Best Examples of Biophilic Design in Schools: Student Learning Environments — biofilico wellness interiors

Ecokid Kindergarten, Vietnam

This nature-inspired kindergarten was designed by LAVA, an architecture studio with offices in Sydney, Stuttgart and Berlin. The client was the Hoo Goong Education Development & Investment with a 6300m2 site in Vinh, near Hanoi in northern Vietnam.

Incorporating biophilic design principles, this kindergarten aims to uplift students and staff, improve mood, reduce stress, and enhance well-being by integrating natural elements into educational environments.

Three semi-circular buildings with three floors each are connected by a series of bridges with multiple outdoor play spaces scattered in between to ensure nature is never far from view, whether indoors in a classroom or outside.

The stripped back building envelopes are characterised by curves, circular glazing and an irregular format with primary colour detailing.

Inside structural pillars and ceilings are masked in yet more curvilear forms, minimizing the presence of right-angles and bringing the play areas in, making them feel safer, less formal and playful.

Everything from the sofas to the indoor swimming pool has been created in the same organic, non linear forms.

LAVA won Gold in the 2019 Sydney Design Awards for the Kindergarten under “Architecture - Public or Institutional”.

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Kakapo Creek Early Learning Centre in New Zealand

Located in Auckland, New Zealand, the Kakapo Creek early learning center was built with the best interest for children and the planet alike, making it a prime example of biophilic design in an educational environment.

The center was effectively embedded within the existing natural environment with just three small trees removed during its construction in 2021. A circular-shaped building has an open roofed central courtyard with a playground space for the children, creating an opportunity for biophilia - contact with nature - connecting the indoor and outdoor areas. The design also incorporates ample natural light, enhancing student performance, well-being, and productivity.

A series of spacious, open-air rooms allow for natural ventilation of the structure, reducing the need for heating and cooling, thereby decreasing carbon impact, through an eco friendly sustainable building design. The center’s shape was built around a small stream that passes by the building. Incorporating natural elements like plants and water further benefits the environment and the children's well-being.

Some of the building materials used within the structure were upcycled from existing houses and native plant roof tops cap the build. The green roof reduces stormwater run-off by over 50%, filtering the water and allowing it to flow back into the stream.

This biophilic learning space of the future provides a nourishing environment for children to grow alongside their natural environment.

The Paul Chevallier School in Lyon, France

Located in Lyon, France, the Paul Chevallier School stands out for its exceptional biophilic design, evident across its elementary and nursery sections. The layout, characterized by v-shaped structures enveloping an outdoor area, seamlessly integrates with natural landscapes. Additionally, green roofs extend outdoor spaces and provide additional exploration areas, fostering better educational outcomes.

Including a vegetable garden and proximity to a woodland park ensures classrooms offer scenic views, embedding nature into the learning environment. Furthermore, strategically placed floor-to-ceiling windows flood spacious corridors with natural light, promoting mental well-being among young students and enhancing sensory elements for improved educational outcomes.

Karolinska Institutet Health Promotion Unit, Sweden - biophilic design example

Designed by Biofit and officially opened in January 2018, the Karolinska Institutet’s eco gym was created for the Health Promotion Unit of the university. Located in Stockholm Sweden, the gym was built to enable students and staff to stay active and de-stress throughout the study day, or night!

Using organic interior design elements such as sustainable materials, air-purifying plants, forest aromatherapy, natural colours, greenery, and natural materials like wood and stone, biophilic design is present from floor to ceiling.

The facility has recycled material, moss-like carpets, bamboo camouflaged speakers, Japanese style kokedama moss balls, acoustic moss ceiling panels, a giant Swedish forest wall mural, and wellness lighting.

Natural fitness equipment occupies the gym including eco-friendly sandbags, natural fibre climbing ropes, sustainable wood wall bars, handmade push-up bars and lifting logs, vintage leather medicine balls, sustainable cork foot massage balls, wood gymnastics rings and various other ‘workout toys’ to encourage movement based training.

Biophilic design positively impacts emotional well-being by reducing stress levels and enhancing overall mental health.

The Biofit designed Karolinska Institutet eco gym is a natural space where students and staff can build their physical and mental wellness, connecting with and supporting the other spaces nearby for students such as functional training gym, a white light room and yoga studio.

University of Chicago Student Wellness Centre, USA

In a building project completed in 2022, University of Chicago brought together their Student Health Service, Student Counseling Service, and Health Promotion and Wellness group into a single biophilic structure.

The building also acts as a tranquil, restorative space for students to relax and work on their studies. The quality of healthy furniture was a high priority of thebiophilic interior design project.

The Student Wellness Center was adorned with sustainable interior furniture to provide nookes of solidarity to encourage collaboration. The quality of healthy furniture was a high priority of the biophilic interior design project.

All pieces were ensured to be clean air certified, minimizing the risk of Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs being emitted from furniture that would end up polluting the indoor air.

These harmful chemicals (don’t be fooled by the friendly ‘organic’ in their name!) have been proven to decrease cognitive functioning, among a slew of other health effects - see here for more on the health risks of VOCs.

By procuring such healthy and sustainable furniture, the interior designers contributed to the cognitive performance and indeed physical health of students and faculty, while minimizing their environmental impact. It’s a win-win!

Many of the internal corridors of the building are softly-lit providing tranquil spaces of relaxation with warm, yellow light and areas designed for productivity are illuminated in full by white light.

The base structure of the Student Wellness Center is a historic, gothic hospital. The new structure engages with the old building’s architecture bringing the natural elements of stone walls and arches within the walls of the center contributing to its biophilic design.

Plants are placed throughout the building to provide green spaces and boost mental health. With a focus on biophilic design, the University of Chicago sought to give students a calm and relaxing space to boost student wellness and productivity.

The Benenden School in Kent, UK

Biophilic design is embraced at the Benenden School in Kent, UK, to enrich the learning experience. The classroom, constructed from sustainably harvested timber, incorporates natural textures for a stimulating interior. A sedum roof provides insulation while offering views of the surrounding Victorian Water garden through a large doorway.

A wooden bridge extends over a pond, facilitating the exploration of the natural elements. This eco-friendly classroom encourages outdoor learning year-round, fostering an appreciation for nature's seasonal changes and providing an inspiring alternative to traditional indoor settings.

Green School, Mexico - Example of Biophilic Design

Opening in 2023 within a new residential development, the Green School in Tulum follows on from similar successes in Bali and South Africa under the same name and represents what looks to be a truly striking biophilic design for educational spaces.

This early childhood education center will become Mexico’s first truly sustainable school as it is being built from healthy building materials aiming to become as close to carbon neutral as possible upon launch. The design emphasizes a strong connection to the natural world, incorporating elements like plants, light, and water.

Currently under construction, the early visuals show organic structures that curve and bend, avoiding the rectilinear structures of a more urban environment in favor of something entirely more in tune with the verdant surroundings on the Mexican coast.

Sustainable materials include locally sourced wood and moulding stone alongside bamboo. Bamboo is one of the best materials in terms of sustainability as it is a fast growing grass that regenerates each time it is cut and does not need to be replanted. This allows repeated, plentiful harvests from the same crop.

This is the type of knowledge that will be taught in the future green school of Tulum as classes will encourage a green community, lifestyle, and future.

Sustainability classes are among many others that stand out from the school’s projected curriculum. Humanities, Spanish, and Mayan will also be taught to preserve culture alongside the Earth.

Eastern Bay Area Experimental School - example of biophilic design

The Eastern Greater Bay Area Experimental School by CMAD Architects lies in the heart of Shenzhen, China where the surging demand for education and an increasing shortage of land has prompted a trend towards school buildings that build up vertically instead of spreading out laterally.

To increase students’ spatial bond with the environment, to ensure they are in contact with biophilic design and nature during their study days in other words, the CMAD architectural team created terraced or stacked roof space to achieve optimal use of a limited area. Natural light plays a crucial role in this design, enhancing well-being and fostering creativity among students.

Open-air learning spaces provides students an increased connection to natural biophilic spaces while also offering venues for recreation and activity such as sports fields, a track, and outdoor seating.

Not only does this terraced roof design create increased space, it also allows the building to shape to the land it is built upon as the terraces reflect the natural terrain around them, integrating a sense of place into the architecture.

design for mental wellbeing - university of chicago student wellness centre

university of chicago student wellness centre - exterior

Summary of topics covered:

Sustainable furniture: LifeCycle Analysis / Healthy Materials / low-VOCs

Lighting : Natural light / Window walls and corridors / Soft warm light - relaxation / Blue-white light productivity

Biophilic Design: Stone from a gothic hospital / Birch tree windows / Biophilia - boost mental health

Mental health: wellness design / wellbeing interiors

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Sustainable interiors and biophilic design for mental health

With an aim to boost student’s campus life, the University of Chicago recently built their first all encompassing Student Wellness Center. In the past, each department of the center was housed within different locations on campus.

The new building, finished in 2020, brought together their Student Health Service, Student Counseling Service, and Health Promotion and Wellness group into a single building.

Not only does the Student Wellness Center act as a building for health services, it is also a tranquil, restorative space for students to relax and work on their studies. The interior design choices made as part of that process reveal a lot about wellness design today, so read on to find out more.

Biophilic design and sustainable interiors for student wellness

The Student Wellness Center was adorned with sustainable interior furniture to provide nookes of solidarity to encourage collaboration. The quality of healthy furniture was a high priority of the biophilic interior design project. All pieces were ensured to be clean air certified, minimizing the risk of Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs being emitted from furniture that would end up polluting the indoor air.

These harmful chemicals (don’t be fooled by the friendly ‘organic’ in their name!) have been proven to decrease cognitive functioning, among a slew of other health effects - see here for more on the health risks of VOCs.

By procuring such healthy and sustainable furniture, the interior designers contributed to the cognitive performance and indeed physical health of students and faculty, while minimizing their environmental impact. It’s a win-win!

sustainable furniture for wellbeing

Furniture was procured from a range of green, sustainable designers that track the lifecycle impact of their products from manufacturing and procurement, to distribution and sale, even into end of life to recycling.

A number of furniture products by Muuto are made with eighty percent recycled material and Allermuir has their very own 15,000 square foot recycling center. This sustainable interior design not only helps people, but helps the planet too, it combines the concepts of wellbeing interiors with sustainability - increasingly, these go hand in hand.

wellness lighting strategies

The natural and artificial light strategies of the Student Wellness Center are a key element of its wellness design. Many of the internal corridors of the building are softly-lit providing tranquil spaces of relaxation with warm, yellow light.

Areas designed for productivity are illuminated in full by blu-white spectrum light giving students and faculty greater wakefulness during the day. This boosts focus and productivity.

Long halls of natural light are incorporated within many of the outskirts of the structure, these halls surround you with nature giving the building's occupants consistent exposure to full natural light during the daytime.  

wellness architecture

The base structure of the Student Wellness Center is a historic, gothic hospital. The new structure engages with the old building’s architecture bringing the natural elements of stone walls and arches within the walls of the center. The incorporation of the history of the building also brings nature's elements inside contributing to its biophilic design.

The arches create large organic shapes giving the building biophilic design in structure. The glass interior and exterior walls are common-place around the Student Wellness Center allowing for a greater visual perception of space and natural light.

Some of these walls are accented with birch tree forest graphics to create visual privacy while still pulling light further through the building. This design grounds the space back to its natural elements. Additionally, plants are placed throughout the building to provide green spaces and boost mental health via biophilia. 

Biophilic design for student wellbeing

With a focus on biophilic design, the University of Chicago sought to give students a calm and relaxing space to boost student wellness and productivity. From the placement of windows to the furnishings inside, the building was founded with the importance of student health and wellness in mind. Through biophilic design, students at the University of Chicago are given healthy, restorative spaces where they can flourish.

Biophilic design for student mental wellbeing

What is biophilic design?

Biophilic design brings the outside world in to bridge the gap between our indoor urban habitats and the natural environment we co-evolved in over millions of years.

By recognizing the primacy of this synergistic relationship between our wellbeing and nature, biophilic designers then work to create harmonious nature-centric buildings and interiors that minimize their impact on the environment whilst maximizing their health benefits for occupants. And yes, typically this involves a lot of greenery but as we will see below, a pot plant is just the tip of the iceberg.

What does a biophilic designer do?

The work of a biophilic designer can either involve a pure consultancy role working alongside an architecture / interior design studio, bringing a unique combination of sustainable design and wellbeing design principles to the table on larger projects, or involves implementing those same biophilic design concepts directly into a space as the lead designer.

There is an intricate, three-way relationship between our physical and mental health, our planet’s health and the spaces we inhabit. A biophilic designer seeks to apply this equally to entire buildings as specific interior spaces, right the way down to furniture, wallpaper, flooring, artworks and so on.

How can biophilic design help student mental wellbeing?

By creating healthy, green and positive spaces for studying, working, recharging, sleeping and even exercising biophilic design can harness some of the goodness of the outside world for the mental wellbeing of students at university.

This is done through the integration of natural elements in interiors, it doesn't have to be as literal as ‘a view of a forest in the library’ say, it can be a more subtle combination of natural colors, materials, textures, scents and sounds that cumulatively provides a restorative, nature-centric experience for the building. occupant.

The fundamental insight underlying all of this is the spaces we spend time in can have either a positive or negative influence on our mental and emotional wellbeing.

Biophilic design research data

There is plenty of scientific research out there already (see here) but there's always a need for more such studies. Biofilico has delivered two such studies, one of which was in collaboration with the University of Essex in Canary Wharf in London, on behalf of a residential real estate. developer named EcoWorld Ballymore and their The Wardian apartments.

Effectively they gave us a glasshouse by the river and asked us to create a restorative biophilic space as a pop-up one January, then invite local residents and workers in to spend 30-60 minutes of their day simply experiencing the ‘Vitamin Nature space’, as we called it.

Vitamin Nature interior design

We had 108 People spend around about an hour in there over three weeks with a pre and post visit questionnaire. The visitors to the Vitamin Nature space could pretty much do what they wanted but it was declare a ‘digital detox zone’. So some of them were working quietly, or collaborating in teams, or taking time out to have a peaceful lunch.

We had 74% of respondents say they felt an improvement in mood, while 87% reported lower levels of perceived stress, considering they were all coming in from offices in London’s central business district, 83% left feeling more productive than when they arrived and 87% reported feeling more creative afterwards.

Mental health benefits of biophilic design

This shows that we can both reduce the negative impact of other, non biophilic urban environments as well as positively impact feelings of vitality and nature connectedness, all through spending a little time in a biophilic design concept space. Imagine what it could do in you home or office where you spend 8-12. hours a day!

We achieved this particular biophilic design experience via an abundance of air-purifying plants, scented candles and aromatherapy, meditation books and circadian lighting to energize by day then calm after dark, so it doesn’t need to be a huge investment in financial terms, at least not in the context of student accommodation for example.

Biophilic design university gym

Biofilico’s sister company Biofit was asked by the Health Promotion Unit of the Karolinska Institute medical university in Stockholm, Sweden to create a small eco-friendly exercise space for students to use in the centre of campus. See case.study here.

This university campus is big on biophilic design and has been for a while, so they were already harnessing the restorative mental wellbeing benefits of natural interiors for their students.

The task here was to create somewhere students could have a mini movement snack during their study. day, connecting with some biophilia, do a small group class session, meditate, or generally recharge.

To achieve this we worked with lots of air-purifying plants, natural materials, air purifiers, non-toxic recyclable moss-like carpet panels.

The space was only 30 square meters and was not playing any meaningful role in their student mental health promotion efforts so they wanted to convert it into a new, attractive feature for the department to engage with students

Exercise equipment focused on functional and bodyweight training, with gymnastic rings, a balance beam, massage balls, sandbags, stall bars, lifting logs, step-up logs and a pull-up bar, all made from sustainable wood. The idea was to promote a fun, free approach to exercise rather than a prescriptive muscle or aesthetics based style of training.

biophilic design for mental health in student accommodation

How can biophilic design improve the mental health of students in their residential accommodation? Obviously indoor plants with air-purifying properties is one place to start but biophilic design is much more expansive a concept than that.

Nature can be brought inside in representative form, through artworks, wallpapers, books on display, sculptures, objets d’art, organic materials, photography, neutral colours, even textures and patterns.

healthy interiors for productivity in students

To contrast this with, for example, a messy student accommodation bedroom in need of a clean, or a chaotic library with poor lighting and inadequate ventilation, it’s clear that the environments students spend most of their time in can have a direct impact not just on their mental wellbeing but also on their productivity, concentration levels and overall output.

Here then are the fundamental concepts behind healthy buildings and wellness interiors:

• improved air quality

• healthy materials

• biophilic design

• multi-sensory design (light, sound & scent)

• considerations for mind & body

biophilia for student mental health

The simple act of taking time away from study to connect with nature, be that by taking a walk outside, spending some time in a nearby park or garden, it’s simply about finding a ‘happy place’ in nature close to home or the university so that it is within easy reach. Those are examples of ‘green nature’ but it could also be ‘blue nature’ such as a lake, pond, river or beach.

Equally, the hormone oxytocin is released when we are around other animals, such as pets, which provides a deep sense of connection, vitality and wellbeing. That may mean watching some ducks or birds, saying hello to your local horses, playing with your dog or snuggling up with your cat. It’s all a form of biophilia, nature connection, and it is going to have an instant impact on your mood.

In summary, nature has a huge amount to teach us, both in terms of connecting directly with it but also in terms of what we can do to bring it in to the environments where we study, work and live.