Biophilic interior design studios aim to create a connection with nature in man-made environments and have proven benefits such as anxiety reduction and increased productivity. It's about nature in all its forms, including natural light, views of nature, plants, natural materials, textures, and patterns, and it's about more than just bringing the outside in. If you're a biophilia lover, make sure to check out these seven wonderful interior design studios that incorporate pure biophilia in them.
Seven Biophilic Interior Design Studios You Must See
The principles central to biophilic design can be divided into two categories which are both visual and non-visual connections to nature. Visual connections are obvious aspects such as plants, natural materials, or a view of the outdoors, whereas non-visual connections are other features such as lighting or ventilation. These principles can be applied in a variety of ways to create interiors that improve our ability to live and work. The key is to blend them naturally, layering elements to create a multi-sensory experience. It can be difficult to fully comprehend the imaginative ways biophilic decor can be realized beyond simply filling a space with plants. So, what does biophilic interior design look like? Here are seven examples to inspire you, created by architectural studios that specialize in this field.
1. Vo Trong Nghia Architects, Vietnam
First in the group of incredible interior design studios that implement biophilic design is Vo Trong Nghia Architects, a Vietnamese architectural firm whose work is frequently infused with lush greenery, weathered stone, and an abundance of light. Stepping Park House, a three-story residential project centered on a large void that cuts diagonally through the building, brings all of these efforts together. Plants and trees that have been exposed to natural light decorate each floor, maximizing the connection with the adjacent park.
They specialize in creating biophilic designs everywhere because, for them, plants are essential. Here's another example of a biophilic design they have constructed with trees and greenery inside the architecture of the building.
2. Biombo Architects, Indonesia
It's not surprising that Biombo Architects doesn't want to close its doors in Bali, a true treasure trove of natural beauty. The studio's strength lies in creating beautiful interiors that draw inspiration from the rich surroundings. Take a look at this family villa, which is built around an indoor tropical garden that mirrors the project's jungle setting. Another way it incorporates biophilic design is through natural ventilation, which is made possible by a mostly glass exterior and the option to fully open up the property and let the outdoors in.
3. Charlotte Taylor and Nicholas Préaud, United Kingdom
Designer duo Charlotte Taylor and Nicholas Préaud whose dreamy renderings of Casa Atibaia imagine a modernist 'jungle home' are up next. Their idea of biophilic design is inspired by architect Lina Bo Bardi's 'Casa de Vidro,' also known as 'Glass House,' and consists of a concrete and glass volume supported by slim pilotis.
The imaginary house incorporates natural elements into its design, such as protruding boulders used as accent walls and furnishing elements such as bookcases and headboards.
4. Ibuku, Canada
Eleanor Hardy, a Canadian designer raised in Bali, founded IBUKU in 2010 with the goal of creating spaces where people could have an authentic relationship with nature. The studio's complex designs make use of natural materials, specifically bamboo, to shape space in a way that feels like a nest or a cocoon that hasn't been built at all, and of course, make it a biophilic interior design that is out of the ordinary.
The most well-known application of the material is the construction of a community of bamboo houses that are in harmony with their natural surroundings.
5. Design Unit, Indonesia
It is critical for Design Unit, a Bali-based architectural studio, to create spaces that reflect the palette of their natural surroundings. It makes an effort to incorporate greenery and natural finishes, such as the Bamboo house, which is made of its namesake material.
Another impressive project is 'Factory in the Forest', a biophilic architecture model. The site is defined by a green courtyard and a canopy-style structure, which has been conceived as a forest that penetrates, surrounds, and steps over the building, allowing for maximum contact with nature. Also, have you already had a look at the top biophilic hotel designs in the world?
6. Makhno Architects, Ukraine
Although in this specific design, you don't see as much greenery as the previous studios, it is in fact a biophilic design in a different way. Makhno Architects combines Japanese and Ukrainian influences, as well as wabi-sabi philosophy and natural forces. The studio frequently returns to wood, concrete, copper, and clay, often leaving them raw and unrefined in honor of their imperfections.
Mazanka Apartment has an interior designed with plaster to create an organic and untouched clay effect. The studio used a similar approach in the design of the Japanese restaurant Fujiwara Yoshi, which has natural stone walls and a traditional garden on the inside.
7. SeARCH, Netherlands
The last project on this list of seven incredible biophilic designs is by the Dutch firm SeARCH. The subtropical indoor garden that decorates the atrium of Hotel Jakarta in Amsterdam is flooded with natural light.
The hotel has several environmentally friendly features, such as transparent and glass facades that define the thirty-meter-high wooden main structure. Because of the subtle glass-on-glass connection, the project's timber curtain wall is visible throughout, creating a space that feels expansive.
If you want to keep learning about biophilia and its principles, read all about how biophilic designs have taken over major cities in the world.