Biophilia

January 2, 2019

Integrating Architecture with Nature and Well-Being

“Given the pace and scale of construction today with its adversarial, dominative relationship with nature, the integration of nature with the built environment is one of the greatest challenges of our time.” – Stephen R. Kellert This challenge that has been embraced by the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award entrants,…

December 14, 2018

A Workspace Designed For…Designers

When we began this journey to renovate what has since become Base Camp, one of the biggest questions we faced was how to create a collaborative and inspiring space for our designers. In continuation of our article series on the construction of Interface’s new global headquarters, today’s post features a behind-the-scenes look at the environment…

July 30, 2018

Using Biophilia to Design a Better Learning Environment

Situated in the heart of the Forest of Dean, St. White’s Primary School wanted to draw on the surrounding landscape to create a nature-infused space that would reconnect students with the outdoors. The new building combines outdoor play areas and forest views with nature-inspired fixtures and fittings. There are proven benefits to incorporating nature-inspired –…

June 22, 2018

Biophilic Design in Urban Architecture: The Oasia Hotel in Singapore

The Oasia Hotel Downtown, designed by Woha, a Singapore-based architectural firm, is one of the most stunning skyscrapers in Asia. There is, first, the signal-red mesh envelope, a splash of color unlike anything in its neighborhood, and then the surreptitious patches of green that seem to slowly envelop the building. Planted façades are not new…

June 4, 2018

Better Products Make for +Positive Spaces

People’s expectations of interior spaces are becoming increasingly complicated. To keep pace (and even outpace) our complex lives, today’s built environments must offer more than ever before. It’s not enough for the spaces we live and work in to simply exist – they need to contribute to our lives, offering something positive.

May 9, 2018

Paramit Factory: A Case Study in Industrial Biophilic Design

The Paramit Factory by Design Unit Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, challenges the industrial typology that is too often mired in questions of functionality and cost. John Bulcock, the principal architect, is best known for tropical houses, noteworthy for unfinished concrete walls and playful inventiveness with climate. Daylight, greenery and vistas were key considerations from the start.…

March 14, 2018

How Perceived Open Space Can Benefit Our Well-being

In the last few years, neuroscientists have come to a remarkable conclusion: the quantity and quality of open space around us—whether it’s rows of cubicles in a an open floor matrix, four walls in a classroom with a view of the next building, or a windowless treatment area—is responsible for increasing the cognitive load on…

March 1, 2018

Neighborhoods: The New Workspace

To support employee engagement, architects and designers are fashioning visually identifiable collision points within office spaces. These collision points encourage employees to share ideas, collaborate and meet, mirroring the behaviors of their home neighborhoods. Recent research from Steelcase further examines the correlation between employee engagement and workplace satisfaction. The report notes that workers who are…

February 9, 2018

Why Do We Rely So Much on Geometry in Our Designs?

Geometry is an integral part of design from start to finish. Just think about it. Architects use geometry to study and divide space as well as draft detailed building plans. Builders and engineers rely on geometric principles to create structures safely. Designers apply geometry (along with color and scale) to make the aesthetically pleasing spaces…