March 9, 2016
Water – from crashing waves to trickling streams, wading pools, and water fountains – enhances the experience of a place. Pattern 5: Presence of Water The Presence of Water biophilic design pattern has evolved from research on the health and wellbeing benefits associated with access to water, including reduced stress, lower heart rate and blood…
February 17, 2016
An Interview with Michael Pawlyn, Architect & Author In The Biomimetic Office Building, lighting takes its inspiration from the translucent four-eyed spookfish and a spindly-legged cousin of the starfish, the brittle star, both deep ocean dwellers. The building’s glazed glass exterior nods to a mollusk’s iridescent shell, while our own double duty spinal column is…
February 1, 2016
If there’s truth to the adage that we’re all products of our environment, then it makes good sense to ensure the spaces we work in are as conducive to bringing out the best in us as possible. There’s a lot of buzz in design circles these days around the idea of biophilia—the notion that humans…
January 21, 2016
Spending a long period of time on a task that requires intense focus and concentration can be mentally exhausting for the human brain. Within modern day working environments, we are required to remain attentive during different tasks and activities throughout the day. However, working under pressure, or for a vast period of time can increase…
January 20, 2016
It’s always daunting to start a new year, but Pantone‘s color selections are a reminder of the softness that comes with new beginnings and to be gentle with ourselves during this new transition and our first trips back to the office post-holiday vacation. This year is truly memorable as far as “Colors of the Year”…
December 23, 2015
Why do we prefer certain colours to others? Why do some colours make us feel happy and energised while other colours make us feel agitated or sad? The Ecological Valence Theory Object and colour association – a concept that Palmer and Schloss have called the “ecological valence theory” – contribute to our natural colour preferences…
December 14, 2015
Complexity, as one of the more abstract biophilic concepts, has gained quite a bit of traction as a welcomed design challenge. We talk about the objective of the Complexity & Order pattern (#10) as a means for creating a visually nourishing environment, based on an understanding of the symmetries, fractal geometries and spatial hierarchies that…
December 3, 2015
With the success of their recent architectural and interior project – the University of Wollongong Science Teaching Facility – Graham Bell Bowman (GBB) Interior Designer, Rene Deoberitz, reflect on the science of wayfinding, and the importance of flooring within the space. What were the overall design objectives for the Science Teaching Facility at UOW? The…
November 30, 2015
A boutique is any small, exclusive business offering customized service, especially one that sells fashionable items specializing in one aspect of a larger industry. BDNY is the time for boutique hotels to find the coolest, hippest design elements to enhance guest experiences. Each year I look forward to grabbing coffee and a bagel, putting on…
November 16, 2015
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder. But when we see beauty—whether in a glorious sunset, a majestic mountain, an inspired building, or a fellow human being—we know it. Visual beauty is tangible. When it comes to thinking, though, how do we know when our ideas are beautiful? Interface has been dwelling on…
Catie Ryan 
Interface 
Jean Nayar 
Oliver Heath 
Gretchen Wagner 
Sarah Pelham