Biophilic town: Communities Built Around Nature
Walking through Vauban, Germany last spring, I couldn't help but smile at how wrong we've been getting urban planning for decades. Here was this entire district – not just a…
Finding My Way Into Sustainable Interior Design (And Why It’s Nothing Like Regular Design Work)
I’ve been an urban planner for over a decade now, focused mostly on how we move around cities and where we put buildings. But about three years ago, I stumbled…
Making ICUs More Human: What I’ve Learned About Bringing Nature Into Critical Care
I’ve been thinking a lot about hospitals lately. My wife spent nearly three weeks in the ICU after her stroke, and I’ll tell you what – those are some of…
Making Hospital ICUs Less Terrifying: Can Nature Actually Help People Heal?
Look, I’ve spent enough time in hospitals to know they’re basically the opposite of everything I’ve learned about creating calming spaces. Fluorescent lighting that makes everyone look like zombies. No…
Biophilic design research: Evidence for Health and Wellbeing
My neighbour Kevin stopped by last Tuesday with his usual question – why does his living room feel so "dead" despite having spent thousands on furniture? I walked into his…
Biophilic therapy: Healing Through Nature-Based Spaces
My friend Marcus called me last Tuesday, sounding completely frazzled. His mom had just been moved to a memory care unit after a fall, and he was struggling to help…
What I’ve Learned About How Natural Elements in Your Home Actually Help Your Mind
After nearly four decades in the same house and eight years of modifying it for my wife’s needs following her stroke, I’ve stumbled onto something that has a fancy name…
I Analyzed the Research on Biophilic Classrooms – Here’s What the Data Shows About Kids and Natural Learning Environments
I’ll be honest – when I first stumbled across research about biophilic design in classrooms, I was already knee-deep in optimizing my own home office workspace. I’d been tracking how…
Green Building Materials Examples: Real Product Showcase
Last Tuesday morning, I found myself crouched in a construction trailer outside Portland, sorting through material samples with a contractor who'd called me in desperation. His client wanted a "green"…
What I’ve Learned About Why Natural Design Actually Matters for Aging in Place
You know, after living in the same house for nearly four decades and spending the last eight years modifying it for my wife’s mobility needs, I’ve come to understand something…