The Integration of Biophilia into Modern Architecture: Examples and Insights

Welcome to our in-depth discussion on integrating biophilia in modern and vernacular architecture, a trend that is becoming increasingly relevant in sustainable design.

Alessandra Parolini: Good morning everyone, I'm Alessandra Parolini, I'm an architect, and today I'm here with Bettina Bolton, an expert and consultant in Biophilic Design, to discuss this topic.

Bettina Bolton: Exactly, good morning Alessandra, let's talk about examples because we need to be pragmatic too, we need to understand what we're talking about. Until now, we've been quite theoretical, even though we've discussed the benefits of Biophilic Design which are anything but theoretical.

Alessandra Parolini: In previous episodes, we've covered the principles, we've discussed the definition. Today, let's delve a little deeper and talk about examples of Biophilic Design.

Bettina Bolton: Because these data come from experimentation and science. If we want to talk about examples, one certainly thinks of contemporary architectures. However, I must say that we have numerous examples, even beautiful examples of Biophilic Design in vernacular architecture, so in the architecture of the past, but also in local architectures. It is no coincidence that Stephen Kelly, the father of Biophilic Design saw this dimension.

Alessandra Parolini: In vernacular, we have examples, if we think for instance of Japanese houses, made of wood, paper, with these beautiful gardens, often the emphasis is very minimal, the importance of views over vegetation. Thus, the integration between outside and inside.

Bettina Bolton: That too, for example, these transition spaces, we call them. Another beautiful example, for instance, of vernacular architecture, is the monastery in Normandy Mont-Saint-Michel, which is immersed in the middle of the sea with the high tides of Basse Maria and is in close contact with that natural world. We can say that these architectures of the past, often designed either by renowned architects or even by the communities themselves, because the concept of an architect, up to a certain point, did not exist in history, were closely connected to the connection these communities or people had with nature. Thus, we also have many examples that, instead, are the exact opposite. Think of brutalism, for example, which has now become very fashionable, but let's say that it incorporates very little of the natural world.

Alessandra Parolini: But the two examples you've given me, i.e., Mont-Saint-Michel and the Japanese houses, contain almost no green. And yet often the biophilic designer says, okay, just add some green, just have a view of the green, in reality, it's much more than this concept.

Bettina Bolton: Exactly, Bettina, you've made a fundamental observation, because as has happened, for example, with the term sustainability, not everyone knows that it involves sustainability, not only environmental, but also social and economic. So it has happened also, exactly, with this concept that is almost always linked to the incorporation of green, in buildings, in environments, even urban ones, so above architectures attached to facades, inside and around. It's much more, because precisely for this we need to talk about nature, and nature is not just green, nature is air, it's natural light, and many other factors.

Alessandra Parolini: When a person talks about natural colors, so the soft colors, it's almost a non-color, people think that's it, the natural way. In reality, in nature there are colors and there are many of them.

Bettina Bolton: Exactly, if we think, for example, about flowers, the flowers sometimes have very strong colors, and our ancestors knew that where there was a flower, there could be a fruit, and the fruit meant a resource, to eat. It is also one of the reasons why we still like flowers so much, it's one of the reasons. So we have these colors also very strong, but obviously they must then be used with moderation and wisely, clearly.
Then in the reference, now we've only made examples from the past, but we have also many examples in the present of contemporary architecture, I have in mind, for example, talking about Singapore. In Singapore, there are many examples, we have hotels, we have the airport and we have a hospital, which are just examples of Biophilic design. In fact, it is a place where a lot of research is also done in this regard.

Alessandra Parolini: So your consulting role really comes into play at these times, when one is designing even important environments, the need to have a consultant who accompanies the project.

Bettina Bolton: Exactly, the earlier the better, because this way the strategies are more effective, we can better control, with what inputs we have what outputs, this is very important, so ideally we intervene from the beginning.

Alessandra Parolini: What else can we talk about, referring to Biophilic design. So we've mentioned some rather important examples, but give me an example of materials, that can be in line with this concept, with this discipline.

Bettina Bolton: The first material that comes to mind is obviously wood. Wood is not intended only as a sustainable material, it depends on where it comes from and how it was grown.

Alessandra Parolini: Although now they are also very careful about the discussion of planting, origin, yam.

Bettina Bolton: Yes, let's say that we still have a lot of work to do, we still have a long way to go, so wood is not intended as a construction material, finish for furniture, but also as an essence that might have a scent, is tactile, is a material that invites being touched, this is also very important. And then there are many others, there are stones, many materials.

Alessandra Parolini: Anyway all coming from nature. And the less treated the better. And that's probably the fundamental difference?

Bettina Bolton: Yes, it's less treated. Absolutely, which then also goes in favor of our health obviously.