Did you know that there is a term to explain the emotional bond between human beings and nature?
It is called Biophilia and when it comes to interior design, there is the term Biophilic Design, which consists of emulating nature in the spaces we inhabit.
This concept of Biophilic Design goes far beyond having plants, it is also related to the management of light, color, shapes, textures, materials and even the use of spaces, the things that surround us and how they impact us, among others.
There are several articles that explain this concept deeply, so instead of that, I would like to talk about this broad theme through imagines which can give us some ideas on how to find balance and embrace Biophilic Design principles in our spaces.
Let’s talk about my interpretation of Biophilic Design through these images. First look at these two oppositive imagens which represent walls:
Neither of the two images have or show real plants, but for one moment imagine an exterior or interior wall of a school. Looking at the first image, the perceptions that came to me are of boredom, sadness, stress and even a feeling of being thirsty, perhaps because you only see pale and dry colors. On the other hand, the second image transmits a different message to my brain, I feel in a good mood, cheerful and just the presence of warm colors, figures and curves, wakes me up and invites me to get into a state of creativity.
In architecture the exterior is as important as the interior, have a look to this design:
What capture my attention in this design was the combination of the cement in the ceiling, curved wood in the walls, and the giant green leaves that appear at the top of the wall. For me the wood and leaves recreate a forest in a building made of concrete, and I think the feeling in that place will probably be one of freshness and amplitude.
In the following image the light subtly penetrates the interior, the semi-open roof has been strategically designed to achieve light penetration but also to allow shadows, so the plants are going to receive moderate light, water and fresh air. Another detail is the wooden floor, that gives another touch of nature. Again, that kind of design generates another microclimate very appropriate in times of global warming.
Look the outside of these buildings, all of them have a strong presence of nature, it is like if nature were reclaiming its real place in our spaces dominates for cement. The green and the brown color invites whoever is going inside of the building to keep the perfect communion that humans and nature must maintain.
I think that interior design is an art that we all can learn from, without losing our essence. In my case, I like authentic places that can show your personality; I like minimalism but not in its maximum expression and I definitely hate a place full of stuff. I enjoy combining contemporary with rustic and vintage things that take me back to my best memories and my old days. I adore plants, especially succulents and cactus, but in a fair measure. I need warm colors in some of the walls to avoid feeling like I am in a hospital, and above all, I avoid the use of black. I am a fan of natural light and I really appreciate candles and lamps with warm lightening.
I dream with the idea to have a house with a high ceiling; floors made of wood and handmade mosaic ceramics; with a special room for my books and my desk; with a garden full of different species of plants, succulents, some vegetables and herbs that I can grow. So, this is what my dream house would look like in a mood board, and I have to say that I feel very identified with biophilic design!
Nowadays, do you think that is important to bring Biophilic Design in our spaces? … and how would your mood board would look like?
The relation between Biophilic Design and Succulents Gallery
Starting from my personal experiences and the framework concept of Biophilic Design, it was how Succulents Gallery was born, creating compositions where the protagonist is nature in a form of a composition of succulents, with the goal to be contemplated in the everyday spaces, where we spend perhaps most of the time such as our home and work.
Succulents Gallery seeks the naturalization of closed environments increasing well-being and reducing stress in people´s life.
Our handmade compositions generate a positive impact on people such as:
