment. Innovations in materials, computer modeling, construction and fabrication are allowing us to push the boundaries of architecture further and further into unknown territory. But buildings don’t exist in a void.They are constantly in dialogue with one another and with the earth around them. By using simple design strategies to emphasize the natural world, we can all encounter the beauty of the earth each and every day— not just when we go to a park.
Art by Carissa Georgelos