the nature connection
The last two centuries have seen a massive process of urbanization as entire populations transition from natural to heavily built environments with limited access to greenery, open spaces and wildlife. This represents a fundamental disconnect with our evolutionary history.
Man's innate connection with nature is known as biophilia which in turn gives us biophilic design - an attempt to reunite indoor and outdoor worlds through the sensitive use of natural materials, shapes, breezes, colours, scents and sounds in urban architecture and interiors. Biofit leverages this same approach for an inner city fitness studio concept. Why?
Biophilic architecture has been enthusiastically adopted by the tech giants of Silicon Valley such as Apple, Amazon and Facebook for their new Californian headquarters. According to David Radcliffe, Vice President of Real Estate at Google, its new campus will have “trees & landscaping weaving through its structures to blur the distinction between the buildings and nature”.
Such environments are not just sustainable, a recent study by Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health Sir Cary Cooper entitled ‘Biophilic Design in the Workplace’ surveyed 3600 office workers across Europe and the Middle-East. The results showed how internal green space, natural light and foliage boost the mood, productivity and job satisfaction of employees while also reducing stress.
A recent report published by US-based consultancy Terrapin Bright Green entitled ‘The Economics of Biophilia’ highlights how this approach can also be applied to retail areas to boost visitor spend as well as educational facilities to increase students’ learning speed.
In the world of health care facility design, a seminal study by Professor Roger Ulrich at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden showed that patients whose windows looked out onto nature required 8.5% less recovery time than those who faced brick walls.
Such research eventually led to the type of healing garden created by the Lily Jencks design team for the Maggies cancer care homes spread across the UK and Hong Kong.
Biophilic design has proven beneficial for workplace, retail, educational and healthcare interior design, it's what we do and it's what we want to give back to the urban environment in our own small way...
Healthy communities movement for more environmentally conscious future
The ‘healthy buildings’/ ‘healthy communities’ movement is being driven by a number of US organizations such as Delos and the Living Future Institute as a way to promote a positive, healthy and environmentally conscious future to corporations, architects and designers.
Delos raised US$128 million across two equity rounds (2015-2016), partnering with Deepak Chopra on a STAY WELL hotel room concept and tying up with the Clinton Global Initiative. They came out of the blocks racing with a clear mission and a team of New York-based, ex-private equity gurus around the Balinese petrified wood boardroom table.
How do we define a healthy community?
A healthy community can be described as an environmentally conscious community, willing to follow sustainable construction practices, taking natural resources into the account. A healthy community now has a broader meaning and it no longer refers just to the physical health of individuals, but also to the building practices, concentrated on finding the most natural solutions possible, whenever possible.
Health promotion in the community using WELL guidelines
Their WELL Building Standard has laid out a detailed set of guidelines on how to ensure indoor spaces are designed with a healthy community at their core. It is divided into the following categories: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind.
Biofilico's trademark biophilic design is a central part of the WELL Standard, as are our attention to air quality, VOC reduction, air filtration, cleaning protocol, increased ventilation, circadian lighting design, active design, physical activity spaces, fitness equipment, thermal comfort, olfactory comfort, sound reducing surfaces, thermal comfort, health & wellness awareness, beauty & design. So we're very much a part of this industry-wide development, we merely apply the principles to a gym environment with an emphasis on finding natural solutions wherever possible.
WELL vs LEED
How does the WELL Standard relate to the pre-existing LEED certification for buildings? The two are designed to work side by side although LEED focuses more closely on sustainability and green credentials, i.e. the environment, while WELL advocates wellness features for the users of an indoor space.”
So LEED looks at reducing water and electricity use by integrating natural light and ventilation into a building for example with view to minimizing the harm we do to the planet and for the health of those using the building, while WELL is oriented more towards the human element looking at air quality as well as availability of fresh fruit, filtered drinking water, the promotion of stair use, on-site bicycle parking and so on.
Healthy communities movement for raising awareness
Whether developers will opt to pursue both forms of certification combined or just one of them remains to be seen (estimated costs are around 1-2% of build costs per certification) but the initial signs are that Delos and WELL have won first mover advantage, creating and in many respects owning this new niche while doing immeasurable good in raising awareness amongst corporate office, residential developers, retail brands and healthcare centres of how we can design health into the bricks and mortar around us, creating healthy communities - at the same time.
If you'd like to know more about how we integrate these same healthy building principles into our interior designs for a healthy experience, don’t hesitate to email us!
Forest bathing - what is it and how can it benefit your health?
The Japanese have been digging into the benefits of what they call "shinrin yoku" (forest bathing) for a fair while now and scientific research into the benefits of breathing in the essential oils that dense forests release into the air in particular continues to mount up. Shinrin yoku, also known as forest bathing, literally means bathing in the forest atmosphere - taking it in through all of our senses. This unique feeling is supposed to make us feel calm and comforted, through the means of the sounds, scents and fresh clean air from the forest.
What is forest bathing and how does it work?
Forest bathing therapy doesn’t entail any kind of exercise, even though it might seem like so. Having that in mind, how can you start practising forest therapy?
Namely, forest therapy refers to connecting with nature by using the forest bathing therapy (or shinrin yoku) as a bridge that will make an interrelation between yourself and the nature surrounding you.
The key of forest bathing success lies in the simple fact - in this modern world we have never been more disconnected from nature, so “divorced” from it. We have grown so accustomed to technology, became so dependent on it, that we no longer know how to reset and slow down. Forest therapy is one of means to do so - it can help you step back into the present moment, relax you and, at the same time, have an infinite positive effect on your health.
Forest bathing and the science behind it
By now, you have probably gathered that our senses are the key of invoking the power and potency of forest bathing. However, if our five senses are the mediums, something must stimulate them, and that something is called phytoncides.
What are phytoncides?
Phytoncides are airborne anti-microbial substances that trees release as a way to fight off disease and harmful substances, If you've ever wandered through a remote pine forest you'll no doubt recall the distinct scent of that experience but there is a tangible, self-defence rationale behind it all too from the forest's perspective.
Studies have shown that breathing in phytoncides while walking in a forest has beneficial effects on human Natural Killer (NK) blood cells that help fight virus-infected cells, a tangible immune system boost that can last for up to 30 days.
Cedar, oak and pine are all examples of trees that give off plenty of this type of essential oil, the latter in particular has attracted our attention as we used pine wood for our balance beams and pull-up bars in the Biofit Calgary fitness studio. We now gently diffuse 100% natural pine oil during class as a way to borrow some of the plant's positive health benefits for our clients. Biophilia and natural health in action right there people!
Forest bathing benefits - health benefits of forest bathing
When it comes to forest bathing benefits - there are plenty, both for mental and physical wellbeing. With that in mind, here are some of the greatest benefits of forest bathing.
Stress and anxiety reduction
It has been scientifically proven that leisure walks through the forest can decrease as much as 12.4 percent of cortisol, the stress hormone, which is more than an urban walk could ever provide.
Creativity boost
Certain studies have shown that participants who have utilized forest bathing therapy, have experienced as much as 50% of improvement in the domain of creative problem solving, solely after three days of being separated from any kind of technology.
Mood improvement
When it comes to some of the most obvious forest bathing health benefits, it was shown that a connection with nature helps with mood improvement, by releasing hormones relating to joy, happiness and calmness.
Forest bathing immune system benefits
The aforementioned phytoncides are what enforces the key benefits for the human immune system, through forest bathing. These airborne particles enhance the activity of our defence mechanism and help us fight diseases.
Speeds up illness recovery
Forest bathing therapy is powerful when it comes to accelerating our recovery from illness, with the explanation being in nature acting as a catalyst of the recovery process.
Reduction of high blood pressure
Unfortunately, we are all too aware of the dangers of high blood pressure and what consequences it can cause. Taking this into account, recent studies have shown the sudden drops in blood pressure in forest surroundings, in comparison to more civic encirclement.
How to start forest bathing?
If you were wondering is there a forest therapy guide or could it be just as easy as walking through the woods, here is how you can start.
Find a spot and tune in all your senses
You don’t have to travel deep into the woods in order to start forest bathing therapy. It is sufficient to find a spot in some green area, relax, and allow your senses to be overwhelmed by sensations surrounding you.
Try out some different activities and appreciate the silence around you
Once you’ve mastered slow walking, you can start including some more complex activities, such as yoga, meditation, writing something, exploring and so on. However, never forget that you’ve started the therapy in order to appreciate silence again.
Noise pollution has become the inseparable part of our urban lives, which is why silence has become restorative. Learn to appreciate it again, the sound of the forest, so different than the invasive sounds we grew accustomed to, and, if nothing else, remember that you are part of the larger whole, and become more appreciative of others, as well as yourself.
Forest bathing science
If you are interested to know more about forest bathing benefits, explained through the binoculars of science, read the full research report from Japan online here and find out more the grateful effects of forest therapy.
Uncivilized Genes
"Uncivilised Genes" is one of the first truly academic books that we have found on the subject of the urban paradox - our genetic mismatch with modern life. While the likes of Mark Sisson of the primal / paleo movement have done fine work in raising awareness amongst the general public, a lot of the rationale behind it is left up to secondary sources or stated in fairly generic terms.
The basic premise that we did not evolve for city life makes complete sense for existing sympathizers who have already made up their own minds but breaking the argument down piece by piece into a bulletproof argument is the work of an academic, be it anthropologist or archaeologist.
Gustav Milne is an example of the latter, currently teaching at University College London (UCL). What sets him apart is that he previously spent 20 years at the Museum of London, giving him a unique perspective on evolutionary history within the context of an urban metropolis.
His basic premise is that "wellbeing and good health are dependent on us following evolutionary concordant behaviors". This appears to be a similar starting point to the ancestral health community in California, however Milne adopts more of a macro view that helps set him apart.
When he states that "our uncivilised past is many, many millenia longer than the history of our civilisations", we have the sense of a writer who has spent decades of his own life mulling over this complex theme, attempting to coax it into a series of rules for 21st century living. This book is the fruit of that labour.
Pages 111-112 of the first edition contain a contribution by biofit on evolutionary concordant fitness; Milne himself however is strongest when flipping between deep, evolutionary history and contemporary urban planning themes such as building active design into cities of the future to encourage more walking and cycling.
Other topics include the importance of building social (semi-tribal) networks for mental wellbeing, the role of music and dance in conveying information, and biophilia (man's innate connection to nature) in urban greenspace.
A selection of Milne's more punchy Urban Design Protocols looks like this:
- Put human locomotion at the heart of transport policy and street design
- Promote and develop participatory urban greenspace, e.g. city farms
- Promote the development of roof gardens
- Encourage street-based neighborhoods rather than enclosed estates
Overall this is an sparkling, challenging and highly engaging book that will suit the newcomer to the subject just as well as the seasoned ancestral health aficionado. Highly recommended reading.
"Uncivilised Genes" by Gustav Milne is available now.
9 Tips for Biophilic Living
9 Tips for Biophilic Living
Here are our top tips for an evolution friendly 21st century lifestyle that is in tune with both ancestral and primal health principles, as well as biophilic and wellness-oriented design.
Connect with nature outside
Spend time outside in nature whenever possible, be it in 'green spaces' (gardens, parks and forests) or 'blue' (near rivers, seas and lakes), whether for 20-minutes, two hours or two days. Reconnecting with the elements has a restorative affect and helps counterbalance the negative impact of high-stress urban routines as it allows our senses to kick in to overdrive and certain parts of our brain to switch off.
Leverage the health benefits of Biophilic Design
We spend 90% of our lives indoors so bring the outside in to maintain your levels of Vitamin Nature around the home, office and gym. Go big on air-purifying plants such as Mother-in-Law's tongue; incorporate wood, bamboo, leather, and marble into your home decor; prioritize natural daylight and ventilation via open windows and balconies; use large format images of natural landscapes on the walls and incorporate circadian lighting that energizes with blue-white tones by day and amber tones after dark to improve sleep patterns.
Eat a Real Food Diet
Base your diet around an abundance of organic, seasonal fruit and vegetables with meat and fish in moderation. Cut out processed foods with long ingredient lists and reduce your intake of bread, pasta and other high-carb 'plate fillers' with minimal nutrient value. Consider not just what you eat but where it came from and how it made the journey from farm to table.
Movement and physical activity
Move every darn day, no excuses! Whether it be walking or cycling to work, a simple morning stretch routine or a full-on biofit style gym session using sandbags, medicine balls, beams and ropes that encourages 100% mindful engagement rather than high-tech machinery that invites you to switch off from the task in hand. Our genetic code was written when we needed to hunt and forage in order to survive, creating a direct correlation between movement and sustenance; now that link has been broken and calories are so easy to come by, it is imperative we find other ways to keep active.
Mental and physical restoration
Respect your body's need for rest, typically 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Work out what you need personally to operate at 100% every day then protect those hours as doggedly as you can. Avoid all sources of blue light such as TV, phone or computer screens 1-2 hours before bed, use blackout blinds in the bedroom and install a light system with warm amber hues for use after dark to ensure a solid night's sleep.
Practice Mindfulness
Train your mind like a muscle, it is your greatest asset. Learn a language, study for a qualification, practice meditation or try a dance class to mix things up. Our brain's capacity to develop new neurological pathways directly equates to skill development and nothing has been more instrumental in our rise to the top of the evolutionary tree; use it or lose it however so keep your mind active!
Go barefoot
Take your shoes off in the home, gym and even office (when appropriate!) allowing your feet time to connect with the ground while activating the 26 tiny bones in each foot that might otherwise remain dormant in thick-soled or high-heeled shoes all day long. As this sensation becomes steadily more comfortable, consider a pair of minimalist sports shoes with 'zero drop' (i.e. no raised heel) to replicate a more natural stance even when moving around outside.
Build your tribe of social connections
Find and foster your tribe; we evolved in small groups making us inherently social animals with an innate psychological need to bond, connect and share with others yet modern technologies tend to encourage isolation. The biological need remains however so find your people, wherever they are.
Sit less / use active workstations
Static seated positions negatively affect the lower back, posture and hip mobility; break the habit of our adult lives by finding alternatives to endless hours at a desk or table. Consider periods working at a high table or standing desk, experiment with a Swiss ball and try to change position at least once each hour to give the body a chance to balance itself out over the day.
Bio Building: Biophilic Buildings - The Eco-Friendly Concept of the Future — Biofilico Wellness Interiors
The concept of sustainable, eco-friendly, green, and now - biophilic buildings has been around for the past 20 years, helped along by organizations such as the Green Building Council that have dutifully guided developers, architects and corporations with their star certification system and LEED recognition.
The concept of biophilic architecture revolves around the principles associated with human healthcare, aiming to reconnect us with nature again. Biophilic buildings can also improve the general landscape, tipping the scale towards “greener”, more natural scenery, that ultimately benefit every part of our being. Constructing buildings using bio-based materials, such as timber, straw, and clay, offers sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to petrochemical and mineral-based materials, further enhancing the eco-friendly nature of these structures.
Sustainability movement with suitable rating systems for sustainable construction
Born of the massive recent upswing in urbanization and the resulting high-density cities that then put added strain on our planet, the green, biophilic building movement within the construction industry pushes an earth-friendly agenda onto our built environment by emphasizing sustainable practices and materials.
With over 92,000 projects using LEED in over 165 countries around the world and more than 2.2 million sq ft of built environment certified every single day, this is by far the most prominent rating system out there today.
LEED’s key tenets include energy, water, waste, location & transportation, sustainability of a site’s location and indoor environmental quality.
Moving beyond this green, eco philosophy though, more recently we have seen two concurrent trends that take the sustainability movement in a new direction.
Biophilic buildings & biophilic design in architecture using bio based materials
Like we said, there are a few trends that are currently directing the sustainability movement, including the use of bio based materials.
Firstly there is biophilic, nature-inspired design that adopts a similarly planet-oriented mindset yet zeroes in on how organic and evolution-friendly design principles can have a positive psychological and physiological health impact on humans. Plant based materials, such as timber, straw, reed, hemp, and engineered timber, play a crucial role in this by offering practical and sustainable options for construction. Engineered timber, in particular, stands out for its structural properties and sustainability, making it a key component in bio-based building technologies.
This planet + people mindset instantly gives biophilic design in architecture a more commercial edge, cutting through the externally oriented benefits of doing no harm to the planet with a more human-centric view of the built environment while also opening the door to overtly aesthetic choices that prioritize natural beauty.
When picturing or creating biophilic buildings in your mind - think vertical garden walls; air purifying plants; circadian lighting that follows the body’s daily rhythm; natural colors, patterns, textures and materials, all of which are designed to bring the outside world in, re-uniting city and countryside to create uplifting, restorative green spaces as closely aligned with our deep past as feasibly possible.
A holistic standard that advocates a healthy interrelationship with nature
Living Future is a holistic standard that has so far logged over 330 projects and 14.1 million square feet of built environment since 2008. Key concepts that it addresses include:
Place: restoring a healthy interrelationship with nature by maximizing the use of natural resources;
Water: creating developments that operate within the water balance of a given place and climate;
Energy: relying solely on current solar income;
Health + Happiness: creating environments that optimize physical and psychological health and wellbeing;
Materials: endorsing products that are safe for all species through time, including plant-based insulation materials like hemp and wood, which offer benefits such as moisture regulation and sustainability;
Equity: supporting a just, equitable world;
Beauty: celebrating design that uplifts the human spirit.
Introducing key proponents of human oriented buildings
The final segment, after eco/green/sustainable and bio/natural/organic comprises explicitly human or people-oriented buildings designed for human health, wellness and fitness, whilst also doing no harm to the planet through sustainable construction. Sustainable materials, such as timber, straw, hemp, and cork, offer numerous benefits in human-oriented building design, including reducing environmental impact, improving indoor air quality, and promoting resource efficiency. The use of local materials in bio-architectural residences further enhances sustainability by reducing transportation emissions and supporting local economies.
Key proponents of this approach are the WELL Building Standard and the US government-backed Centre For Active Design FITWEL standard.
WELL standard - environmentally oriented standard addressing global carbon emissions
WELL focuses on best practices when it comes to biophilic design in architecture and construction, backed by evidence-based medical and scientific research. To date, it has over 700 projects under its belt in 32 countries equating to 139 million sq ft of built environment. The standard covers eight key categories.
An evolution of green building standards such as LEED, the increasingly popular WELL Building Standard from Delos identifies 100 performance metrics, design strategies and policies that can be implemented across a building to have a positive impact on the health and wellness of its occupants, and transform it into something that can be described as a biophilic building. By incorporating bio-based materials, WELL also aims to improve indoor air quality, reducing the presence of harmful chemicals and VOCs, thus creating a healthier environment for the occupants.
WELL is complementary to other, more environmentally-oriented standards and in many instances directly overlaps as a nature-first approach is also inherently healthy for humans; the emphasis however is simply skewed towards the occupants rather than the environment. By using such materials, including plant-based and biocompatible options like plant fibers, timber, and straw, WELL promotes sustainable cultivation practices that integrate with forestry, agriculture, and conservation. The standard is happy to roam far and wide, from homes to offices, healthcare facilities, schools and restaurants.
FITWELL standard with a heavy data approach for indoor air quality
FITWEL, standing for Facility Innovations Toward Wellness Environment Leadership, was launched in March 2017 and has currently impacted over 250,000 building occupants with over 380 projects around the world. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a significant concern in indoor air quality, and reducing VOCs through the use of green building materials can create a healthier environment for building occupants. They too take a heavily data-focused approach with a database of over 3000 academic studies backing up their efforts to inspire healthier workplaces and residential communities specifically.
Biophilic architecture concept
Biophilic buildings are supposed to represent something more other than sheer connection with nature. Biophilic design in architecture is here to bring necessary transformation in the field that is responsible for the greatest negative environmental impact, including reducing carbon emissions.
If you wish to know more about healthy building or green building certifications, please email us here.