Lockdown Learnings & the Value of a Connection to Nature
The cultural changes that going into lockdown has brought about are interesting to note.
Lockdown restrictions have led to a new appreciation of the benefits that spending time in nature can bring. People embraced the opportunity to take on garden projects and home improvements and spent more time in their local neighbourhoods on their daily walks.
As governments start to relax lockdown measures and life is resumed, our connection with nature has evolved into a much more valuable relationship. Biophilic design is design that reconnects us with nature and it looks set to inspire and shape the way we live moving forward. Here’s how:
1. Sanctuaries of Green
Having your own garden or private outdoor space has become hugely important and is one of the biggest trends to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a time when we’ve been unable to travel too far from home, being able to connect with nature, even in a small way, has taken on huge significance. Whether you have a large garden, or a small courtyard or balcony, any outdoor space holds much greater appeal and importantly, these spaces look set to become more significant when designing our homes in the aftermath of Covid19.
Children’s play spaces, fire pits, vegetable gardens, balconies that are brimming with plants and attractive outdoor spaces for relaxing in are all garden features that we have been inspired by and which allow nature to take centre stage. The movement towards designing for a greater connection with nature has been quietly growing in recent years, but the impact of Covid has intensified our desire to live in an environment enriched by nature instead of apart from it.
‘Biophilia’ describes the concept that human beings have an innate need to connect with nature and the environment.
Biophiilic design has been shown to have a positive impact on our health and well-being. It can reduce stress, help accelerate healing and improves our cognitive function. Given the heavy restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic across the world and the mental and physical pressures and anxieties, it is no surprise to see this hunger for green spaces and natural environments become more of a priority.
2. Sustainability
Our time at home has made us more aware of the cost of living, fuelling a greater interest in sustainability. Alarming electricity bills encourage the use of solar, but we are also keen to understand what other eco-friendly options might exist when it comes to building and renovating.
Equally, when it comes to our gardens, we’ve taken a new interest in the biodiversity to be found in our own backyards and how we can encourage that. Robust and healthy plants become a beacon for the wildlife to be found in our gardens. With the pace of life slowing down, we’ve been taking joy in noticing more of the small things. Installing rain water tanks and being mindful of our water usage, especially after such a long dry summer is another project many have taken up.
Reports on TV showing how the reduction in pollution has led to cleaner water in the canals of Venice and views of the Himalayas from Delhi for the first time in years, is a very visible reminder that the choices we make as individuals do have an impact on the rest of the world.
3. Biophilic Design
Biophilic design is design that reconnects us with nature and is used as a tool for improving health and well-being in the built environment (Terrapin Bright Green, 2014).
Both mental and physical health are having an increasing influence on how we use our homes and how we design them, so it makes sense that the concept of biophilic design is gaining more prominence.
One of the easiest ways to incorporate biophilic design is of course, through the use of plants. Indoor plants are not only an attractive addition to your interiors, but also help with ventilation, reduce toxins and purify the air. They help to lower stress levels, help to increase productivity and have been shown to have a positive effect on reducing symptoms of ‘sick building syndrome’.
Even just looking at a view of nature, whether through a window or an image can have a positive impact, with as little as 40 seconds of staring at a view of nature giving increased cognitive capacity (University of Melbourne, 2015). With life in lockdown showing us that it’s entirely possible to conduct business from home, living in a place with access to those country or coastal views is looking more appealing and much more do-able. An increase in home buyers looking for a tree or sea change is expected.
Bringing the outside in is another subtle way that we can experience the benefits of biophilic design. Australians are well known for our love of the outdoors and having the right climate to take advantage of blurring the boundaries between indoors and out. It turns out that this is having even more of a positive effect than we knew.
Would you like to know more about biophilic design and how to incorporate it at your place? Get in touch and let’s chat about the possibilities!
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