What is Biophilic design?

A bright pink peace lily surrounded by big bright green leaves is in focus, while a blurred background shows a blue sky, the outline of a mountain, and trees of varying colors. A banner at the bottom of the image includes a simple shape of the R.W. Kern Center and reads: 100 Days of Building Solutions.

Biophilic design uses the concept of biophilia—humans’ innate attraction to nature and natural processes—to create spaces that blur the line between the built and natural environments.

The RWKC was designed with biophilic design elements at varying scales. Set at the center of Hampshires’s rural campus, the RWKC takes advantage of the natural beauty of its site; the RWKC’s many windows show panoramic views of the Holyoke Range. The greywater planters in the main atrium create a surprising hint of nature indoors, especially during the winter months. And materials like wood and local stone evoke the natural world indoors.

Project categories: 100 Days of Building Solutions

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