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Journal of Biophilic Design

Journal of Biophilic Design

Auteur(s): Vanessa Champion editor Journal of Biophilic Design
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Welcome to our podcast series from the Journal of Biophilic Design, where we interview workplace consultants, futurists, interior designers, architects, urban planners and those working in healthcare, wellbeing and other industries to find out the latest on Biophilic Design. www.journalofbiophilicdesign.com

Content copyright Journal of Biophilic Design, opinions copyright the speaker. Hygiène et mode de vie sain Psychologie Psychologie et santé mentale Science Sciences sociales
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  • Landscape and Play with Biophilic Design

    Landscape and Play with Biophilic Design
    Sep 1 2025
    If two people could combat our growing urban disconnection, it is Adam White and Andrée Davies of Davies White Limited. I met them at our first Biophilic Design Conference at the Barbican, and immediately warmed to their infectious passion for better landscape design. Design which helps reimagine spaces from playgrounds to hospitals through a beautiful and playful biophilic lens, pulling on our emotional responses to nature. They construct, if you will, beautiful narratives of human-nature coexistence. Instead of viewing landscapes as static backdrops, they help encourage us to understand them as dynamic, living systems that actively shape human experience and ecological health. I think it’s the creativity I love most about their work. The balance of science, planning and artistry. Their approach is rooted in a deep understanding of ecological systems and human psychology. With projects ranging from micro-forest playgrounds to hospital gardens, each is designed to restore our biophilic fundamental relationship with the natural world. Take their recent West London micro-forest playground project. By densely planting trees and creating intricate ecological landscapes, they're not merely designing a play area, but constructing a living classroom. The project embodies their core belief: that understanding nature begins with immersive, tactile experiences. Those of us who live and breathe biophilic design, this philosophy aligns with scientific research. Studies consistently demonstrate that exposure to natural environments reduces stress, enhances cognitive function, and promotes emotional well-being. Adam himself references Florence Williams' "The Nature Fix", which explores how nature can make us "happier, healthier, and more creative". Also, their approach supports the positive economic argument for biophilic design. Their pocket park project in London demonstrated that nature-rich spaces can increase property values and biodiversity simultaneously. Plus, a collaboration with Anglian Water explored how housing developments could integrate resilient, nature-focused landscapes, and they are advocating a new “Resilient Garden” rating, which like the EPC rating on a house, could add value to a property if reported along with a house sale. I think this is a brilliant idea. It will get real estate developers and property owners totally thinking differently about their homes and land. This "resilient garden and landscape accreditation scheme" would be an ecological equivalent to energy ratings for buildings. This could revolutionise how we value and integrate natural systems into our built environment Policy is slowly catching up. The introduction of a Natural History GCSE this September (which they both, along with others, including Mary Colwell I interviewed a couple of years back) represents a significant milestone. "If children don't understand nature, they won't appreciate it, and if they don't appreciate it, they won't protect it," Adam recalls Sir David Attenborough telling him – a statement that has become a guiding principle for their work. "We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing," Adam reminds us, and their hospital design interventions are creative, beautiful and indeed playful. By creating gardens with living elements like water pumps, rabbits, and carefully selected native plants, they transform clinical spaces into healing ecosystems. These actively support patient recovery. As climate change accelerates, landscape architecture becomes a critical tool for resilience. Their designs are also adaptive systems that can mitigate environmental challenges while supporting human and ecological well-being. What I love about their work is that they challenge the notion that sustainable design is prohibitively expensive. By using creative, low-cost interventions like raised planting containers and willow pods, they demonstrate that ecological design can be accessible and scalable. I have to call out one specific example of climate resilience from their work, and that is at Nene Park Trust in Cambridgeshire. They used swales to manage water collection during heavy rainfall. These swales are designed to be both functional and interactive, with bridges and stepping stones that children can use to cross them. Their conscious approach to help with water management through strategically designed swales, planting of resilient vegetation that can thrive in changing conditions and creating a playful landscape that serves both ecological and recreational purposes really deserves visiting and using as an exemplar of best practice. They've been working with the park trust for 15 years, and when they revisited the site recently, they were impressed by how the planting had thrived in conditions that might typically challenge other landscapes. Andrée shared that we need a better understanding "nature's time" - recognising that landscapes ...
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  • The Urgent Need for Urban Trees

    The Urgent Need for Urban Trees
    Aug 21 2025
    Cities face unprecedented environmental challenges, and it’s no secret that trees offer multiple solutions: reducing urban temperatures, mitigating noise pollution, improving air quality, and supporting mental and physical health. So why then aren’t we planting trees wherever there’s opportunity? As Biophilic Design practitioners, we can help hold this door open to help explain why we need them and how to do it. Sue James is the Convenor for the Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG), which brings together individuals, professionals, academics and organisations from wide ranging disciplines in both the public and private sectors to improve knowledge and good practice to support the role of urban trees through better collaboration in the planning, design, construction and management and maintenance of our urban places. We chat through the challenges, the opportunities and also how Biophilic Designers can get involved and help transform society, health and ultimately our planet.One of the primary obstacles to widespread urban tree planting, according to Sue, is the perceived maintenance burden. Councils and developers often view trees as costly and complicated. However, TDAG research demonstrates that with strategic planning, tree maintenance can be minimal and cost-effective."If you plant the right tree in the right place, with proper initial care, maintenance becomes remarkably simple.” Do have a look at the practical guides TDAG have developed to help communities and professionals navigate tree planting challenges.If you are wanting to share the benefits of urban trees, which extend far beyond environmental considerations, learn a bit more about how tree-lined streets can benefit society. For instance they increase property values, reduce urban temperatures by up to 4 degrees, potentially save the NHS money through improved public health and of course the obvious one, create more attractive, liveable and desirable urban spaces.Grassroots Tree Planting InitiativesLet’s also not forget the power of local people. There are many examples of community involvement, and you can find out about local tree planting groups across the UK who are already making significant impacts and get involved with, or support from them. These groups often achieve more successful plantings than official programmes because of their hands-on, passionate approach.So what if you’re thinking about taking practical steps to support community action? Did you know that you are likely to have a local tree officer? Find out who your nearest one is. Explore community forest networks, engage with school parent-teacher associations, connect with organisations like Trees for Cities and of course use the online resources on TDAG and join their seminars which are free.A crucial aspect of Sue and TDAG’s work involves education. Through her involvement with Teach the Future, she advocates integrating climate and nature studies across all school subjects, believing that informed younger generations can drive meaningful change.Sue is also calling for comprehensive land use frameworks that integrate trees and green infrastructure into urban planning. She suggests local authorities should develop clear tree strategies that provide developers with consistent, achievable green space requirements.As Sue says, “We need to bring people and nature together as partners, rather than antagonists.” Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone of us reading this or listening to the interview, did something to change our local street, village or town. We planted a tree, got involved in the local tree planting groups or even better when we specified, we advocated for tree-lined boulevards and amazing arboreal environments. They don’t need to be perfect, manicured spaces but living, breathing urban environments where humans and nature coexist and mutually benefit.Every individual, community group, and organisation has a role to play in creating greener, more resilient cities.Resources like the Trees and Design Action Group's website offer free guides and inspiration. By sharing knowledge, challenging outdated perceptions, and taking practical steps, we can transform our urban landscapes. To find out more visit TDAG (Tree Design Action Group) website: https://www.tdag.org.u*Book your ticket to see Sue and TDAG at The Biophilic Design Conference www.biophilicdesignconference.com The Biophilic Quality Matric (for building design) , University of Sydney - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266679162500003XEdge Debate - debates and papers are here: www.edgedebate.com Teach the Future is here - https://www.teachthefuture.uk/ Rockstrom and Tim Lenten - global tipping points 2025 -https://global-tipping-points.org/?team=johan-rockstrom )https://global-tipping-points.org/conference-2025/conference-statement/The second guide in their two-part series on Canopy Cover is now available and free to download here. This guide outlines how ...
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    58 min
  • Biophilic Eudaimonia

    Biophilic Eudaimonia
    Aug 20 2025
    The concept of eudaimonia, rooted in Aristotelian philosophy, is more than just happiness. Eudaimonia represents a state of good spirit and the realisation of one's full potential. It's about creating environments that support individuals in becoming their best selves across different life stages and circumstances. I sat down with Jenna Mikus to explore the concept and find out how we can weave this into Biophilic Design. Jenna is founder of the Eudae Group and an Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and focuses on this concept, bridging engineering, philosophy, and design to create spaces that truly support human flourishing. Eudaimonia manifests itself in Jenna's recent projects across healthcare and educational settings. In hospitals, she challenges traditional design creating spaces that support all users of the space, staff, patients and families. Imagine healing environments with dedicated family zones, access to natural views, and carefully curated sensory experiences that help process difficult emotions. All of this will resonate with Biophilic Designers. Jenna’s own professional journey is anything but conventional. With a background in mechanical engineering, art history, and business, she represents the antithesis of traditional siloed thinking. Her career trajectory—from government consulting to architectural design—reflects a deep commitment to understanding how environments can profoundly impact human experience. In educational spaces, Jenna advocates for neuro-inclusive design. We need classrooms with varied lighting zones, comfortable materials, and flexible spaces that accommodate different learning styles. The goal is to create environments that inspire learning by understanding how space can activate creativity and engagement. All these things are also woven into Biophilic Design. In our conversation she shares that we can all bring these large-scale learnings into small-scale real-world situations. When her father experienced a serious health crisis, Jenna applied her design principles directly. By carefully controlling environmental factors—ensuring good air quality, playing classical music he loved, and creating visual references to positive memories—she supported his cognitive recovery. Just like the Journal of Biophilic Design, crucially, Jenna emphasises breaking down disciplinary barriers. She sees innovation happening in the "messy middle" between traditional fields, advocating for a more holistic, collaborative approach to design. This means bringing together engineers, architects, psychologists, and other professionals to create truly comprehensive solutions. Biophilic design plays a central role in this approach. Drawing inspiration from indigenous philosophies that emphasize human connection with place, Jenna believes our environments should reflect our fundamental need to connect with nature. It's not just about adding plants or windows but creating meaningful interactions between human spaces and natural systems. Her vision extends beyond individual buildings to broader societal transformation. By designing with empathy, inclusivity, and a deep understanding of human needs, we can create spaces that support individual and collective well-being. This approach recognizes that our built environments are not just physical structures, but active participants in human experience. When asked to paint the world with a "magic brush of biophilia," Jenna envisions a landscape of open-mindedness, beautiful light, and empowering interactions. She sees design as a tool for uplifting individuals, societies, and planetary health—achieving a symbiotic relationship that allows humans to truly flourish. Her upcoming presentation at the Biophilic Design Conference promises to further explore these ideas, offering insights into how we can reimagine design as a holistic practice that supports human potential. For architects, designers, and anyone interested in creating more supportive environments, Jenna offers a compelling message: Design is not just about creating spaces, but about nurturing human potential. By understanding the deep psychological and philosophical dimensions of our built environment, we can create spaces that don't just shelter us, but actively support our growth, creativity, and well-being. I was so happy to interview Jenna, as I love her interdisciplinary approach. It’s important to remind ourselves that thoughtful, empathetic design can be a powerful catalyst for individual and collective transformation. Biophilic Design helps us articulate this into the real world. To find out more about Jenna and Eudaimonia, connect with her on LinkedIn, her Google Scholar page and visit the Harvard FxD page. Also check out Conscious Centre for Design, and the International WELL Building Institute, Also she would like to extend the opportunity to submit a chapter for an upcoming book she is editing visit this link. ...
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    47 min
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