Biophilic Architecture for Restoration and Therapy within the Built Environment: A Review

Abstract

Can ‘restoration and therapy in design’ signify something more than the places like hospitals and healing gardens? Can those restorative environments be brought inside the working and living environments to mitigate the psychological problem at the source? The main objective of this paper is to look at the strategies and developments of Biophilic design with respect to therapy and restoration in order to achieve sustainability in terms of quality of life within the immediate built-environment. The paper explores the mental health issues under the domains of built-environment and indoor environment with respect to their connection with nature. Biophilic design has gained a favourable momentum within the last four decades and is now visualised as a medium that bridges the gap between humans and the nature. Out of a variety of measures of sustainable environmental design, biophilic design focuses on the end-results of naturally nurtured or inspired habitats and workplaces. It embodies strategies of Green and Intelligent buildings, works as a mitigation strategy for foul indoor environment and establishes the vision that veristic sustainability can only be achieved if there is qualitative control over human physiological prosperity and psychological health. In context of work efficiency, preference and productivity within the indoor environment, it is seen as a promoter of constructive thoughts and enhancer of creativity. The paper aims to enlist biophilic design and retrofitting strategies, which can improve cognitive function, reduce stress and provide mental peace within the built environment.

Simulated nature walks improve psychological well-being along a natural to urban continuum

“…Moreover, we found that the farmed field walk was rated lower than all other walks in terms of the "fascination" component of restorativeness -this again raises the question as to how different features of both natural and urban environments might be responsible for different dimensions of restorativeness. Indeed, there is nothing exclusive about specific features (e.g., curved lines) and nature, as exemplified by emerging research in biophilic architectural design (i.e., build environments that mimic natural features; see Asim et al, 2020;Coburn et al, 2019). The findings from this study suggest that caution should be exercised in concluding that all possible environments may be categorized as either fitting within a natural or an urban framework, as this kind of categorization can minimize important withincategory differences.…”

A Review of Attention Restoration Theory: Implications for Designing Restorative Environments

“…This shift has led to attention to recovery studies exploring practical implications for different demographics. Notably, scholars such as Farhan Asim and Venu Shree integrated ART with biological principles in 2019 [55]. Their work delved into the relationship between psychological recovery and nature, examining the influence and importance of various built environments in student dormitories on psychological recovery.…”

Logistics Architecture as Urban and Social Infrastructure

“…Some research claims that it can serve as a form of restorative mental therapy for populations deprived of green space. 62 Other research suggests that forms of augmented natural landscapes may improve cognitive functions, reduce stress, and provide mental peace. 63 The proposed HCDC aims at achieving such levels of qualitative control over the psychology of NYCHA residents and passerby.…”