The mankind has been close to nature since the dawn of time. According to psychologists, it is a strongly intrinsic and inherited relation, which leads to afflictions and psychosomatic problems when disturbed. Biophilia literally means “love of life and of all that is alive.” It is an inseparable element of human existence, especially a proclivity towards spending time around living organisms. According to the report Global Research into Biophilic Design (2015), people tend to choose similar places for their work. We mostly prefer to work under natural light (even 44 per cent of the respondents!), among living greenery (19 per cent), or bright colours (15 per cent), and, interestingly, in such rooms which have the view of the sea (17 per cent). If the view of the sea turns out to be quite problematic, the other aspects can be provided much easily.
How does it compare to real life? Concrete walls with gloomy colours, artificial lighting, or synthetic decorative elements – people have been admiring things which have nothing to do with nature for years. Let’s add some noise, polluted air, and constant hurry. There has been about a decade of research on the impact of nature on our health and productivity. They clearly suggest that man feels better and works more efficiently when their surroundings is close to nature. Their mind works better and their psyche is much more stable.
Designers and architects started to seek some solutions so that work place could meet the need for contact with nature. Architecture became a certain connector between man and their surroundings, thereby it started to affect us. Nowadays, designers draw inspiration from nature even more eagerly. They started to create organic forms, which are to be associated with spontaneity and authenticity, for a reason.